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Construction Projects
March 2023
Page 2
Page 2
Describes the process of designing and constructing a large 90 cm square vertical declining dial for a house conservatory in Somerset. The project involved measuring the wall's 74.3° westerly declination, incorporating an Equation of Time plaque, and designing a unique lateral sliding system to avoid shadows cast by the glass roof rafters.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Equation of Time, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2023
Page 20
Page 20
Describes the stainless-steel memorial sundial (SRN 8340) commissioned to honour miners who died at Bettisfield Colliery. The BSS Help & Advice Service assisted the artist with design and calculations. The dial features a miner’s pick gnomon mounted on a salvaged industrial gear wheel.
Construction Projects, Sundial Design & Layout, The BSS and Members
March 2023
Page 22
Page 22
Details the construction of the large 30-foot diameter horizontal dial with a 20-foot stainless-steel gnomon, created for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. To ensure public utility, the hour lines were designed to allow for longitude, making the dial read close to clock time, despite the resulting asymmetry.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Equation of Time, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2023
Page 26
Page 26
Summary of the Society's 2022 activities, including holding the York conference and Newbury meeting, maintaining strong finances, and detailing public benefit submissions to the Charity Commissioners. Projects included restoration advice, pro bono design work, and the continued growth of the Fixed-Dial Register.
Construction Projects, Restoration projects, The BSS and Members
June 2023
Page 15
Page 15
Provides detailed instructions and drawings for constructing an educational wooden sundial puzzle, measuring 125 × 125 mm. The project utilizes plywood and a satay stick as a polar gnomon, designed to be easy to assemble and explain the concept of solar time.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Polar
December 2023
Page 10
Page 10
A report on a 6.3-metre diameter horizontal sundial/art installation at RSPB Loch Lomond, designed by Hannah Imlach, which marks the migration windows of Greenland White-fronted geese. The gnomon is formed by the slit between two sheets of Corten steel with piercings that give the impression of migrating geese in flight, and coloured bands mark the Autumn and Spring arrival/departure periods.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2022
Page 2
Page 2
An analysis of a unique 17th-century pocket compass dial (MT-1838) from the Lviv Historical Museum, dedicated to Jerzy Ossoliński and designed by Oswald Krüger in 1644. It features both horizontal and azimuthal scales. The author and associates created two functional replicas for customers in Ukraine, adapting the design for modern latitudes.
Construction Projects, Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials
March 2022
Page 10
Page 10
A report on the unveiling ceremony for the Bedlington sundial, made by Tony Moss, in December 2021. The large dial, located in the Market Square, commemorates the town's coal mining heritage and incorporates a Bedlington terrier motif in its undershot gnomon.
Construction Projects, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2022
Page 11
Page 11
Details the design and construction of a war memorial sun mark installed in Bolam Parish churchyard. The memorial, created using rusty iron shepherd's hut wheels, is designed to precisely mark 11 am on 11 November by focusing a spot of light through an aperture onto a poppy medallion.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2022
Page 26
Page 26
A historical account and description of the 2021 reconstruction project of the horizontal sundial for the Monplaisir Palace at Peterhof, residence of Peter the Great. The new marble dial, with a gilded bronze gnomon, was installed in the location of the lost 18th-century predecessor. The article also touches on Peterhof's museum collection, including a 1715 John Rowley dial.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Historical Dials, Restoration projects
March 2022
Page 30
Page 30
An article commemorating the creation and unveiling (2007) of the sundial at Westminster School, dedicated to former teacher Adolf Prag and his wife. Designed by Harriet James, the dial is based on Newton's ellipse, includes an Equation of Time graph, and features golden hemispherical hollows referencing scaphe dials.
Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects, Equation of Time
June 2022
Page 9
Page 9
A brief entry noting a replica of a Roman portable sundial created by Vsevolod Buravchenko for the Chairman. Further design analysis is directed toward a previous Bulletin article published in 2015.
Construction Projects, Dials: Portable, Historical Dials
June 2022
Page 16
Page 16
This describes a DIY horizontal mosaic sundial constructed on a paving slab using found materials, specifically slate for the surface and pieces of clay tobacco pipe stems for the hour lines. The piece features a copper gnomon with decorative cut-outs and was successfully tested as a moon dial in the garden.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual
September 2022
Page 21
Page 21
Continues a visual tour of European corniced sundials, detailing six more ‘hat’ types, such as the Serramazzoni dial (Italy) and the Marian Column (Germany). Also introduces dials with curved cornices, highlighted by the enormous Castillon Dam sundial (France), the largest dial in the world.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2021
Page 2
Page 2
A detailed report on the restoration of a large polyhedral sundial (a rhombicuboctahedron) with 25 faces. The work involved cleaning soft sandstone, making 25 new gnomons, grafting new stone onto the damaged horizontal face, and installing the structure on a new plinth.
Construction Projects, Dials: Multi Faced, Restoration projects
March 2021
Page 8
Page 8
Description of a model sundial inspired by the Meridiana Tetracycla in Rome. It features four niches with analemmas, designed to read GMT throughout the year using corrections for the Equation of Time and longitudinal displacement. The model stands 62 cm high and is made of maple, birch veneer, and bronze.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2021
Page 24
Page 24
Summary of the British Sundial Society's sixth award scheme entries for 2016–2020, covering 19 submissions focused on accurate design, elegant execution, and restoration. Descriptions of notable projects include David Brown’s polyhedral sundial restoration, Tim Chalk’s sculptural dials, a stained glass replacement, and the highly complex Ta Ha Sundial from Malaysia.
Dials: Multi Faced, Construction Projects, Restoration projects
June 2021
Page 40
Page 40
The author recounts his failure to formally register many of the approximately 215 sundials he has created since 1990, prompted by the discovery of an unrecorded dial he made at Piles Mill, Allerford (SRN 8191). Includes the transcription of a 1994 article by Hilary Binding detailing a sundial safari in West Somerset, describing the Piles Mill dial (a double-sided equatorial dial designed to look like a millstone).
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members
September 2021
Page 17
Page 17
Details the project to convert a 30-foot telegraph pole at Winwick Hall into a large, highly visible outdoor sundial. The final design employs the vertical pole's shadow to cast time on 18-metre radius winter and summer arcs, prioritising fun and visibility over high accuracy for walkers.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical
December 2021
Page 7
Page 7
Chronicles the creation of the large Fleet Street vertical declining sundial, culminating in its 2021 opening. Key issues included City of London planning rules (e.g., banning current newspaper mastheads), securing funding during the pandemic, overcoming surveying difficulties using point cloud technology, and the logistical challenges of gnomon fabrication and installation.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2021
Page 10
Page 10
Details the gnomonic design of the large vertical declining Fleet Street dial using Python-based graphics and established trigonometric routines. The model enabled flexible design adjustments, accounting for physical realities like the wall's step and the final highly accurate laser survey data, ultimately producing the precise instruction graphics for the painter.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2021
Page 13
Page 13
Explores the use of laser scanners and point clouds as a revolutionary method for surveying and designing sundials, accurate to a few millimetres. The technique was used on the Fleet Street dial to determine precise coordinates, declination, and inclination, allowing designers to calculate hour lines and model shadows regardless of surface irregularities.
Construction Projects, Dialling Tools, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2021
Page 18
Page 18
Describes the carving of a south-facing sundial at Princethorpe College, Rugby. The central design constraint was placing a decorative sun disk where the gnomon point usually rests. This was cleverly overcome by using a gnomon featuring a detachable point which was removed after securing the main gnomon.
Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
December 2021
Page 35
Page 35
Report summarizing presentations from the BSS Newbury Meeting on 25 September 2021. Topics included historical dials, specialized designs (reflective gnomons), new projects (Fleet Street, residential dials), and discoveries (analemmatic dials, Combe Martin noon line, mass dials).
Construction Projects, Dials: Mass Dials, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members
March 2020
Page 12
Page 12
Describes the process of commissioning and constructing a diamond-shaped vertical dial on the Old School House at Durgan, Cornwall. The wall declination was measured at 17½ degrees east of south. The slate dial is adjusted for longitude to show 'Greenwich Apparent Time' and includes a small notch for local noon. It was a collaborative effort involving the National Trust and letter carver Ben Jones.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2020
Page 23
Page 23
Describes the planning and design of the Fleet Street Heritage Sundial, a vertical dial facing a few degrees north of east, approved after 12 years. Located on the site of Richard Carlile's former publishing house (The Republican), the project commemorates Carlile and others who fought for the freedom of the press. The design incorporates hour lines (6 to 10 am) and newspaper mastheads, aiming to serve as a permanent heritage memorial.
Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
March 2020
Page 29
Page 29
A biography of Gerald Raymond Dunn (1917–2002), detailing his military career, farming attempts, and later ventures, including tracing unclaimed estates and inventing the Cruiserfix solar navigator. He undertook metalwork training and became a sundial maker, specializing in equinoctial ring dials. He also supplied a simple solar compass for a Sahara expedition.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Portable, The BSS and Members
March 2020
Page 33
Page 33
Describes an unusual agricultural-themed sundial designed and built by Anthony Sprent in 2004 to commemorate Campbell Town's role in observing the 1874 transit of Venus. The device, made mostly from old farm machinery parts, is a heliochronometer that uses a nodus (aperture) to project light onto an engraved analemma on a bronze plough disc.
Construction Projects, Dials: Heliochronometer, Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time
March 2020
Page 36
Page 36
Details the construction of a large 3-metre diameter armillary dial made from surplus mild steel H-beam and stainless steel components. Constructed by TAM Engineering Services Ltd, the dial includes a central aluminum globe nodus and a stainless steel equatorial ring with laser-cut Roman numerals. It was built for the old school in Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalen.
Construction Projects, Dials: Armillary Sphere, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2020
Page 28
Page 28
The author recounts the design and project management of his final large sundial: a horizontal mean time dial for his hometown of Bedlington. The stainless steel dial incorporates local history, featuring winding gear designs in the base and a Bedlington Terrier gnomon.
Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
December 2020
Page 16
Page 16
The author details the design and calculation of the Holker Hall scaphe dial (a spherical bowl dial). He explains the trigonometric formulae, derived using his 'y' formula, necessary for plotting points on the curved surface using distance and azimuth. He also proposes making a pair of large scaphe dials incorporating corrections for the Equation of Time (EoT) and longitude displacement.
Construction Projects, Dials: Scaphe, Equation of Time, Mathematics of Dialling
December 2020
Page 22
Page 22
Description of a large aperture nodus noon dial designed by the author and installed in a glass curtain wall at the Farnborough research site in 1996. The 1.8-metre tall dial declines 13.5° west of south and incorporates a gilded analemma calculated for 1999, which allows it to show both the date and mean time noon.
Construction Projects, Dials: Noon Lines, Dials: Vertical, Equation of Time
December 2020
Page 32
Page 32
The author details his DIY project to design and install a polished slate vertical declining sundial on his house wall during the 2020 lockdown. The final design, featuring Roman numerals, the Equation of Time, and a musical 'treble clef' gnomon, was achieved through self-calculation (graphical method) and professional craftsmanship for cutting and fixing.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Vertical, Equation of Time
December 2020
Page 38
Page 38
The author describes helping a client re-create a vertical sundial on a 16th-century Wiltshire mill cottage chimney stack, which had been lost around 1900. The design incorporated findings from original fragments, including a unique concatenation of Roman numerals. A separate slate plaque with an Equation of Time correction, featuring a millstone image, was also added.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Equation of Time, Restoration projects
March 2019
Page 2
Page 2
Describes a new universal stainless steel equatorial sundial called 'Alektryon', inspired by Greek mythology (the story of the sleepless cockerel). Designed by Andreas Galanakis, it serves as an educational tool with adjustments for latitude and practical uses like orientation and star gazing. Its proportions were determined using the golden ratio instrument, Eumetron.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2019
Page 18
Page 18
Describes three sundials commemorating war and peace. The first is the Merchant Seamen analemmatic dial at the National Memorial Arboretum. The second and third are new memorial analemmatic sundials in Aldridge (incorporating clay bricks inscribed by schools) and East Stour (made of Portland stone and granite). Also mentions a brass dial commemorating the 1919 Treaty of Versailles.
Construction Projects, Dials: Analemmatic, Historical Dials
March 2019
Page 32
Page 32
Describes a conventional analemmatic sundial commissioned for the Abbot Alphege Academy in Bath. The Forest of Dean sandstone dial commemorates Abbot Alphege (martyred 1012) and incorporates pointer stones, Bailey points, an Alphege cross, and stones naming personal qualities such as courage and wisdom.
Construction Projects, Dials: Analemmatic
June 2019
Page 30
Page 30
Presents 18 selected entries from the more than 100 dials added to the Fixed Dial Register in 2018. Examples include historical dials by George Adams and Heath and Wing, a Dollond cube dial, a vertical slate dial from 1698, and modern ground-level and wall dials.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials
September 2019
Page 36
Page 36
This piece describes a very large, difficult-to-spot sundial located high on the south-east face of the Alfred A. Arraj United States Courthouse in Denver, Colorado. The dial, declining 48.08° east, is estimated to be 38 feet wide by 19 feet high, uses stainless steel strips for furniture, and demonstrates the building’s green credentials.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2019
Page 12
Page 12
This article details the design and installation of a 3-metre tall obelisk sundial in Cornwall. The obelisk has an equilateral triangular cross-section, featuring two declining/reclining dials engraved on granite and slate, plus a simplified EoT correction table on the north face. Precise GPS alignment and a custom stainless steel turntable were used during installation to achieve high accuracy.
Construction Projects, Dials: Multi Faced, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2019
Page 17
Page 17
Description of the design and construction of a large, interactive combination sundial located at the ’s-Graveland observatory in the Netherlands. The 5.5-metre dial combines a cord sundial, indicating local apparent time, with a horizontal sundial, showing Central European Summer Time. The article details the mathematical calculations, material choices (Robinia wood), and implementation steps for this educational project.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual
December 2019
Page 24
Page 24
Description of a recently constructed, large helical equinoctial dial located in Fouzilhon, France. Made of Vosges granite, the dial features a gnomon with a unique helical slot that projects a strip of light onto the hour scale engraved inside the helical chapter ring. The design also incorporates zodiac signs and information on Equation of Time corrections.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
December 2019
Page 37
Page 37
A description of an oak leaf sundial sculpture acquired from an exhibition by Tim Chalk. The piece features life-size oak leaves etched into glass and cast in plaster, creating the hour lines using their shadows. A single oak bud acts as a nodus to show solar time, making it both an artistic and scientific piece.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2019
Page 39
Page 39
A comprehensive report detailing the presentations given at the annual BSS Newbury meeting. Topics included David Brown's project updates, Frank King's heliodrome concept, Ben Green's heliochronometer, David Burstall’s glass equatorial dial, discussions on the Fixed Dial Register, portable dials, and Martins Gills' new Latvian sundials and the Sundials Atlas website update.
Construction Projects, Historical Dials, Sundial Design & Layout, The BSS and Members
March 2018
Page 33
Page 33
A correction and postscript clarifying the designer and constructor of a solar projector used during the 2017 American Eclipse. The device was constructed by Don Snyder based on a design by Michael Bakich. It uses a finderscope to project the image and an alignment peg that serves as a temporary gnomon.
Construction Projects, Dialling Tools
June 2018
Page 17
Page 17
Details a commission for a vertical sundial incorporating a circular graphic of the Enoch calendar, which follows a 364-day year. The calendar graphic, divided into 52 weeks and 12 months, is superimposed but operates independently of the solar delineation due to the difference between the calendar and the true solar year.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2018
Page 24
Page 24
A valedictory article detailing the author's final metal sundial commissions for Newcastle High School for Girls. He recounts the challenges of etching brass and ultimately hand-engraving the lines to ensure durability. The article marks the conclusion of his two decades of intensive dial production.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, The BSS and Members
June 2018
Page 28
Page 28
The author describes creating seven miniature sundials as gifts for people who assisted him in his life or gnomonic projects. Examples include 'Peterhof' for an art historian, 'The Swallow' for a supportive official, and 'White Angel', a copy of the dial at his parents' grave.
Construction Projects, Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual
June 2018
Page 30
Page 30
Focuses on the 2013 polar granite sundial in Teddy Park, Jerusalem, designed by Maty Grünberg. The dial is symbolic of cooperation, achieved through the collaboration of Arab and Jewish participants during its construction. It uses an aperture nodus to mark key dates, including the International Day of Tolerance.
Construction Projects, Dials: Polar
December 2018
Page 11
Page 11
Details the commission and creation of two vertical wall dials. One is a declining Portland stone dial with a Copernicus quote. The second is a south-facing slate dial showing common, Babylonian, and Italian hours, utilising a notched rod gnomon to serve as a nodus and aid in reading the complex hour systems.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2018
Page 14
Page 14
Account of crafting the M-29, a complex slate double horizontal dial delineated for Somerton. The design required extensive research, spreadsheets for data, and the extension of a beam compass to handle large radii for the stereographic projection. The article details the construction process, including V-cutting, material choice, and gnomon construction.
Construction Projects, Dials: Double Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2018
Page 19
Page 19
Describes a functional horizontal sundial made in a clay modelling class for the visually impaired. It uses boundary lines between contrasting colours and ladybirds marking 1.5-hour intervals, prioritizing visibility and simplicity over high accuracy for its users.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2018
Page 20
Page 20
Detailed account of creating an outdoor reflection sundial over five years for a north-facing wall, using a mirror to project a sunspot. The final brass design is a hybrid, using virtual gnomon hour lines for GMT and analemmas marked by planets and asteroids for clock time correction, also celebrating the birth of grandchildren.
Construction Projects, Dials: Reflected, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2018
Page 30
Page 30
Describes creating miniature equatorial ‘oculus’ or ‘finger’ dials in pottery, inspired by ancient spherical dials. These interactive dials are read by blocking the sun hole with a finger to align the light spot on the vertical datum line, suitable for educational use.
Construction Projects, Dials: Portable, Dials: Scaphe, Dials: Unusual
December 2018
Page 32
Page 32
A short note pointing out that a bronze sundial made by the author, featuring a figure of Shakespeare and the motto “Life’s but a walking shadow”, was used on the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2017 Christmas card.
Construction Projects, Mottoes, The BSS and Members
December 2018
Page 50
Page 50
Discusses various challenges in construction projects: ensuring builders are briefed, problems with adhesive on plastic hour lines, and extreme delays (nine years and counting) in installing a replacement dial at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, due to regulatory hurdles.
Construction Projects, Restoration projects
March 2017
Page 10
Page 10
This piece details the history and 2016 granite reconstruction of a 1943 'blockade' sundial, originally made of wood and plywood during the Siege of Leningrad. Additionally, a new horizontal sundial designed with celestial spheres imagery was installed on the astronomical platform of the Saint Petersburg Planetarium.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Horizontal, Historical Dials
March 2017
Page 28
Page 28
Description of the Exmoor Sundial and Starclock, an armillary sphere unveiled in 2015. Unusually, this stainless steel dial incorporates a nocturnal mounted on its meridian ring, allowing time measurement at night by sighting the North Star and guide stars in Ursa Major (The Plough).
Construction Projects, Dials: Armillary Sphere, Dials: Nocturnals
June 2017
Page 2
Page 2
This article explores the irresistible temptation to use Brighton's vertical i360 tower as the gnomon for an azimuthal sundial. It details the i360 Sundial Society's proposals to mark time paths and date paths on the built-up, sloping ground of Regency Square using specially-made bricks.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2017
Page 39
Page 39
The author describes the design and laser-cut construction of a stainless steel pin gnomon gravestone sundial on black granite. The vertical dial includes solstices/equinoxes lines and additional declination lines marking the birth and passing dates of the author’s wife.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2017
Page 14
Page 14
A poem, edited by Kevin Karney, that was read at the 2017 BSS Conference in Oxford. It details how RAF ground staff stationed at Kalyan airfield, India, during 1945, relieved their boredom and homesickness by constructing a makeshift sundial (a 'mound' with a pole gnomon and painted components) outside the Mess.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects
September 2017
Page 22
Page 22
This article describes a polar sundial constructed by Sundials Australia for the Anzac Centenary Memorial Garden in Darwin (latitude 12.5° N). The gunmetal bronze dial includes a block gnomon and features a dedicated dateline for 25 April, Anzac Day.
Construction Projects, Dials: Polar, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2017
Page 26
Page 26
This describes the creation of a temporary analemmatic sundial on the grounds of Wroxton Primary School, intended as an educational resource. Components were made from red plastic board using stencils and spray paint. Alignment relied on Google Earth data, as the sun did not appear. The authors suggest this project, executed before the Oxford Conference, could become a BSS custom.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Analemmatic, The BSS and Members
September 2017
Page 44
Page 44
This article details the visit to the Esperance Stonehenge, a full-size replica of the UK original, built in 2011 using 2500 tons of local granite. The massive structure is aligned to the Summer Solstice sunrise and Winter Solstice sunset for its Australian latitude. The authors strongly recommend this construction to BSS visitors.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual
September 2017
Page 46
Page 46
This describes a memorial in Mullaghmore, Ireland, commemorating forgotten villagers, featuring a six-foot sandstone capstone incorporating a limestone sundial. The dial, designed by Christian Meyer, indicates local sun-time and features a stainless steel gnomon with Celtic interlacery. The sundial symbolises the passing of time.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2016
Page 32
Page 32
Describes the construction and installation of a 1.3-metre diameter stainless steel armillary sphere commissioned by Schaeffler for their South Wales plant. The sphere features engraved traditional hour rings contrasted with laser-etched elements for a corporate look.
Construction Projects, Dials: Armillary Sphere
June 2016
Page 13
Page 13
Description of a new direct east-facing moon dial commissioned for a client. The dial's gnomon is modelled on the nodus star of the Albi cathedral dial. It can function as a sundial using a chart located nearby, which also provides Equation of Time data.
Construction Projects, Dials: Nocturnals, Dials: Vertical, Equation of Time
June 2016
Page 16
Page 16
Report on the Society’s fifth award scheme (2010–2015), which resulted in fourteen submissions (including one restoration and one reproduction) from three continents. Certificates were awarded to all accurate and well-designed entrants, with several highly commended. Brief summaries of dials by David Brown, Tim Chalk, Tony Moss, Charles Perry, and others are provided.
Construction Projects, Restoration projects, The BSS and Members
September 2016
Page 11
Page 11
Description of the installation of an Orbdial universal sundial, made by Macmillan Hunter Sundials, in a historic garden above Montreux, Switzerland. The design features a meridian ring that was rotated to compensate for the difference in latitude between its Scottish delineation and its final Swiss location.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2016
Page 12
Page 12
Details the successful construction and installation of a large, square, gold-leafed vertical sundial (1860 mm square) on the newly completed gatehouse tower of Brighton College. The dial was delineated 24° west of south and manufactured by Smith of Derby, utilizing modern materials and techniques.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2016
Page 21
Page 21
Describes a new 500 mm marble horizontal sundial designed with Islamic influences for a tropical location. Features include a low gnomon angle, a Mihrab-inspired carved Ω shape showing Qibla (direction to Mecca), and Babylonian/Italian hour lines to help Muslim users determine prayer times (Dhuhur and Maghrib).
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2016
Page 34
Page 34
Describes the construction of a large, temporary 6x4 metre analemmatic sundial marked out in the sand at Crosby Beach, Liverpool, utilizing one of Antony Gormley’s cast-iron statues as the gnomon. The team had to use satnav and landmarks to establish the meridian due to the lack of sun.
Construction Projects, Dials: Analemmatic, Sundial Design & Layout, The BSS and Members
December 2016
Page 6
Page 6
Details the construction of a giant horizontal sundial and accompanying planet garden. The stainless steel rod gnomon was set at the site's 52.9° latitude. The dial uses mosaic tesserae to mark GMT and BST hours, and incorporates solstice markers and an equinox arch.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2016
Page 38
Page 38
Account of the commission and installation of a Forest of Dean sandstone analemmatic sundial at Alleyn’s Junior School. The project was funded by 10-year-old Iris Ferrar, who won a national writing competition and wanted an active piece amalgamating maths and art. Iris subsequently became the sundial tour guide.
Construction Projects, Dials: Analemmatic
March 2015
Page 5
Page 5
Details the design and construction of a new elliptical vertical dial crafted from grey Burlington slate for a private commission in Wales.
Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
March 2015
Page 38
Page 38
A description of three contemporary sundials installed in or around St Petersburg in 2014. These include the equatorial 'Time of Master' dial, constructed by multiple blacksmiths and featuring an angel on a spire; the 'Sailing vessel' dial based on the frigate Standart; and the 'Dandelion or nothing is forever' dial, designed by a 12-year-old following a children's competition.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2015
Page 45
Page 45
An article detailing the construction of two prototype horizontal pottery dials using a tent-shaped hollow gnomon with a slot. The design is inspired by the rare 18th-century Langlois dial, using a traversing light strip for time measurement during obscured hours and for seasonal indication relative to a fixed datum point. The dials are deemed successful, despite the material's crudity.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual
March 2015
Page 51
Page 51
An investigation into an incomplete modern sundial/sculpture located in Canvey Island, Essex, found to have unlabelled 'hour' marks. The piece was part of an ambitious 2012 project intended to be a giant 8-metre sculpture resembling a Thames barge mast. It was never fully completed, and its accuracy is questioned, suggesting the need for professional restoration.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual
March 2015
Page 52
Page 52
A short piece describing the bronze 800mm armillary sphere made by the author in 2014. The sphere was installed at Dumfries House in Scotland and was unveiled by HM The Queen and HRH Prince Charles during the official opening of the restored Walled Garden.
Construction Projects, Dials: Armillary Sphere
June 2015
Page 6
Page 6
This details the commissioning and construction of a horizontal stereographic projection dial made of stainless steel for Pierre Holtzhausen in Centurion, Pretoria, South Africa, intended as a teaching instrument.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2015
Page 22
Page 22
A biographical account of Anton Schmitz (b. 1926), a German sculptor and master stonemason (Bildhauermeister), who became a POW in England after D-Day. He studied under Heinz Schumacher and later became renowned for making over 100 sundials, specializing in globe dials.
Dials: Multi Faced, Dials: Unusual, Construction Projects
June 2015
Page 30
Page 30
Description of an armillary dial commissioned in 2013 to cover an unused well head at a country house in Southern Ireland. It features two identical arcs, 800 mm in diameter, cut from a phosphor bronze slab using a water jet.
Construction Projects, Dials: Armillary Sphere
June 2015
Page 41
Page 41
A comprehensive report on the conference sessions, including talks on Australian sundials, the history of Enid Blyton's dial, the Burlingham Sundial Trail, Mike Groom's heliochronometer, and site visits to Bromley House Library and Green's Mill.
Construction Projects, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members
September 2015
Page 2
Page 2
Describes the conceptualisation, design, and installation (2011) of a modern equatorial sundial named 'Sundial Herm' at the ancient UNESCO site of Messene, Greece. It details its unique numbering system, artistic philosophy, orientation challenges, and connection to ancient monumental orientations.
Dials: Equatorial, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
September 2015
Page 30
Page 30
Details the complex design and construction process of a large, conical, declining and reclining sundial made from local Forest of Dean stone for Wallsworth Hall, Gloucester. Describes the challenges of working on an uneven surface and using horizontal dials to establish alignment.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2015
Page 40
Page 40
Discusses the Kirktonhall Creative Media Group project to create 3D images and small-scale copies of unique Scottish obelisk sundials for a rooftop garden archive. The author also playfully suggests a sundial-themed chess set using various famous Scottish dials.
Construction Projects, Dials: Multi Faced, Historical Dials, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2015
Page 2
Page 2
Describes the design and construction of a 9–10 foot high tetrahedron-shaped cairn in Perthshire, Scotland, commissioned by David Heathcoat-Amory. It incorporates two declining reclining sundials and aligns its north edge and gnomons with the Earth's axis.
Construction Projects, Dials: Multi Faced, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2015
Page 12
Page 12
Includes three letters: Norbert Halama discusses his horizontal ‘Walton Hall’ dial; Alison Morrison-Low details James Clark’s horizontal Niddrie Marischal dial, now missing; Dennis Cowan updates on the failed Kirktonhall Project and clarifies the modern Dunphail obelisk dial's origin.
Dials: Horizontal, Construction Projects, Historical Dials
December 2015
Page 18
Page 18
Describes the author's search for an analemmatic sundial near Braşov, Romania, built by British volunteers in 1993. Although wooden posts are gone, the concrete date scale mosaic was found at the Brădet Compound, and the manager intends to restore the dial.
Construction Projects, Dials: Analemmatic, Restoration projects
March 2014
Page 12
Page 12
This contribution reviews the book "Moving Stars Changing Scenes – Gems Of The Ancient Chinese Astronomy Relics", a catalogue of historical Chinese solar instruments. Additionally, it details the design and construction of a stainless steel Noon Mark sundial for the Rotary Club of Whyalla, South Australia (33° 02′ S).
Book Reviews, Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Noon Lines
March 2014
Page 14
Page 14
This article describes the Solar Chronograph II, a large equinoctial dial sculpture by Grant Calvin at the University of Western Sydney. The user tells time by lining up so their head shadow eclipses the star-shaped nodus, then turns to look at the nodus which brilliantly eclipses the sun. The design is intended as an educational tool promoting passive solar energy management and sustainable building design.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, How Sundials Work, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2014
Page 17
Page 17
A new analemmatic dial was created in the grounds of the Emmaus Community in Brighton, which supports people moving on from homelessness. Emmaus resident Lee Radford designed the dial, and community members and local schools created the mosaic panels using recycled crockery.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Analemmatic
March 2014
Page 18
Page 18
This piece details two stainless steel and granite sundial projects in Latvia. The Kegums Sundial (56°44' N) is a nodus-based butterfly design, inclined at 40 degrees, which displays winter time and summer savings time. The Marsneni Sundial (57°25' N) is an equatorial dial supported by three stones, using dots for hour notation and incorporating Latvian ethnographic signs.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2014
Page 21
Page 21
The author designed a vertical, direct south-facing sundial made of unpolished black marble for his new home in Northern Ireland. The dial uses a horizontal gnomon rod, and the length of the shadow cast at noon indicates the eight traditional calendric events that divide the year, such as the solstices and equinoxes, marked by Neolithic spiral motifs.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2014
Page 16
Page 16
Profiles John Carmichael, detailing his career shift from horticulture to becoming a leading sundial maker in Tucson. It describes his primary design using a stranded cable gnomon, his use of modern software for complex dials (like heliochronometers), and his artistic stained glass dials and durable vitreous enamel finishes.
Construction Projects, Dials: Heliochronometer, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2014
Page 22
Page 22
A sculptor reflects on the aesthetic and poetic aspects of sundials, seeing his work as ‘painting with light’. He details several sculptural commissions, including a combined horizontal and equatorial dial with a glass centre, the Scottish Enlightenment lectern dial, and the Robert Burns sculptural sundial.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2014
Page 28
Page 28
Showcases sundials produced by the Cardozo Kindersley Workshop, focusing on decorative elements like sunbursts at the gnomon root and specialized lettering techniques. Examples include a dial in blue frosted glass and a pair of SE/SW dials using platinum leaf for the furniture.
Construction Projects, Mottoes, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2014
Page 40
Page 40
Details the process of creating contemporary silver portable sundials, combining jewellery techniques with accurate gnomonics. The article describes various forms—polar, necklace, and box dials—and unique methods used to achieve decorative surface finishes, such as using sandpaper or wire wool in rolling mills.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Portable, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2014
Page 9
Page 9
Describes an analemmatic sundial professionally installed in 2013 in Hill Street, Newry, Northern Ireland, featuring twin rings for GMT and BST, designed by Modern Sun-clocks.
Construction Projects, Dials: Analemmatic
September 2014
Page 14
Page 14
Discusses several unique sundials in Central Australia, including a large bronze armillary sphere made for artist Pro Hart, featuring an attached 400mm bronze ant, and 'Angels of Sun and Moon', a large sculpture at The Living Desert, Broken Hill, which also functions as a sundial and lunar dial.
Construction Projects, Dials: Armillary Sphere, Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work
September 2014
Page 28
Page 28
Describes a vertical declining sundial, the Gateway Sundial in Gloucestershire, based on a 17th-century design. It was made by Judith Verity from green Westmoreland slate with gilded incised lines and a brass gnomon.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical
September 2014
Page 30
Page 30
An intellectual exercise detailing the design considerations for a fixed calendar dial installed on the Moon. Due to the slow solar motion (180° in 15 days), the dial would calibrate the scale in terrestrial days (15–0) remaining until solar culmination or sunset, best constructed from readily available lightweight materials like cardboard.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2014
Page 40
Page 40
Links the 500th anniversary of Rheticus' birth (Copernicus's publisher) to early sundials. Discusses a lost coloured stone gnomon ordered by Bishop Giese from Nicholas Kratzer in London (c. 1520), and Georg Hartmann’s ivory cross dial (1541) now in the British Museum, suggesting Hartmann’s paper cut-out cruciform dial (1529) may be the earliest of its type.
Dials: Portable, Construction Projects, Historical Dials
September 2014
Page 48
Page 48
Describes the large bronze Bath Armillary sphere unveiled in July 2014 as a memorial to Admiral Arthur Phillip, founder of modern Australia. The sphere shows the time in Bath and Sydney and tracks the historic path of the First Fleet.
Construction Projects, Dials: Armillary Sphere
December 2014
Page 26
Page 26
This is a story of a sundial commission which started out full of promise, but has ended up as a sundial which has never had a chance to tell the time, and which now never sees the sun.
Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
September 2013
Page 2
Page 2
Detailed account of designing and constructing a five-metre tall hexagonal obelisk for Buscot Park to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee. It features seven dials on six slate faces, adjusted for the equation of time and longitudinal displacement, reading GMT, and incorporating Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Construction Projects, Dials: Multi Faced, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2013
Page 16
Page 16
Account of securing Listed Building Consent for a painted noon-mark on the historic Faversham Guildhall, celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The design features a gilded meridian line and a nodus on a gilded sun image, which projects a light spot to indicate the instant of Local Apparent Noon.
Construction Projects, Dials: Noon Lines, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2013
Page 36
Page 36
Showcase of several new sundials recently built in Russia (2012–2013). Examples include the maritime-themed ‘Sail and Seagulls’ in Tuapse, the ‘Leopold Cat’ dial designed for fishing enthusiasts in Kareliya, and the ‘Solar Flower’ in Toksovo, themed around cultivation.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual
September 2013
Page 48
Page 48
Report on the installation of a reproduction horizontal dial at Barrington Court, Somerset, commissioned by the National Trust. The new dial, created by Flowton Dials, replaces an early-19th-century horizontal dial by Cary of London that had been stolen. It is signed “After CARY, LONDON”.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Restoration projects
December 2013
Page 8
Page 8
Describes the design and construction of a unique sculpture/sundial combining the figure of the Japanese Sun Goddess, Amaterasu, using her raised leg as the gnomon. The author details the materials used (cement/bronze effect, gold leaf), challenges faced in construction, and the astronomical details included on the plinth.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time
December 2013
Page 28
Page 28
A report on a rare, unfinished, broken stone horizontal dial found in the foundations of the Tudor gatehouse at Scadbury Park, Kent. Dated circa 1550, its calculated hour lines suggest delineation for a significantly higher latitude (possibly 56°) than its find location (51.4° N).
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Historical Dials, Mathematics of Dialling
December 2013
Page 42
Page 42
Report on the BSS Newbury meeting held on the autumn equinox. Talks included the Sundials of Eaton Hall, the Horniman Museum trail, the Zutphen Quadrant, and construction projects like David Brown's M-29 double horizontal dial and Mike Lee's Sun Clock.
Construction Projects, Dials: Double Horizontal, Dials: Heliochronometer, The BSS and Members
December 2013
Page 45
Page 45
Details the author's development of ornamental, fretted, and pierced gnomons, noting his unofficial trade mark—a spur on the heel of the front 'foot'. He describes techniques using a clockmaker's fretsaw, Thiel filing machine, and flexible-shaft machine, often featuring interlaced initials.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dialling Tools, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2013
Page 50
Page 50
Provides personal insights and updates on the Singleton helical sundial, nicknamed ‘Druid’ (Daytime Readout Universal Imaging Device). It details the patented innovations, including the spiral dial structure and 'three bar' numerals, culminating in the fully funded installation at Highclere Castle in 2013.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2012
Page 7
Page 7
This article describes a new 70 cm diameter stainless steel spherical dial by David Harber, unveiled at Balliol College, Oxford. It celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of women's admission to Balliol and includes features like calendar bands, tropic lines, and moon-dial scales.
Dials: Unusual, Construction Projects, Mottoes
March 2012
Page 23
Page 23
The author describes "La Meridiana," a house in Italy designed with a sundial as its stair tower. This indoor sundial uses projections and reflections onto north, west, and east walls, and the ceiling, to show time and date. The article highlights the mathematics, design, and extensive calibration process.
Construction Projects, How Sundials Work, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2012
Page 21
Page 21
Don Rogerson of Red Oak, Iowa (USA) designs sundials using standard Lego bricks. This entry briefly describes an example: a 'Large Equatorial' dial constructed from 1x4 bricks and a 1x2 hinge plate, with grey and white blocks designating hours. Rogerson hopes to interest Lego in producing special sundial sets.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Equatorial
June 2012
Page 34
Page 34
This article describes a custom-designed 'garden' sundial commissioned as a 40th birthday gift for Campbell Forsyth of Faversham. It is an inclining horizontal dial for latitude 40°N, tilted 11.5° southwards, with a unique gilded 'box' feature that indicates the exact date and time (8 December, 12 noon) on his birthday. The dial is a work of scientific art by Ben Jones, with a pedestal by Clive Sherwood.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2012
Page 43
Page 43
This short entry presents another equatorial sundial designed by Don Rogerson using Lego bricks. It is built around a 1x4x5 arch brick, with central blue bricks marking noon and outer bricks indicating 6am and 6pm solar time, resembling the BSS logo.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Equatorial
June 2012
Page 52
Page 52
This article describes a stainless steel sundial at the Nano Nagle Centre in Ballygriffin, Ireland, which is the final 'station' of a 'cosmic walk'. Designed by Jonathan Mason, it features a 3.2-meter high gnomon with a central slit, a 200mm noon gap, and a prism for season indication. It also includes the world represented by a ringed globe and forty clasped hands symbolising intergenerational links.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2012
Page 7
Page 7
This article describes a unique noon dial with an analemma at Rovaniemi Airport, Finland, designed by Professor Emeritus Lauri Anttila in 2000. An angled mirror in the roof casts sunlight onto the floor to indicate months, with the design assuming passengers are aware of time zone differences.
Construction Projects, Dials: Analemmatic, Dials: Noon Lines, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2012
Page 26
Page 26
This section introduces several recent sundial projects, including an Olympic sundial by David Brown (an analemmatic dial), a vertical school science centre dial featuring periodic table elements, and the Angel with Sundial at Talaton church by Harriet James, inspired by Chartres Cathedral.
Dials: Vertical, Dials: Analemmatic, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
September 2012
Page 41
Page 41
This article presents an architectural study for a solar dome, "Mosque of the Sun II: Crown of Doha" designed to align with the sun for prayer times and celestial events. It uses digital modeling and 3D printing, with the dome's solar orientation differing from the Mecca-aligned prayer room, allowing light to create a clock/calendar on the floor.
Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
September 2012
Page 46
Page 46
This article provides an update on an equatorial sundial design with Equation of Time adjustment, originally published in 2009. The Mk.2 version incorporates improvements for public use, focusing on weather protection, increased strength, and enhanced vandal resistance, developed in response to the Austrian Sundial Society's plans to install a version.
Dials: Equatorial, Construction Projects, Equation of Time
December 2012
Page 15
Page 15
This section showcases several contemporary sundials, including a Corian® vertical dial in Pocklington by Stephen Holehan, based on an 1854 design. It also highlights analemmatic dials by Douglas Hunt's Modern Sunclocks for public sites and playgrounds, and a tile-based dial from High Peak Community Arts in Ston, Croatia.
Construction Projects, Dials: Analemmatic, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2012
Page 16
Page 16
This article describes a fused glass noon dial by Adele Christensen for a Gloucestershire client, indicating 12:00 BST on Midsummer's Day via a narrow slit of sunlight. The author also notes a similar Millennium design, the Lockinge Ring by David Harber in Oxfordshire, which uses a mirror for true noon.
Construction Projects, Dials: Noon Lines, Dials: Reflected, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2012
Page 30
Page 30
This article details the construction of a large garden sundial at Chestnut Cottage, Essex, by Richard and Judy Cecil. It covers civil engineering aspects, from site surveys and drainage to concrete work, and the precise setting out of hour lines and the stainless steel gnomon, incorporating a polar version of the equation of time.
Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects, Equation of Time, DIY Sundial Projects
December 2012
Page 42
Page 42
This article addresses methods for securely fixing sundials, focusing on preventing theft and damage. It discusses replacing rusted iron gnomons with stainless steel, using shaped stone blocks with acrylic paste, and cross-bolting for heavy gnomons. For dial plates, methods include recessing them into plinths and using threaded holes with retaining bolts.
Construction Projects, Restoration projects, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2012
Page 46
Page 46
The author recounts creating a limestone sundial for a customer near Moscow, inspired by John Tenniel's illustration for Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky. The dial, one English foot in diameter, measures local time and GMT + 4, and includes a scale for true solar time on the meridian of Lewis Carroll’s birthplace.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Mottoes
March 2011
Page 11
Page 11
The author explores methods for accurately dividing sundial scales without modern dividing engines. He proposes a compact, semi-mechanical system using pivot pins and a straightedge, designed to fit on a bench, and notes its superiority over Ramsden's engine in terms of user comfort.
Construction Projects, Dialling Tools, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2011
Page 22
Page 22
This article describes the reconstruction of Ludwig Hohenfeld’s 1596 polyhedral sundial, a 26-sided rhombic cubo-octahedron, using distorted photographs and image editing software. It details the process of rectifying the faces and analyzing the sundials inscribed on them to estimate the design latitude.
Dials: Multi Faced, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Historical Dials
March 2011
Page 32
Page 32
This article details the construction and placement of four horizontal sundials in Greek schoolyards between 1995 and 2008. It highlights student involvement, the evolution of precision in Equation of Time corrections, and the use of modern technology in their design and carving.
Dials: Horizontal, Construction Projects, Equation of Time, DIY Sundial Projects
March 2011
Page 34
Page 34
This article describes the creation of a motorised sun simulator for a museum exhibition, designed to demonstrate how sundials work by speeding up daylight duration. It features three lights for different seasons and allows visitors to test card sundial kits.
Construction Projects, Dialling Tools, How Sundials Work
June 2011
Page 14
Page 14
This chronicle by a founding member of the BSS details his career at the National Maritime Museum, his early involvement with sundials, and his experiences designing notable dials like the 'Dolphin' sundial for the Queen's Silver Jubilee, leading up to the formation of the BSS.
Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members
June 2011
Page 44
Page 44
This article details the design and construction of a stained glass sundial featuring a novel magnetic gnomon, shaped like a frog, which attaches without drilling, soldering, or gluing. It explains the experimental process of developing this damage-resistant magnetic attachment.
Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects, Dials: Stained Glass
September 2011
Page 35
Page 35
Aleksandr Boldyrev describes the creation of an equatorial sundial for the Rosarium of Sokolniky Park in Moscow. Utilizing an antique piece of Italian marble, the dial features three brass gnomons: one for daylight saving time, one for true solar time, and one for solar azimuth. The dial is designed to operate from spring to autumn equinoxes.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2011
Page 38
Page 38
This article details the initial design considerations for a memorial sundial for Margaret Stanier at Newnham College, Cambridge. Frank King proposes an unequal-hours dial with a straight-rod gnomon, loosely based on a historic mass dial. He explores the challenges of accurately indicating unequal hours with a gnomon, discussing celestial sphere projections and a 'critical angle of dip' to improve precision.
Construction Projects, Dials: Mass Dials, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2011
Page 2
Page 2
This article summarises the author's attempt to create a clear and correct edition of an ancient text, previously attributed to Bede, on constructing an altitude dial. The findings provide new insight into the famous ‘Canterbury pendant’ and suggest it was made more correctly than previously believed. The text describes a pendant altitude dial, possibly hexagonal, working like a cylinder dial, with specific dimensions and a calendar system.
Construction Projects, Dials: Portable, Historical Dials, Mathematics of Dialling
December 2011
Page 8
Page 8
This article details the design and creation of a transparent chalice dial on a 1-pint beer glass, to be read from the outside like a shepherd's dial. The challenge was to make it simple to use, casting a beam of sunlight through a dark circle to indicate time on equal-width month columns. Calculations for sun's altitude were performed for different months and hours, leading to a functional beer-glass sundial.
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
December 2011
Page 23
Page 23
This article describes a newly erected 180 cm high granite sundial in the Irish National Heritage Park, Ferrycarrig, weighing over 2 tonnes. Modelled on ancient monastic sundials, its temporal lines were designed to mark canonical prayer times rather than passing hours. Only twelve such ancient monastic sundials survive, making this reconstruction an important addition.
Construction Projects, Dials: Mass Dials, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials
December 2011
Page 32
Page 32
This is Part 2 of an article describing the design evolution of the Margaret Stanier Memorial Sundial, an unequal-hours dial for Newnham College, Cambridge. It details the aesthetic and gnomonic challenges, including discussions with planners, the development of hour-line alignments, and the artistic elements like sun rays and lettering. The article also covers the intricate cutting and gilding process.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2011
Page 49
Page 49
This article, drawing on John Smith's 1676 book 'The Art of Painting', discusses the techniques and colours used for painting sundials, particularly stone dials. It provides practical advice on preparing surfaces, mixing pigments, and laying out dials, including recommendations for repainting and a note on a misconception about earth's motion affecting dial orientation.
Construction Projects, Historical Dials, Restoration projects, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2010
Page 10
Page 10
A collection of short articles describing new sundials. These include an equatorial 'solar acorn' dial in Solar, Russia; a vertical declining dial in Oxford inspired by Christopher Wren; and a mass-produced, flat-packed equatorial 'Sun Disc' from Australia designed for various latitudes.
Dials: Vertical, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Construction Projects
June 2010
Page 2
Page 2
This article explores the concept of integrating an aeolian harp into a sundial's support structure to complement the visual time-telling with ethereal wind-generated music. It details the history and theory of aeolian harps, including the physics of 'aeolian tones' and string resonance. The author describes the construction of a prototype venturi-type aeolian sundial using inexpensive materials, highlighting design considerations for soundboxes, strings, and the integration of a horizontal dial.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2010
Page 7
Page 7
This paper describes a vertical sundial designed to indicate the Equation of Time (EoT) as a figure-of-eight curve, along with its anomalistic and tropical terms. It provides the mathematical formulae for calculating these values and their graphical representations as functions of time and the sun's declination.
Dials: Vertical, Mathematics of Dialling, Construction Projects, Equation of Time
June 2010
Page 36
Page 36
This article introduces the Chime Dial, an equatorial sundial inspired by historic noon cannons, designed to read solar time and provide an acoustic reminder of the sun's journey. It consists of two brass hemispheres and a dial face with five-minute intervals. A Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) inside the sphere triggers a chime when a sunray passes through a narrow gap, marking a pre-set time.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2010
Page 37
Page 37
This article details the practical construction challenges and solutions for the Chime Dial. The author describes the difficulties in achieving a sharp sunray cutoff for the Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) due to internal reflections and the need for blackened brass shims.
Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
June 2010
Page 41
Page 41
This article describes the formal launch of the 'Unicorn dial' at North Woodchester, Gloucestershire. It features a massive 17ft helical gnomon made of chromium-plated stainless steel, weighing a ton, and held at a 51¾-degree angle. The gnomon was aligned by Michael Maltin, outlining the garden layout which incorporates Chinese themes and floral hour lines.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2010
Page 51
Page 51
This short note describes a new sundial under construction at Trago Mills retail outlet in Newton Abbot, Devon. The dial, facing close to south, features a gnomon with a slot for a narrow line of light at solar noon and a cylindrical cross-bar nodus to show solstice and equinox declination lines. The hour points and lines are currently painted, with hopes for more durable stainless steel fittings.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2010
Page 2
Page 2
This article details the design and construction of a new elliptical slate sundial for Selwyn College, Cambridge, indicating both Babylonian and Italian hours. It discusses the selection of the site, the unique nodus design, precise surveying for wall parameters, and the process of setting out and cutting the dial with inscriptions.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2010
Page 8
Page 8
This section describes two new sundials: a 50 cm diameter slate horizontal dial by David Brown for a client in Derbyshire, resembling the Hampton Court sundial and featuring a nodus and coat of arms; and a Carrera marble house sign sundial by Harriet James for the BSS Editorial Office.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2010
Page 23
Page 23
This article reports on the unveiling of a bronze armillary sphere by David Harber, created to celebrate his lineage to the distinguished 16th-century mathematician and diallist John Blagrave. The sphere represents Blagrave's 'Mathematical Jewel' and was unveiled at the Science Museum in South Kensington.
Construction Projects, Historical Dials, Dials: Armillary Sphere
September 2010
Page 26
Page 26
This note describes a horizontal sundial in the Netherlands with a pole-style gnomon shaped as a farm labourer holding a hoe, designed and constructed in Cor-Ten steel as a community project.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2010
Page 46
Page 46
This article examines Henry Sephton, an 18th-century Liverpool architect and mason, as a significant provincial diallist. It describes several dials attributed to him, including signed double horizontal dials at Croxteth Hall and Knowsley Hall, a horizontal dial at Ince Blundell Hall, vertical dials on churches, and two globe dials, highlighting his characteristic transversals and artistic style.
Dials: Horizontal, Construction Projects, Historical Dials, Dials: Double Horizontal
December 2010
Page 20
Page 20
This article describes a very large polar sundial designed by José Luis Basanta Campos for a multi-purpose building in Lalín, Spain. The dial is 20m x 10m on a south-facing roof inclined at the site's latitude, with a 3m gnomon. It shows hour lines from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm and lines of declination for the 20th of each month, applied using weather-resistant adhesive plastic.
Construction Projects, Dials: Polar, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2010
Page 22
Page 22
This article describes the design and construction of an equatorial sundial inspired by Anaximander's 'skiatheron,' aiming to be an operational work of art. Made from matted stainless steel, the dial uses dots instead of Arabic or Roman numerals for a timeless aesthetic. It also details the construction process, including computer design, prototyping, and addressing issues like rust and plate bending.
Dials: Equatorial, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects, Historical Dials
December 2010
Page 41
Page 41
This article presents two new sundial designs. The first is a white marble sundial for a Japanese garden near Chelyabinsk, Russia, featuring a gnomon adapted from the Japanese character for 'tiger' and Japanese characters for hour markings. The second is a Dracula Dial with a gnomon of stainless steel and black lacquer, set near Korporie fortress, which was unfortunately stolen.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2010
Page 44
Page 44
This article describes a walk-on analemmatic sundial designed for Highlands School in North Vancouver, Canada, using 'Alemma' software. It features a double analemma design to provide direct mean time with minimal error, accommodating the equation of time correction. Parent volunteers built the dial, using plywood jigs and bronze survey markers for permanent reference.
Construction Projects, Dials: Analemmatic, Equation of Time, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2009
Page 2
Page 2
This article explores alternative methods for measuring the sun's position, specifically focusing on a north-facing polarization sundial. It delves into the principles of polarized light from the sky, its application in sundial design using materials like 'Sellotape', and the construction of an experimental translucent equatorial dial that produces varying interference colours throughout the day.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Polar, How Sundials Work
March 2009
Page 8
Page 8
This section features descriptions of three new sundial projects. Eddie French details the creation of a vertical declining dial in Grouville Church, Jersey, Channel Islands. Bradley Dillon describes the construction of a large horizontal cemetery park sundial in St Austell. There is also an account of Valery Dmitriev's "Angel playing a harp" sundial in St Petersburg.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Vertical, Construction Projects
March 2009
Page 10
Page 10
This article details the design and construction of a mechanical moondial for the Northern Hemisphere. It explains the components, materials used and the intricate etching process for the dial plate. The article also provides instructions for setting up the instrument, determining the moon's phase using Golden Numbers, and calculating time by the moon's apparent direction.
Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects
March 2009
Page 14
Page 14
This article describes an electronic polarization sundial and sky photometer designed to measure the intensity and polarization of skylight. It uses a rotatable polar and a selenium photovoltaic cell to detect the solar meridian to within ±8 minutes of time and quantitatively assess the percentage of linear polarization in light from a selected area of the sky.
Dials: Polar, How Sundials Work, Construction Projects
March 2009
Page 18
Page 18
This article provides practical details for designing and constructing a durable lawn analemmatic sundial using readily available materials. It covers establishing the north-south line, calculating dimensions, making hour markers from tree-trunk lengths, crafting a date scale from timber, and ensuring precise installation for accurate solar timekeeping.
Dials: Analemmatic, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects
March 2009
Page 28
Page 28
This article details the design and robust construction of an analemmatic sundial installed in the paving of an embankment in Shelkovo, Russia. It covers the use of AutoCAD for design, creating plaster-of-Paris and beeswax models, the ceramic mould casting process for bronze elements, and building substantial concrete foundations to ensure durability against vandalism and weathering.
Dials: Analemmatic, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
June 2009
Page 24
Page 24
Details the design and construction of an equatorial sundial that directly indicates clock time (UTC). It incorporates a mechanical cam to automatically apply the Equation of Time correction, and includes adjustments for latitude and longitude. An appendix explains how to design the cam.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Equation of Time, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2009
Page 20
Page 20
Describes a new declining vertical dial recently installed in the Midlands. The design is based on the dials at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge. The article details its large size, construction materials including vitreous-enamelled steel and brass, and a unique feature: the coat of arms of Aston Villa Football Club.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2009
Page 44
Page 44
A humorous account of installing an armillary sphere sundial in a cottage garden. The author describes the challenges of using an old granite farm roller as a pedestal, detailing the difficulties of moving it, cutting the axle, and drilling into the stone to mount the dial and a motto plate.
Construction Projects, Dials: Armillary Sphere
December 2009
Page 28
Page 28
Details the design and construction of a modern, portable heliochronometer. The instrument, inspired by H.C. Armstead's 'Phoeboscope', uses a spot of light on an analemma to provide a numerical time readout. It can be adjusted for latitude, longitude, the equation of time, and summer time.
Construction Projects, Dials: Heliochronometer, Equation of Time
March 2008
Page 18
Page 18
Describes the design, creation, and dedication of a large horizontal sundial by Tony Moss, commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement. The unique 'navette' shaped dial incorporates Anglo-American symbolism, funded by the Sawyer Dialling Prize and sponsors, and was installed at Turner Farm Park.
Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects, The BSS and Members
March 2008
Page 46
Page 46
Describes the design and construction of an 18-inch brass equatorial mean time sundial, incorporating a mechanism to compensate for the Equation of Time. The article details the machining of a groove on a rotatable drum for EoT correction and the careful assembly and alignment of the time-ring and gnomon, calibrated to read GMT directly.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Equation of Time
June 2008
Page 54
Page 54
This article describes the design and astronomical calculations for the Solar Pyramid, a proposed large-scale art installation that will also function as the world's largest sundial. It details the design constraints, methods for reading time, and the accuracy of incorporating the Equation of Time over centuries.
Construction Projects, Equation of Time, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2008
Page 68
Page 68
This article describes the sophisticated porcelain artistic technique used to create sundials, from preparing the slurry and casting the pottery to delineating the dial, modelling decorative elements like a 'grapevine river of life', painting with glazes, and multiple firings and enamelling processes.
Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
June 2008
Page 99
Page 99
This article links a new millennium sundial at Marbury-cum-Quoisley church in Cheshire, designed by Dr W.E. Flewett and adjusted for longitude and British Summer Time, to an 18th-century treatise by Robert Moody. It also discusses William Emerson, a mathematician and diallist whose work influenced Moody and the millennium dial.
Construction Projects, Historical Dials, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2008
Page 108
Page 108
This article describes the creation of a slate vertical sundial as a memorial at The Mountbatten School. Designed for Greenwich time and features a superellipse for hour line termination. The piece details the carving, gilding, and stainless steel gnomon construction, culminating in its successful unveiling in 2007.
Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
September 2008
Page 129
Page 129
Jackie Jones and Rob Stephenson describe painting a new vertical sundial on their Brighton house in April 2008. The dial shows hours, half-hours, solstices, equinoxes, and their wedding anniversary. The article details the process from transferring the design to the wall, the painting and installation, along with amusing public reactions to the new dial.
Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects
September 2008
Page 143
Page 143
Douglas Hunt reports on a new analemmatic mosaic sundial inaugurated in April 2008 in Cecil Plains, Queensland, Australia. Designed by local artist Alain Colfs with layout plans from Modern Sunclocks, the dial features anti-clockwise hour markers and a date-scale, located near the tropics in the Southern Hemisphere.
Construction Projects, Dials: Analemmatic, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2008
Page 166
Page 166
This article details the reproduction of a sine quadrant from a preserved Timbouctou manuscript for a documentary film. It describes the instrument's function in solving trigonometric problems without manual calculation, like determining unequal hours, and its historical context as a teaching tool in Islamic astronomy. The author discusses the challenges of interpretation and the modern construction using laser-cut perspex.
Construction Projects, Dialling Tools, Historical Dials, Mathematics of Dialling
December 2008
Page 184
Page 184
This article proposes the logarithmic spiral as the sole mathematical function needed for designing a polar south sundial, where one spiral segment forms the gnomon profile and another acts as the dial face. It details the spiral's characteristics, equations for tangents and arc lengths, and presents a calculation example for a model, illustrating its construction and operation.
Construction Projects, Dials: Polar, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2007
Page 64
Page 64
This article describes an improved, easier method for making brass and bronze disks for sundials, specifically using double-sided adhesive tape and a lathe chuck. It offers a simpler alternative to previous laborious methods, suitable for various disk sizes up to the lathe's maximum capacity.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects
June 2007
Page 75
Page 75
This article describes the process of creating a replica stained-glass sundial for Nailsea Court after the original was stolen. The author explains how window declination was measured and new hour lines calculated, detailing the multi-stage artistic and technical process to recreate the dial, with gnomon fixed to leadwork to prevent glass damage.
Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects, Restoration projects
September 2007
Page 118
Page 118
This article presents practical, simple methods for measuring the height and size of sundials, especially those high on church towers. It describes using a homemade shadow square for height, relating dial dimensions to known object sizes from photographs, and employing a marked tripod. Computer software techniques for perspective correction are also discussed to improve accuracy.
Construction Projects, Dialling Tools
September 2007
Page 137
Page 137
This article offers detailed methods for drawing declination lines on planar sundials using polar and Cartesian coordinates, or a graphical protractor, all based on the dial's style height and nodus distance. It also provides formulas for calculating hour line angles for various dial types and a simple method to check existing dials for accuracy.
Construction Projects, Dialling Tools, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2007
Page 176
Page 176
Jackie Jones describes her process of making portable sundials in silver, applying jewellery techniques learned at Art College. Her aim is to create modern, artistic, yet functional pocket dials. She details methods for showing hour lines, blackening recesses, and designing folding gnomons. The article also covers working with sterling silver, hallmarking, achieving different surface textures, and future plans for transparent enamel panels.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Portable, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2007
Page 184
Page 184
This article describes a monument in Cala Figuera, Majorca, featuring three vertical declining bifilar sundials on the pedestal of a fisherman statue. Two dials face south, one east and one west, and the third faces north, declining east. The article details their bifilar gnomon design (semi-ellipse and straight line), delineation for hours and half-hours, and declination lines, along with the mathematical methods used for their design and calculation.
Construction Projects, Dials: Bifilar, Dials: Multi Faced, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
February 2006
Page 14
Page 14
This article provides instructions for assembling and using a moon dial. It explains how to determine the moon's phase using the Golden Number and how to rotate the dial to find the current time. The author notes that this dial relies on estimating the moon’s direction rather than casting a visible shadow, due to the moon's light intensity.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Nocturnals
February 2006
Page 18
Page 18
This article details the author's successful endeavour to create origami sundials without cutting or tearing, describing three unique designs. It provides step-by-step instructions for an equatorial dial, explaining the geometric principles behind folding hour lines and constructing a perpendicular gnomon.
Dials: Equatorial, Mathematics of Dialling, Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects
February 2006
Page 35
Page 35
This article details the intricate process of creating a 30-inch bronze replica of the Henry Wynne dial. It covers pattern making, casting, and challenging precision machining operations, including overcoming issues with a gnomon that was initially too short and perfecting a complex knife-edge. The project required meticulous effort and problem-solving.
Construction Projects, Dials: Double Horizontal, Restoration projects, Sundial Design & Layout
February 2006
Page 48
Page 48
This article announces the installation of a new large stainless steel public sundial on Ipswich marina, sponsored by Rotary clubs to commemorate their centenary. Designed by Tony Moss, the horizontal dial features a massive gnomon, Rotary emblems, a British Summer Time scale, and an informative plaque with a combined longitude/Equation of Time correction graph.
Dials: Horizontal, Construction Projects, Equation of Time
June 2006
Page 75
Page 75
This article describes the design and construction of a horizontal sundial with a cylindrical gnomon, which the author calls a "Turnstile Dial." It explains how the shadow is cast from a continuum of tangent points on the rounded gnomon, the practical aspects of its construction using copper, and the plotting of hour lines tangential to a central ellipse.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2006
Page 177
Page 177
Tony Moss provides instructions for crafting replacement springs for Pilkington & Gibbs Helio-Chronometers. The article outlines using a rolling jig to shape half-hard brass, enhancing its properties through work-hardening and planishing. This ensures the springs function correctly, highlighting traditional metalworking techniques adapted for precise instrument repair.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Heliochronometer
March 2005
Page 13
Page 13
Details construction of a combined equatorial and equinoctial sundial using stacked car engine starter rings, cylindrical and brass components. Describes adjustable latitude setting and a novel gearing mechanism employing concentric eccentric spindles to apply the equation of time correction on two knobs, enabling mean time readings without manual calculation.
Dials: Equatorial, Construction Projects, Equation of Time
March 2005
Page 34
Page 34
Describes unveiling of a bronze casting of Sir Isaac Newton for the new sundial at Leicester University. Covers lost-wax casting, assembly of multiple bronze sections, dimensional realignment, and recalculation of hour and date lines for new geometry. Discusses site installation, setting for local latitude and polar alignment.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial
June 2005
Page 60
Page 60
Accounts the design and installation of twin sundials—horizontal and vertical—on a basalt boulder at the Scots Hotel in Tiberias. Includes design features, analemmas, inscriptions, and collaborative process between designer and hotel staff.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2005
Page 134
Page 134
Describes the design and construction of a modern polyhedral sundial located in the author's garden in Rivington, Lancashire. The six-foot-tall dial is made from reconstituted stone and features a unique icosahedron-shaped head with twenty triangular dial plates, each with a brass gnomon. The design was inspired by dials in Wakefield and Marsden Park.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Multi Faced, Sundial Design & Layout
December 2005
Page 170
Page 170
This article details the design and construction of a sundial for the Elias Fries School in Hyltebruk, Sweden. The sundial, made from a large stone cut in half, features a polar-axis aligned shadow pin and a dial plate raised 20 degrees from the ground. It is designed to be an artistic and educational tool demonstrating the sun's daily and seasonal movements without indicating precise clock time.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2004
Page 6
Page 6
This article describes a millennium sundial project in Holyport, Berkshire, featuring a unique cricketing theme due to the village's history with the sport. Designed by Edwin Russell with cricketer sculptures by Lorne McKean, the dial includes hand-made 'quint' bricks, a time capsule, and hour lines delineated for summer time.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2004
Page 14
Page 14
This article details the design and construction of an analemmatic sundial for the Queen's Golden Jubilee, located in Old Palace Yard, opposite the House of Lords. It covers the challenges of designing for a cambered surface, the selection of stone from UK countries, the prominent Shakespearean inscription, and the intricate process of determining the scale of dates for the dial.
Construction Projects, Dials: Analemmatic, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2003
Page 58
Page 58
This article explores the concept of creating a sundial for the visually impaired. It reviews historical attempts, such as one by the 17th-century Jesuit priest Francis Hall, and discusses modern approaches that use the heat of the sun rather than visible light.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
June 2003
Page 63
Page 63
A description of a portable celestial ring dial design. The article discusses the dial's functionality, its use of celestial bodies, and the construction details including the gnomon and other features.
Construction Projects, Sundial Design & Layout
September 2003
Page 122
Page 122
This article details the design and construction of an armillary octahedron, a complex sundial structure. It describes the process of making the intersecting V shapes and the challenges of assembly due to thermal expansion.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual
September 2003
Page 124
Page 124
An article describing a large horizontal sundial made of stainless steel for Melton Mowbray Rotary Club. It highlights the dial's features, including an explanatory plaque with instructions on how to read the dial and correct for 'watch time' using the equation of time.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal
September 2003
Page 129
Page 129
A description of a new vertical dial at St John's Church, Ruardean, Gloucestershire. It is believed to be the only church dial to commemorate the Queen's Golden Jubilee and bear the Royal Cipher 'E II R'. The author also notes the process involved in its design and approval.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical
March 2002
Page 4
Page 4
Describes the design and creation of a unique sundial featuring a statue of Newton holding a prism, inspired by his optical work and historic dials at Woolsthorpe.
Construction Projects, Dials: Polar, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
March 2002
Page 20
Page 20
Details the conception, design, carving, and installation of a slate commemorative sundial for Richard Towneley.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical
March 2002
Page 44
Page 44
Describes a noon mark dial with a lens at the aperture, projecting a bright spot on an analemma inscribed on a semicircular scale.
Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects, Equation of Time, Dials: Noon Lines
March 2001
Page 9
Page 9
This article details the design and delineation of a reflective ceiling dial at the Horniman Museum, inspired by a sundial trail lecture. It sets out the mathematical formulation for determining coordinates on the dial, explaining how it relates to an equivalent declining, reclining dial. The authors emphasize that reflective dials are not inherently more complex to delineate than other planar sundials, providing formulas for angle and length calculations, and tables of coordinates for various times and declinations.
Construction Projects, Dials: Reflected
March 2001
Page 16
Page 16
The design and installation of the Pembroke College Wall Dial, emphasizing an uncluttered design and prominent nodus for clear time estimation. It highlights a unique coincidence for Cambridge students cycling past, aligning with lecture times. The article details the construction process, including the sealing of the mounting assembly and the replacement of missing stone, ensuring durability. It also mentions AT&T Research Laboratory's digital camera monitoring for shadow detection.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical
March 2001
Page 38
Page 38
Describes the creation of a mosaic sundial for Ebrington, Gloucestershire, as a Millennium celebration project. Initially planned for the churchyard, it was relocated due to committee concerns. The final design features a mosaic pavement with a parish map, brass lettering, global coordinates, and a sidereal sundial marked in hours and half-hours. The article details the design and construction process, aiming for a permanent and unique village monument.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal
March 2001
Page 41
Page 41
Describes a Nottinghamshire County Council competition for schools to mark the Millennium, with sundials as prizes. The author was consulted on the design, choosing an updated ancient hemicyclium: a hemispherical bowl on a plinth, with a rod gnomon. The ceramic dials, crafted by Danel Sherlock, feature hour, equinox, and solstice lines. A booklet guides setup and reading, hoping the dials will serve as useful learning tools for the winning schools.
Construction Projects, Dials: Hemispherical
June 2001
Page 65
Page 65
Describes the Uttoxeter Millennium Monument, a large stone disc featuring a solar system theme and an armillary sundial. Conceived to inspire exploration and celebrate the town, it incorporates local craftsmanship, planetary representations, and embedded plaques documenting its creation and sponsors. A time capsule is also concealed within the monument.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual
September 2001
Page 127
Page 127
An armillary sundial, commemorating the Millennium, was recently unveiled in Cheadle, Cheshire. Designed and made by local blacksmith Jim Plant from iron cart-wheel tires, it also honours astronomer Miss Mary Adela Blagg. The sundial's unveiling was attended by BSS President Sir Francis Graham-Smith.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual
December 2001
Page 160
Page 160
This article investigates the 'Bacon' double horizontal dial, an intriguing 17th or early 18th-century brass instrument of unknown origin. Its unique Equation of Time table and stereographic grid are detailed. Analysis suggests it predates 1752 and aligns with Tompion's calculations. A modern replica, crafted using CAD and photolithography, is also described, featuring updated EoT values and modern heraldry, signed by its maker.
Construction Projects, Dials: Double Horizontal, Equation of Time, Historical Dials
June 2000
Page 59
Page 59
Narrates the author's journey through the design, construction, and installation of the Christ Church sundial.
Construction Projects, Dials: Multi Faced
October 2000
Page 107
Page 107
Detailed account of the design process and construction of the Tylers' and Bricklayers' polar sundial in London, including technical and logistical challenges.
Construction Projects, Dials: Polar, Sundial Design & Layout
February 1999
Page 4
Page 4
Details the erection of a large horizontal sundial near Whitley Bay, designed by Tony Moss. Named 'The Gnomon of the North', it features a six-metre-high iron gnomon with reliefs created by local schoolchildren, and its hour lines are marked by old railway track on a slightly coned surface.
Dials: Horizontal, Construction Projects
February 1999
Page 18
Page 18
This article describes a vertical, almost direct south, sundial made in 1997 for a barn wall in Nidderdale. Constructed from plywood with a wrought iron style, it features decorative figures symbolizing agricultural life and an equation-of-time correction system via an adjustable disk.
Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects
February 1999
Page 48
Page 48
This article describes a modern re-creation of a Roman hemicyclium dial, sculpted from Clipsham stone, now located in Leicester's Jewry Wall Museum. Funded by the Royal Society and British Association Awards Scheme, it will be part of the Leicester Time Trial, set to open in 1999.
Construction Projects, Dials: Scaphe
October 1999
Page 135
Page 135
This article discusses millennium projects, highlighting two commissions. One is a 10ft tall horizontal dial sculpture for the Harborough canal basin, costing £15,000 with Lottery Funds. The other is a memorial in Rimpton Parish, Dorset, consisting of two 8ft high standing slabs with a 50mm slot aligned to sunrise on 1st January 2000. Despite likely cloudy weather, the intention is to attend annually for a champagne ritual, establishing a new English tradition.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual
October 1999
Page 146
Page 146
This article describes a technique for rapidly producing vertical skeleton sundials from stainless steel using a 3.5-kilowatt laser cutter. Designs are created on a computer with specific location, wall orientation, and date lines. The method allows for intricate details, including owner's names and quotations. The technique can also create silhouette window sundials with sandblasted glass, and accurate analemma plates in stainless steel and brass, suitable for human-involvement analemmatic dials.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout
October 1999
Page 148
Page 148
This article describes a millennium project involving the construction of a tower, 'La Meridiana', near Rome, to house a series of internal sundials. The author designed 10 dials for the walls and ceiling, read by sunlight projected through openings or reflected by a mirror. An experimental dial at his family house achieved accuracy within 10 seconds. The project aims to demonstrate precise time and date measurement, zodiac, altitude, and azimuth, using novel methods for declination, horizon, and meridian establishment.
Construction Projects, Dials: Reflected, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
February 1998
Page 21
Page 21
A commemorative dial marking a golden wedding, covering layout, materials and the celebratory inscription, with remarks on siting and legibility.
Construction Projects, Dials: Vertical, Mottoes
June 1998
Page 40
Page 40
This article describes a hemispherical sundial, or 'hemispherium,' located in the author's garden, reputedly invented by Berosus around 300 BC. It details the successful process of delineating the solstice and equinox lines using a custom-made template and explains the dial's function in dividing daylight into 'temporary hours'.
Construction Projects, Dials: Hemispherical, Dials: Scaphe, Sundial Design & Layout
October 1998
Page 8
Page 8
This article introduces an innovative 'Helios XXII' sundial concept, designed as an architectural shell structure or summerhouse. It features a hemispherical dome with a reflective pool at its centre and a stainless steel rod circulating water creating ripples. Reflections from the water, with shadows from the concentric ripples, are projected onto the dome's underside, marking hours and seasons, aiming for a tranquil contemplative environment.
Construction Projects, Dials: Hemispherical, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
October 1998
Page 16
Page 16
This article describes a unique sundial commission, featuring a gilded metal liquidambar leaf design. It incorporates an innovative equation-of-time correction system called 'Time's Tune,' which uses musical analogy to plot values on a treble clef. The dial provides a direct read-out of clock time with specific adjustments for longitude.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time, Sundial Design & Layout
October 1998
Page 27
Page 27
This article reports on the International Sundial Symposium in Genk, Belgium, which showcased designs from an international competition. It describes several winning sundials, including polyhedral, polar, catenary, and an innovative digital sundial by Hans Scharstein, highlighting the diversity and ingenuity in contemporary gnomonic design.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual
July 1997
Page 12
Page 12
This article details the construction of a pair of analemmic sundials mounted on the south corner of a building in Istanbul, Turkey. It describes the design of the dials, which are made of white marble with bronze gnomons, the shadows of whose points fall on analemmas of hours and half-hours.
Construction Projects, Sundial Design & Layout
July 1997
Page 22
Page 22
A review of a cut-out book titled 'Sundials and Timedials' that allows readers to create their own card sundials. The author recommends it as a simple and unusual introduction to sundial construction.
Book Reviews, Construction Projects
July 1997
Page 38
Page 38
Report on a commemorative sundial project dedicated to James Taylor, a former BSS member, including design and symbolism.
Construction Projects, Sundial Design & Layout, The BSS and Members
July 1997
Page 40
Page 40
The article describes the mathematics and construction of an altitude ring dial, including diagrams for delineation and discussion of its limitations.
Construction Projects, Dials: Portable, Mathematics of Dialling
July 1997
Page 43
Page 43
This article details the design and construction of the Guernsey Liberation Monument, which includes a sundial as a central feature. The shadow falls on a curved bench with markers at times of significant events calibrated for the annual Liberation Day, 19 May. It discusses the challenges and the methods used to ensure the dial's accuracy and the shadow's visibility.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout
February 1996
Page 30
Page 30
Description of a compact, transportable ring dial and its operation, with construction details.
Construction Projects, Dials: Portable
June 1996
Page 3
Page 3
Describes the creation of a complex obelisk-style sundial at Dunphail House, including its design, multiple dial faces, symbolic engravings, and historical inspirations from Scottish traditions.
Construction Projects, Dials: Multi Faced
October 1993
Page 26
Page 26
This article details an Open Day showcasing a large equatorial bronze sundial for Mount Tomah Botanic Garden in Australia. It describes various sundial types displayed, including analemmatic dials, and techniques for high-quality sundial design and casting using photopolymer. The article covers historical sundials, navigation instruments, and methods for making accurate hour lines and gnomons, celebrating the spread of gnomonic knowledge.
Construction Projects, Sundial Design & Layout
February 1992
Page 18
Page 18
The article proposes an improved method for aligning a sundial gnomon using Polaris, building on previous discussions by Mills and Taylor. It suggests a sighting device made from sheet metal with an eye aperture and a circular target. The method relies on knowing Polaris's angular distance from the true pole and its position relative to the star Beta Ursa Minor (f3 UMi), aiming for an accuracy within 0.25 degrees by aligning Polaris on the target edge opposite f3 UMi.
Construction Projects, Dialling Tools, Mathematics of Dialling
October 1992
Page 37
Page 37
This article describes the Holker Dial, a large shallow bowl sundial made of Burlington slate, sited at Holker Hall. Designed by Mark Lennox-Boyd, it is a projection of Berossos' hemispherium onto a shallow bowl, marked with 15-minute divisions, zodiacal signs, and a combined table for correcting for longitude offset and Equation of Time. The article details the challenging production process by Burlington Slate, involving computer-calculated polar coordinates for engraving and the moving of massive stone objects.
Construction Projects, Dials: Hemispherical, Dials: Scaphe, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout
July 1991
Page 22
Page 22
This note introduces F.J. de Vries' new computer program for designing a three-dimensional dodecahedron multi-faced sundial, imagined as made of glass to display various dial lines. The ZONWPLT program interfaces with ACAD to convert dial designs and generate complex geometric models. The article details the computational process, noting the time and files required for the example dodecahedron, and mentions de Vries' subsequent astrolabe program project.
Construction Projects, Dialling Tools, Dials: Multi Faced, Sundial Design & Layout
July 1991
Page 25
Page 25
This article celebrates Linda Lack, an 18-year-old schoolgirl who, advised by S.W. Amos, successfully designed and constructed a horizontal sundial and its pedestal. Her impressive enthusiasm and craftsmanship in engraving, turning the pedestal on a lathe, and mounting the assembly are highlighted as an outstanding achievement for a young person, showcasing positive engagement with materials and science.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects
June 1990
Page 29
Page 29
This article describes the empirical method used to construct a double analemmatic noon mark on a south-facing, east-declining wall. Over a year, the author meticulously plotted sunspot positions at noon to permanently engrave the overlapping analemmas, illustrating the dedication required for direct solar observation.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Analemmatic, Sundial Design & Layout