A replica of the historic Kirkdale sundial, made by York Minster’s team of craftspeople, has been unveiled by His Majesty King Charles III and President Emmanuel Macron at the opening of the British Museum’s Bayeux Tapestry exhibition.
Royal unveiling for York Minster-made sundial at British Museum’s Bayeux Tapestry exhibition.
The project showcases the unique capabilities of York Minster’s Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management, where traditional craft skills and modern conservation technologies work hand in hand to conserve, restore, and create historic monuments.
The original Kirkdale sundial, located in the porch of St Gregory’s Minster near Kirkbymoorside in North Yorkshire, dates from approximately 1055 to 1065. It was selected as one of only a handful of surviving monuments from this pivotal period in English history, offering an invaluable connection to the world that existed before the Norman Conquest.
Managing Director of the British Museum, Judith McNicol said:
“The Kirkdale sundial, created in the 11th century when Edward the Confessor was king, is an amazing North Yorkshire survivor from those turbulent times. As we celebrate the opening of the Bayeux Tapestry, we were thrilled to work with the amazing stonemasons at York Minster to create a replica sundial. They have the heritage craft skills, as well as the cutting-edge technology, to deliver an Anglo-Saxon sundial that is so beautiful, of such high quality and at such pace.”
In producing the replica, York Minster combined traditional stonemasonry techniques with the latest digital technologies. The original carving was 3D-scanned by Luke Snell, Digital Surveyor, using laser imaging technology, which allows for an exceptionally accurate scan to be created without damaging the historic surface. This digital scan was then imported into CAD-CAM software by Alex Harrand, Machine & Workshop Manager, to roughout the carving using York Minster’s state-of-the-art CNC stone-cutting equipment.
Freya De Lisle, Qualified Stonemason, then finished the stone by hand. Freya, who completed her five-year apprenticeship at York Minster’s Centre of Excellence in 2025, is no stranger to royal projects; she was recently recognised by the King’s Foundation as one of 35 inspirational makers and changemakers under 35. Working on the digitally carved stone, Freya carefully hand-finished the replica, bringing the subtle surface details and character of the original monument to life through traditional techniques that have changed little over the centuries.
Alex McCallion, Director of Works and Precinct at York Minster, said:
“The Kirkdale sundial is one of the most important surviving artefacts from Anglo-Saxon England; recreating it has been a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate what can be achieved when combining traditional craft skills and modern technology.
“Through the expertise of our incredibly skilled team, we have been able to create an exceptionally faithful replica that honours the original while showcasing the skills needed to conserve historic monuments in the twenty-first century. This same approach is now in use at our Centre of Excellence to produce stonework for a range of other heritage estates and commercial partners.
“We’re delighted to put a spotlight on the next generation of craftspeople and the importance of investing in heritage skills.”
York Minster is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the legacy of this landmark exhibition and to help bring one of Yorkshire’s most significant Anglo-Saxon treasures to a new international audience.
The Bayeux Tapestry opens to the public next week – it has inspired our winter campaign Threads of Faith, Sacred Stitches which celebrates the artistry of cathedral broderers showcasing a textile from every one of our cathedrals to highlight the skill behind embroidered liturgical textiles, and shoing how each stitch contributes to centuries of worship and tradition.
Watch out for Threads of Faith, Sacred Stitches – across our social media channels this winter!
