BRIDOL is the British Sundial Society's Register of Fixed and Mass Dials, which gives detail and photographs of about 8000 fixed sundials and 3000 mass dials in the UK.
Some of these are in private gardens, but the majority are publicly available.
A colourful robust design for a busy public area, it was commissioned by Slough Borough Council in 2002. 250 local residents submitted design ideas. The chosen design was executed in mosaic by Rob Turner and Gary Drostle.
The centre is a compass rose with nested 12-pointed stars. Outside it an inner chapter ring for GMT labelled ’REAL TIME’ has Roman numerals from 6am to 6pm. Outside this is a wide band of mosaic designs including the moon, stars, a house, flowers, a heart, and some Zodiac signs. Then in a circle the motto ’FLEETING TIME OVER TIME BEATING TIME BIG TIME MAKING TIME TAKING TIME NO TIME KEEPING TIME ANY TIME PRAYER TIME SAVE TIME’, many of the letters in elaborate and fanciful forms. Finally an outer chapter ring labelled ’SUMMER TIME’ has the BST hour numbers from 5am to 9pm, again in Roman numerals. The motto and numerals are all designed to be read from the opposite side of the dial, unusual for such a large dial.
The striking gnomon is an unadorned metal triangle fitting within the compass rose area.
2009
Monksfield Way Recreation Ground, Long Furlong Drive, Slough, SL2 1QX, Berkshire
