A SUMMER party has been held at Berkeley Castle to unveil its latest feature.

Retired engineer Bob Hunt worked with staff at Renishaw to create a new castle-themed sun dial which has now been installed.

Bob said: “The basic idea of a sundial might be simple; a stick in the ground and some markers to indicate the hours.

"However, the constraints of the site meant that more work would be required to create an acceptable instrument to reliably indicate the daylight hours, that would benefit the castle, its surroundings and its history, exist for an appreciable period.

“After much early work, a discussion with Charles Berkeley was fruitful and the basic design and concept was accepted.

"Consideration was then given to adding specific features that would link it with Berkeley Castle and so the Berkeley arch and door have been incorporated into the design of the gnomon and a suggestion of a moat and cobbled courtyard has been added to the dial face.

“A great deal of precision has been required in the construction of the sundial.

"Renishaw kindly agreed that this was a project that they would be interested in developing with us, using the 3D printing process."

The summer party to celebrate the sundial took place last Sunday.