The British Sundial Society

Promoting the Art and Science of Gnomonics since 1989

Dial of the Month September 2015:
Wheddon Cross, Somerset, SRN 0051

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S0051

The Sundial House Tearooms stand on the north corner of the crossroads (A396/B3224), and this excellent and unusual slate dial is between first floor windows. Declining east, it shows the hours from 5am to 4pm in 30, 15 and 5 minute intervals. Note the half hours marked with a fleur de lys, and the split substyleat about 9:22 am. The motto – Time is the devourer of (all) things – comes from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, 15, 234. The centre of the dial is almost filled by a table ofeight columns, giving 82 dates for values of the Equation of Time at 1 minute intervals. The maker’s name can be seen along the bottom – J Norman, from Winsford, about three miles away.

BSS Liverpool Conference 15-17 April 2016 – Delegate Booking Form

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We are now taking bookings for the 2016 Conference. A booking form is enclosed with the September Bulletin and Newsletter and is available for download here. For the latest updates including how to make an e-booking please see /tag/conference/. The available payment methods are by cheque (drawn on a UK bank), bank transfer, or PayPal (via the website). However you choose to pay and/or book please return the booking form (by mail or email).

For convenience and to assist planning we have made the 2016 Conference booking form available early. It is recognised some might not wish to pay in full so far in advance. Bookings made before the issue of the December Newsletter can therefore be made by a £50 deposit. Early bookings assist liaison with the venue: your room preferences and additional night(s) requirements are subject to availability and will be met on a first come first served basis.

Photo Competition – 2015-16

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The BSS Photo Competition is now open for entrants. All the entries will be displayed at the 2016 Conference in Liverpool where the winners will be chosen by the delegates.

Previous entries and winners can be seen here. Good luck!

Please click Read More to see the full competition rules (or download them here) and note that each entry must be accompanied by a completed Entry Form, available here.

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Sundials on BBC London

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Frank King recently had a five minute slot on Robert Elms’ BBC London radio show talking about sundials. In this short interview the discussion included analemmatic dials, the ancient Egyptians and contemporary dials in London.

For as long as the BBC maintains the link, the interview can be heard here, starting 1hr 34m 10s into the programme.

Dial of the Month August 2015:
South Molton, Devon, SRN 0072

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This is said to be the earliest green slate dial in Devon. It is a break-arch dial with the date 1710 running round the top of the arch. It has been suggested that it might have been made by John Berry but the early date and lack of signature makes this very unlikely. There is a sun-face surrounding the root of the gnomon and in a shield below that are the names of the churchwardens Joseph Palmer and William Karslake who style themselves ‘Gents’. It has the hours VI – VI subdivided into halves, quarters and periods of 7 1/2 minutes. The half hour markers each have a fleur-de-lys decoration and noon is indicated by a decorative cipher. The upper corners appear blank: if there ever were any cherubs there, they have flown.

Thanks to John Lester for this description.

Newbury one-day meeting – 26 September 2015

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The regular one-day BSS meeting will be held as usual wat Sutton Hall, Stockcross, Newbury RG20 8LN on Saturday 26th. September from 10:00 until 4:00. There will be exhibits of dials and related material, talks and a bookstall.

Full details are available here. Thanks as ever to David Pawley for organising the event.

No need to book, just turn up on the day. Guests are welcome, as are long-standing members and first-time visitors. Do come along to this highly popular event, and have a most enjoyable and relaxing day out.