Keith Christian wrote:
> Our "Friends of Port Sunlight" group have proposed installing a 'Human
> Sundial' into a local area, as an attractive interactive feature - and
> we had obtained the layout plans, from "Modern Sunclocks" in Scotland.
>
> For any UK members of this group, you may know that Port Sunlight (in
> 'the Wirral' part of Cheshire) is a highly prestigious area, and which
> is also protected by all kinds of 'heritage' regulations. Our chosen
> location is known as "The Diamond", plus we intend to use local stone.
>
>
> During one of our recent meetings, it was pointed out that the "Modern
> Sunclocks" website says that installing this feature into a public area
> may attract 'undesirable' people (drug addicts, prostitutes, etc) - who
> would tend to use this Human Sundial as their regular 'meeting-place'.
>
> This is detailed at the top of page: www.sunclocks.com/pics/fs-015.htm
>
> There is also a link to further 'risks and dangers', of installing one.
>
>
> Although we would really love to have a "Sunclock", if this is going to
> become a meeting place for drug-dealers and alcoholics - then it would
> certainly not be in keeping with the 'prestigious' nature of this site.
>
>
> My reason for sending this message to the "Sundial Mailing List", is to
> ask if anyone has experience of sundials (in public places) becoming an
> attraction to 'undesirable' people - such as those I mentioned, above.
>
> Basically, we need to decide whether we should proceed with installing
> this "Sunclock" in that location - as we do not want to have a feature
> which might considerably 'lower the tone', of our Port Sunlight area !
>
>
> Looking forward to any comments and/or advice, concerning this matter.
>
> Keith Christian.
>
>
>
>
Hi Keith,
There was a proposal some years go to install a sundial
in Port Sunlight but it eventually came to nothing. As the likely
designer of the dial I visited Port Sunlight in company with Mike Shaw,
a BSS member who lives on the Wirral, and was deeply impressed by the
layout and delightfully varied architecture of the site.
Over the years I have installed several large dials in public places but
have never heard any suggestion that they were magnets for undesirable
behaviour. Indeed two such were actually *planned* as socialising areas
with stone 'compass points' and cast iron 'bollards' designed as
surrounding seating since when I've had nothing disturbing reported.
The analemmatic (human) sundial I installed in Brocks Hill Park near
Leicester and others at Bede's World Jarrow, and other sites in
Northumberland and Durham similarly.
Any distinctive feature might serve such a purpose I suppose and Port
Sunlight has plenty of those already. I recall a picturesque stone
bridge which has (or had?) a sundial on its parapet. There were
certainly no glue sniffers or the like in residence when I photographed
it and that would seem to be a perfect gathering spot.
Good Luck with your project,
Tony Moss
Lindisfarne Sundials (Retired)
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