The silver and gold Saxon sundial discovered at Canterbury Cathedral in 1938 is a unique but enigmatic device. Although widely featured in a superficial manner in many publications it has not been properly studied before: neither its materials and manufacture nor for its likely provenance have been discussed. John Davis’ new monograph describes an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) examination of its several component parts, leading to the hypothesis that it is closely linked to King Edgar’s reform of the English monetary system in A.D. 973.

BSS Monograph #14, The Portable Saxon Sundial at Canterbury Cathedral, can be found on our Publications page, together with other monographs and BSS publications.