Sundial of the month July

Restoration of a stone sundial

In the splendid garden of Vijversburg House in Zwartewegsend, Friesland, there is a freestanding vertical stone sundial.
Tradition has it that it was part of Toutenburg House in Ryptsjerk. This house was demolished in 1860, whereupon the sundial moved to its current place.
The photograph shows the state of the sundial prior to 2003.

Inspection of the hour and date line patterns showed that it was not made to any great precision.
The right half of the winter solstice line was absent, and only some of the hour lines were correct for the latitude of approximately 53 degrees.

The ‘At Toutenburg’ foundation wanted to have the dial restored, and this was undertaken in 2003. The result is shown below.

The hour lines are coloured red, the date lines blue, and the lettering and the radiant sun are gilt.
The style triangle is completely renewed.

Over the sundial is the motto BREVE ET IRREVOCABILE TEMPUS.
This means: Short and irrevocable is time.