Beneath our feet lies a story etched in brick and time. It’s the story of the Brick Sun Dial Stone. This isn’t just any ordinary marker. It is a testament to the passage of time. It embodies the skill of ancient crafts.
The Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers gifted this sundial to the Corporation of London in 1999. This act marked the beginning of the 3rd Millennium AD 2000. The plinth beneath our feet contains exactly 2000 bricks. These bricks celebrate the millennium.
The company received its charter from Queen Elizabeth 1 in 1568. It represents the trades of bricklaying, roof tiling, and ceramic tiling. Envision the skilled hands carefully laying each brick. They built not just a structure. They built a symbol of their enduring legacy.
Piers Nicholson designed this polar sundial. He was a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Tylers and Bricklayers. The Corps of Royal Engineers engineered and constructed it. Ibstock Building Products Ltd generously contributed to the build.
The sundial was unveiled by the Rt Hon Lord Mayor of the City of London. Alderman Clive Martin OBE, TD, DL, did the honors on December 13, 1999. Feel the weight of history as you stand where dignitaries once stood.
The steel plate commemorates this dedication. It marks the sundial’s purpose to mark the beginning of a new era. Three organizations’ badges are engraved with an inscription. This is on the stainless steel gnomon. The dial-plate features markings. Roman numerals indicate winter time. Arabic numerals mark summer time.
Note the gnomon’s split. This design is a signature feature of Spot-on Sundials. When the sun reaches its highest point, a shaft of sunlight shines through the slit. It crosses the noon circle on the dial plate. This allows precise setting. It ensures the sundial accurately displays the time.
The Brick Sun Dial Stone stands as a smaller version. It echoes larger Millennium sundials. These sundials are near the Millennium footbridge in central London. Two other sundials of similar design exist. One is near Greenwich. The other is at the Royal Engineers Museum at Chatham.
Imagine the sun’s rays casting shadows. They dance across the dial. They mark the hours as they have for centuries. The Brick Sun Dial Stone is more than just a timepiece. It’s a connection to the past. It is a celebration of craftsmanship. It is a symbol of enduring legacy. It is a marker of the present.