Edinburgh

North alignment on a Victorian pedestal

Sun direction measured with an angle finder

The direction of the sun measured against one edge of the octagonal stone pedestal using the angle finder and light slit

A Victorian sundial pedestal stands in the gardens of Riccarton estate outside Edinburgh. It once held a beautiful octagonal dial which is now in safe storage. A replacement dial is to go on show and it must be in a correct orientation. The gnomon on a sundial must point north. A wrong alignment will make the sundial inaccurate, and nothing on the 19th century pedestal actually marks the north. Continue reading

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An 18th century horizontal garden sundial

A beautiful 18th century horizontal garden sundial

A historic horizontal bronze garden sundial, 1723

A fine 18th century horizontal sundial stands in the gardens of the House of Dun near Montrose. The dial is octagonal made in bronze set in a carved and moulded stone raised on a baluster pedestal and stone step. Elegant tracery scroll work supports the gnomon.

The dial engraving is detailed employing delicacy of variation in deep and light incisions and ornament. The chapter ring carries exact time divisions down to a single minute. Continue reading

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Our new address and a sundial in the garden

New address and sundial in the garden

A sundial already standing in the garden at our new address for Macmillan Hunter Sundials

Macmillan Hunter Sundials has been in business for twelve years. Until March this year we were at 3 Peel Terrace in Edinburgh, and now we have moved. Our new address is only a mile away at 37 Alnwickhill Road. This property has excellent accommodation and ample working space. When we first came, we did not expect to find a sundial already standing in the garden, and this was a pleasant surprise. On inspection it even proves to have been installed on the correct north-south line to read the time.

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Our replica of the lighthouse sundial is now complete

Replica lighthouse sundial

A replica lighthouse sundial made in naval brass and copied in detail from a similar one held in the National Museum of Scotland at Edinburgh.

Our replica lighthouse sundial is complete now. We handed it over to its new owner, who came to collect it from us in Edinburgh in September. “This is wonderful,” he said. “It is even better when I see it than I ever imagined. This sundial will go right in the centre of my lighthouse display.” Continue reading

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Restoration of an Atlas figure armillary sundial

Armillary sundial and Atlas figure after restoration

After years of gradual deterioration outdoors the sundial was in poor condition. The Atlas figure was hard to recognise. This is an Art Deco design from the 1930’s. It has now come back to life as a working armillary sundial after complete restoration.

This armillary sundial was once in poor condition. It had been outside in the garden for a long time, and the owners asked us to restore it for them. The Atlas figure that supports the rings, and the arrowhead and tail, were badly tarnished. Continue reading

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New sundial installed in Lews Castle garden at Stornoway

New sundial installed at Lews Castle, Stornoway

New sundial installed on an original cast iron pedestal in the sunken garden at Lews Castle, Stornoway

The new sundial for Lews Castle at Stornoway is now in place in the sunken garden. The old cast iron pedestal has been restored and painted beautifully and the sundial fits perfectly on top. The local team at I M Murray Engineering carried out the work on site.

The handsome pedestal was once the base for a fountain. Continue reading

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New design of armillary sphere takes shape in Edinburgh

New design of armillary sphere taking shape

A new design of armillary sphere takes shape in Edinburgh, inspired by an original sundial from Northern Italy. The skilled blacksmith work is complete. This is a bespoke design with gold highlights still to be painted.

A new design of armillary sphere has been taking shape in Edinburgh. It is inspired by an original sundial from Northern Italy which has an attractive and distinctive form. The expert blacksmiths at Ratho Byres Forge have done an excellent job in working from our design. Continue reading

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Summer solstice and a silver sundial

Dihelion dual sundial in silver

Silver Dihelion dual sundial sculpture able to read solstice and equinox, summer, winter, spring and autumn seasons, and the daytime hours.

Summer Solstice 2020 in Edinburgh was a day of beautiful sunshine. What could be a better time to show off our Dihelion dual sundial, which can read the solstice and the equinox seasons and the daytime hours. Shifting patterns of sunlight and shadow and petals of the sunflower show through so clearly. There is a lovely Continue reading

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Restoration of the obelisk sundial at Drummond Castle gardens

THE DRUMMOND CASTLE OBELISK SUNDIAL

The sundial consists of 61 multiple dials on raised panels and in sunken hollows. The date of the sundial is 1630. It has been made as an exhibition piece to show all of the sundial mathematics of its era.

The sundial obelisk at Drummond Castle in Perthshire has a long and distinguished history. It has its place in the architecture of the ancient castles and houses in Scotland. It is connected with the very earliest days of the British Sundial Society (BSS). And it is one of the most important free-standing sundials in the British Isles from the early 1600s still surviving.

In 2017 after almost four hundred years outdoors the sundial was showing serious signs of the stone deteriorating. The whole structure was feared to be unsound. Making it safe had become urgent. Continue reading

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