The school and its extensive grounds overlook the Surrey Hills and are therefore a perfect spot for the location of the new sundial at St Augustine’s Priory, Ealing. On Monday 1st July pupils assisted in the laying of the stones of the sundial, made of Forest of Dean sandstone.
The pupils and staff can now enjoy the benefits of their very own analemmatic sundial, a horizontal sundial and uses humans casting shadows to tell the time. This has been a cross-curricular project since the start involving maths, science, history, classics, and RE.
Linking the world of the twenty-first century to the ancient world, the use of sundials reaches back to ancient Greece, Rome, and to the shadow clocks of ancient Babylon.
Miss Daya, Prep and Junior teacher, masterminded its design and installation: ‘I was inspired by the analemmatic sundial near where I live. Every time I walk past it I can’t help but go and have a go and see where my shadow falls!’
This project has been a year in the planning; the sundial was made to a bespoke design by David Brown Sundials and pupils have been involved in its design.
Funded by the St Augustine’s Priory Parents’ Committee, the sundial project has received wholehearted and enthusiastic support from everyone.
