About Slate Sundials
These unusual slate sundial are engraved on a solid sheet of slate, 3/4" (1.75cm) thick, with a 6 (15cm) high gnomon that casts the shadow. Slate is a natural material already present in many gardens and impervious to the ravages of our weather. The dials are set up to show solar time so a mental adjustment has to be made to bring these in line with British Summer Time. The square dials weigh a substantial 7 1/2 pounds, the round ones 5 1/2 pounds. The Classic dial is engraved with the hours 4am to 8pm with the word SUNDIAL on the outside edge (but we can supply the gnomon without this engraving) while the Celtic dials have a floral pattern engraved on the dial plate.
Engraving Options Our newly launched Mercury sundial can be engraved with a dedication or motto of your choice directly on to the sundial. Up to 70 characters can be engraved. We cannot engrave directly on to the Classic and Celtic slate sundials but we can supply a choice of two brass plaque engraved with a dedication or motto of your choice this can be screwed or glued to the sundial's plinth or pedestal. These brass plaques are available in 2 sizes. The small version (on the left) can be engraved with 3 lines, each of which can have up to 25 characters making a maximum of 75 characters. The large version, on the right, can have a maximum of 120 characters in 4 lines with up to 30 characters in each line.  
Other sizes and materials are available - please ring me (Kerry White) on 01984 629242 to discuss specific requirements. You can exceed the number of recommended characters but they may be a bit squeezed up. We will send you a layout out of the intended engraving. Please check and email us with any amendments or your approval. We will not start work until we receive your approval. As this may affect the intended delivery date your approval is crucial. Please allow a few working days for us to complete your engraving. If you need the sundial urgently please ring Kerry on 01984 629242 (8am to 4pm) - miracles are often possible.
Suitable Latitudes Our Mercury slate sundials can be designed for any where in the world - click here to email me with my nearest city Our Celtic and Classic slate sundials are designed for use in the UK, Eire, Europe and USA. If you live south ofthe equator (Australia, New Zealnd, South Africa or South America) have a look at our Andromeda, Phoenix, Spot On (Brass) or Zodiac sundials which can be hand crafted to suit your latitude.
Buying a sundial as a Gift An engraved sundial with your personal dedication makes a unique and truly memorable gift to celebrate a retirement, anniversary, wedding, christening, birthday or Christmas. If you are ordering one as a gift we can deliver to an alternative address like your office or a neighbour. We can also include a card with a personal message - add this in the comment box in the Checkout. If we know this is a secret gift we will only contact you if absolutely essential and always be totally discreet. No invoice, receipt or other paperwork with prices is sent with the sundial.
Price All our sundial prices include VAT, delivery to the Mainland UK (which includes Northern Island) and a comprehensive booklet describing how to set up and care for your sundial. So what you see is what you pay - there are NO hidden extras except for deliveries outside mainland UK. Northern Ireland is treated as part of mainland UK for the delivery of sundials but NOT plinths. We will also insure your sundial in the UK against theft for 12 months from the date of purchase provided you have (a) fixed it securely in accordance with our instructions, (b) sent us a photo of your sundial in place and (c) in the event of your sundial being stolen providing us with the police crime number. Overseas delivery options and prices are shown in the checkout; you need to click on the BUY button to add a sundial to your shopping basket before you can access overseas delivery charges. This does NOT commit you to buying a sundial as you can amend or delete items in the checkout.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OUR SUNDIALS BY PRICE
Money Back Guarantee If you are not entirely satisfied with your sundial - just return it within 7 days and we will refund the purchase price of your sundial or replace it with a different sundial. You will appreciate that this guarantee can not be applied to sundials with personalised engraving or plinths
Delivery Options The price shown includes VAT and delivery by Parcel Force’s 48 hour service to all of the UK Mainland. Next Day or Saturday am delivery can be added in the checkout but if you have ordered an engraving we need a few days to complete this. The number of days we require to complete an engraving are shown on each sundial page and will be updated periodically as our order book dictates. Deliveries to the Scottish Isles, Isles of Scilly, Isle of Man, the Channel Isle as well as Eire will incur an additional delivery charge and may take a few extra days. If you need your sundial delivered by a specific date please note this in the Checkout. Our order acknowledgement will state if this date can be met or not, in the latter case we will, of course, refund your purchase unless you agree to an alternative delivery date.
Setting Up/Fixing Your sundial needs to be mounted on a firm plinth or pedestal in an open area. The top of the plinth should be as near horizontal as possible. To align your sundial correctly at 12 o'clock midday, when the sun is due south, stand with your back to the sun and point the arrow away from you - this will be north. Wait until your watch shows 12 o'clock midday. Turn the dial until the shadow from the arrow shaft (known as the gnomon) cuts the XII hour on the dial plate. In the summer this will be 1 hour ahead of "real" time but as the dial is only likely to be used in the summer the difference should be acceptable. NOTE: If you want to set your sundial up to show solar (solar) time set the sundial up at 1pm which, because British Summer Time is an hour ahead of solar time, will be solar noon. Align the sundial so that the shadow from the gnomon is on the XII. I have set the sundial up in my garden to show British Summer time as I don't venture out in to the garden much in the winter. You can now fix the sundial to the plinth. Full instructions will be sent with your sundial.
Plinths Your sundial needs to be set on top of a plinth, pedestal, pillar, column balustrade, wall or tree stump in sunny area in your garden with the gnomon pointing due north (full instructions are supplied with each of my sundials). If you don’t have a suitable plinth or pedestal I would urge you to buy the sundial first. You can then take this around to garden centres or plinth manufacturers and try it on the top of one of their plinths. If you can’t find a suitable plinth I have selected a range of suitable plinths which can be delivered to your kerbside within 14 days of your order - in the menu on the extreme left click on Plinths & Pedestals. | 
