Category: Pillar Dial

KELBURN CASTLE . LARGS . AYRSHIRE

Published on by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

KELBURN CASTLE . AYRSHIRE

The image above is enhanced to show this renowned castle in all its dramatic glory. The ancient seat of the Earls of Glasgow dates from C13 – one of the oldest castles in Scotland and the longest continuous family line of descent. This article is adapted from an earlier one published elsewhere. You will find further information about this magnificently daring blend of ancient and modern at the end.

A FINE MULTI-FACETED SCOTTISH SUNDIAL AT KELBURN CASTLE, AYRSHIRE

If you want to find a good choice of multi-faceted sundials, Scotland is the place to go. A considerable number may be found at country houses and castles, or elsewhere having originated from a large estate. Many, perhaps most, are 200-300 years old. Some are relatively simple; others are so complex that their purpose is clearly as much ornamental as horological. Good examples can be found at Glamis, Haddo House, Castle Fraser and Culzean Castle.

The 1707 multi-faceted oblelisk sundial at Kelburn is one of the most important sundials in Scotland. Some restoration has been carried out, and it now appears to be in overall good condition. While there seems to be no agreed figure for the exact number of individual dials, the count starts at 70.

I’ve made no attempt to describe the dials for obvious reasons, but there are links at the end that will be helpful for those who want to investigate further than looking at the photos.

THE SUNDIAL FROM EACH ORIENTATION

EAST SIDE

NORTH SIDE

WEST SIDE

SOUTH SIDE

SPIRE

NOTES

Kelburn’s astonishing transformation from early medieval stronghold into an outrageous post-psychedelic House of Fun began in 2007. The building’s concrete cladding needed to be replaced, following which (and with official approval) four Brazilian graffiti artists were invited to let their imaginations run loose. And did.

There is plenty of material online about this remarkable building – see link to its website below. Enterprises on offer include weddings; yurts; summer music festival; a reputedly scary Halloween. Summed up in the estate material: It’s a cultural safari for the mind, body and soul.

GATTY (p 140)

BSS

The Kelburn Dial featured in Bulletin 1996 in connection with a later dial based on it

DESCRIPTIVE NOTE

LINKS

KELBURN CASTLE & ESTATE Castle website

ANCIENT SUNDIALS OF SCOTLAND (Somerville)

HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND Listing details

CANMORE NATIONAL RECORDS

There is a second, smaller obelisk sundial NW of the castle that receives rather less attention: Sundial to west of Kelburn Castle, Kelburn Castle Estate, Fairlie (LB7298). Listing details can be found HERE

Image from the Canmore photographic records for Kelburn

GSS Category: Obelisk Dial; Multiple Dial; Scottish Sundial

All photos and material: Keith Salvesen except as indicated

BARRINGTON COURT (NT) . SOMERSET: Dodecahedral Dial

Published on by Rolling Harbour1 Comment

BARRINGTON COURT (NT) . ILMINSTER . SOMERSET

DODECAHEDRAL DIAL WITH PENTAGONAL FACETS

A SPECTACULAR DIAL IN A PERFECT SETTING

BSS RECORD

Located on the south lawn. Dodecahedron dial with pentagonal faces. Two ‘rows’ of five dials. The top row reclines, the bottom row inclines. All lines and numerals are visible, all gnomons are intact and 4mm thick. Overall the dial shows 4am to 8pm in hours. The numerals are Arabic, and are in relief, as is light scroll work on some faces. The dial is mounted 1760 mm high on a stone pedestal. It is surmounted by a weathered lion rampant 460 mm tall. The dial is said to have come from Scotland about 1910. SRN 8046 at East Ruston, Norfolk, appears to be a direct copy of this dial.

LOWER FACETS

UPPER FACETS

MIXED FACETS

GSS Category: Dodecahydron Dial; Polyhedral Dial; Multi-Dial; Cube & Similar Dials

All photos: Keith Salvesen

ALCISTON CHURCH . E SUSSEX . (Dedication Unknown) – Modern Column Dial

Published on by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

ALCISTON CHURCH has no Dedication. That is quite unusual, inviting speculation and maybe inspiring research into the history. I didn’t get that far because this is a multiple scratch dial church, with 4 good examples to admire and write up. You can read my piece about them HERE

In the churchyard there was an object that attracted our attention. This eye-catching slender column had only recently been dug in, and was in pristine condition. Clearly it is a memorial, but no details were marked. The sides and the back are plain. The large hole at the top is lined with gold, which looks very good. As a whole, it is obviously designed with care and made with skill.

DIAL

The dial itself is pleasingly symmetrical, and the composition works very well. I think it is not necessarily intended to have a gnomon, though someone has chosen to improvise with a stick.

,

However, because it faces roughly E rather than S, its ability to mark the passage of the day is limited. Also, the divisions of the lines would be cut differently. However, as a memorial stone, strict accuracy as a sundial may well not be a consideration anyway. It is a fine piece of work in a lovely setting.

GSS Category: Modern Dial; Vertical Dial; Column Dial; Memorial Dial

All photos: Keith Salvesen; thanks to John Foad BSS

ROSEMOOR GARDENS . TORRINGTON . DEVON – Pillar Dial 2004

Published on by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment
The Sundial, Rosemoor Gardens, Devon.

ROSEMOOR GARDENS

Renowned RHS gardens near Torrington, Devon. It’s a wonderful place. You can find out all about it HERE. For present purposes, the focus is on the very fine sundial installed in the gardens in 2004. This is a project of the BRITISH SUNDIAL SOCIETY and the description below is from the BSS record:

This is an unusual dial in the form of a triangular section pillar made of Delabole slate and 1820mm high. It was designed by Sir Mark Lennox-Boyd and made by Ben Jones. It carries a motto on the 610mm diameter slate base ‘But only in time can the moment in the rose-garden be remembered’ (T.S.Eliot, modified from a passage in Burnt Norton, the first of the Four Quartets).

On two of the faces are pairs of declining dials one above the other. The upper ones are drawn for December to June and the lower ones for June to December. The hour lines are corrected for the Equation of Time.There are three declination lines on each dial. Arabic numerals are used and the dials show BST. The easterly dial shows 5:30am to 1:30pm in half and quarter hours while the westerly dial shows 12:30pm to 9:30pm similarly divided. The north dial has dedications to V M Dickinson, M J C Wright, H Addy and R Addy.

DIAL IMAGES 1

All Photos: John Renner

DIAL IMAGES 2

Images taken from the designer’s magisterial book Sundials: History, Art, People, Science. The design below seems an excellent example of art meeting science.

GSS Category: Pillar Dial; Modern Sundial; Pillar Sundial

Credits: Photos by John Renner; material from the book by Mark Lennox-Boyd; British Sundial Society

LLANGARRON . HEREFS . ST DEINST – Pillar Dial; Scratch Dial(?); Consecration Cross

Published on by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment
St Deinst . Llangarron . Herefs

ST DEINST . LLANGARRON . HEREFS

GRADE 1 † C14 & C15; records of C11 origins; trace Norman interlace patterns. Restorations ±1900; later replacement of the top of the spire, repurposed as sundial pillar. Only 1 other church (Itton, nearby) with this Dedication.  7m N of Monmouth; 7m SW of Ross-on-Wye. 51.8871 / -2.6838 /  SO530211

PILLAR (STEEPLE) DIAL

GV II † Tip of spire C14 adapted as horizontal sundial pillar late C19. In churchyard SW of the tower in an ideal place for admiration. Coursed & squared sandstone rubble, circular base. C14 masonry BLB

1. CHURCHYARD VIEW

2. HORIZONTAL DIAL

The dial is octagonal, with quarter-hours marked. IV as IIII. The inscription seems to be Llangarron Parish; and the maker’s name Counsell (though I can find no reference). The Roman numerals are conventional.

SCRATCH DIAL

BSS records a scratch dial with 3 lines on the buttress to W of S porch, in a poor state. Notes include Max. length lines, mm 80. Hard as I looked, I couldn’t find a dial in the given location, or at any height on the buttress. Or elsewhere. Possibly the stonework has deteriorated since the original record was made. The best I can offer is the BSS sketch; and the most promising dial-like area of the buttress.

CONSECRATION CROSS

A fine consecration cross, one of the largest I have seen. One puzzle is that the cross is too large for the stone, so that LHS is cut off at the edge. It seems unlikely that the designer mis-measured to that extent. Possibly the stone was moved and trimmed to fit its present position during restoration.

St Deinst is well described in an online page LLANGARRON HISTORY

GSS Category: Horizontal Dial; Pillar Dial; Scratch Dial; Consecration Cross

All photos: Keith Salvesen