The Richard Towneley Sundial

The Towneley Hall Society, in collaboration with the Borough Council of Burnley, commissioned Alan Smith to design and make a sundial in the summer of 2000. The sundial was set up in September 2001 to commemorate Richard Towneley (1629-1707) who was the first person to publish regular records of rainfall in Great Britain. It was placed on the South buttress, which is the best place to catch the sun when it is directly to the South every day at noon.