With commanding views over the City of Lancaster and Morecambe Bay beyond the Lancaster Sundial  is possibly one of the biggest in the country.

Originally the site of a copper-domed oak Bandstand, built in 1907 but now transformed into the Lancaster Sundial.

The Lancaster Sundial was calibrated and laid out by Peter Ransom, teacher of Mathematics, Romsey.

The sundial is known as an analemmatic  sundial. This means the sundials consist of hour points, rather than lines, laid around an ellipse.

They have a movable gnomon (This is the name given to the object that casts the shadow, which in this case is the visitor) perpendicular to the dial plane, the flat surface on which you stand).

The French astronomer Lalande explained the theory behind the analammatic sundial in 1757. He was born in Bourg-en-Bresse, France,near the church of Brou, where it is said the oldest analemmatic sundial in existence is to be found.

The Lancaster sundial is situated at 54.05 North, 2.78 West. It is in Williamson Park near to the Ashton Memorial.

It was calibrated and laid out by Peter Ransom, teacher of Mathematics, Romsey.

The plaques were designed by students from Ripley St. Thomas School, Lancaster and cast in bronze by Ray Schofield, Artist, Sunderland Point.

Further details about the Lancaster Sundial, including how to use it can be found on the Lancaster City Council Williamson Park website.

Other sundials in Lancashire can be found here