My sundials commemorate important events for people, businesses and communities all over the world. They combine modern design, superb engineering, rugged construction, excellent accuracy, and a great "wow factor". They are very easy to set up. There is plenty of space for engraving your personal message, and all engraving is included in the price. Delivery is normally four to six weeks, but can be earlier for urgent orders.
Piers Nicholson Sundials
Design Our sundials are true scientific instruments designed by Piers Nicholson in 2001. The design is contemporary and incorporates a split gnomon, which gives you a "line of light" at every noontime - you can see this in the first frame of the slideshow.
Engineering Each sundial is engineered to fine tolerances. For example, the gnomon (which casts the shadow) is set to your exact latitude to the nearest one-tenth of a degree.
Durability Every sundial is made from marine-grade 10 mm. stainless steel. So they are very robust, and will resist damage from vandals, from accidents, or from the weather. There are 4 blind holes on the underside of the sundial to give a permanent fixing.
Setupability The "line of light" at solar noon enables you to set the sundial absolutely accurately to true North.
Accuracy We make it easy for you to set up your sundial completely accurately by giving you full instructions, so that it will tell exactly the right time throughout the years. When set up properly your Super Sundial will tell the time to within a minute or two withhout any further setting.
Easy to order Just click on the link at the foot of the page to pay a 50% deposit so we can start making your sundial. We then have 3 weeks or so to discuss the exact engraving you want and send you a picture to "sign off"
Businesses use our sundials to mark important events
- A retiring present from 6 staff members to the founder (Vermont, USA)
- A research institute, in memory of 3 colleagues (Glasgow, Scotland)
- 10th anniversary of opening a European office (Ireland)
- Opening of a new subsidiary (Russia)
- Commemorating a founder of a world charity (Switzerland)
- Celebrating the opening of a major housing development (Omaha, USA and also Imperial Wharf, London) ........
Public authorities specify our sundials all over the world
A visitor area for a major charity (England)
The entrance to a public library (Texas,USA)
The National Arboretum (England)
Opening of a marina (US Virgin Islands)
A cemeterey garden (Scotland)
A Millennium village green (Yorkshire, England)
20 years of a charity (Finland)
A memorial at a golf club (Suffolk, England)
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre (London)
A play area at an Arboretum (Kentucky, USA) .... and more
Private individuals find sundials make ideal commemorations
A big birthday (Oxford, England and many others)
My brilliant wife and fantastic mum (Surrey, England)
A deceased family member (Surrey, England)
My soulmate and partner for life (Marriage anniversary, Hampshire, England)
An anniversary with a poem by William Blake (Powys, Wales)
A birthday, with signatures of 10 children and grandchildren (Essex, England)
An anniversary (Perthshire, Scotland)
A family celebration with 5 names (Norfolk, England)
To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides (Cheshire, England)
A family birthday (Kent, England)
Another family birthday (Sussex, England)
A 60th birthday (Worcester, England)
A 100th birthday gift to an old people's home (Oxford, England)
A 60th birthday present from 4 family members (Devon, England)
For two sisters whose ashes were added to their parents' grave (London, England)
Our time together is my favourite time (Canada)
how to read your sundial
My sundials have two sets of hour markers, with Roman letters to mark winter time, and Arabic numbers for summer time.
The hour lines radiate from the base of the gnomon (which casts the shadow) and the shadow marking the time radiates from the same point
You will see either side of each hour line, a succession of dots, marking the 5 minute intervals and short lines marking the 10 minute intervals
In this slideshow, the shadow moves slowly from 2:55 to 3:05. At 2:55 the shadow line is on the dot just before the 3 o'clock long hour line, and in the fourth frame, it is lying exactly on the long 3 o,clock hour line. The last frame shows the shadow at 3:04 when it is just touching the next dot. A minute later, half the dot will be in shadow and half in sunlight.
see one of our sundials In London or elsewhere
You can visit the Queens Walk sundial on the south bank of the Thames, just upstream from Tower Bridge at any time, sice it is on a public thoroughfare. There is another one in the sundial trail at the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill in South London. If neither of these are convenient, we can ask owners of your sundials elsewhere in the world if you might be able to visit.