The Lauchope Sundial

I have written previously about the history and the ecology of the site at Lauchope, near Chapelhall.  A site close to my heart, that is currently threatened with development.   Today's post has a slightly different topic.

Sundial at Pitmedden, Aberdeenshire

Its about SUNDIALS!

Scotland is famous for leading the way on many things.  Whisky, raincoats, telephones, television, sundials... yes sundials.

"But we have no sun!!" I hear you say

Queen Mary's Dial, Holyrood, Edinburgh, the work of
John Mylne, Master Mason.
Image courtesy of Dennis Cowan of Sundials Scotland

Scotland is home to some of the most complicated sundials seen anywhere in the world, .....EVER!

Asknish House Sundial

Despite our lack of sun, Scotland has a rich and interesting history associated with ‘Renaissance’ Sundials.  From the 16^th to the early 19^th Century Scottish Stone Masons like John Mylne produced the most mathematically complex and intricate sundials ever seen anywhere in the world.  Many of them not only told the time around the globe but were also concerned with astrological matters. Some with up to 80 faces or dials.  

Glamis Castle Sundial

Up until the 18^th Century, sundials would still be regularly used to tell the time.  Dials would be situated on churches, at the market cross or anywhere where people would regularly gather.  These sundials would generally be simple and functional, dependant on the dial makers’ artistic flair. 

Unicorn Sundial at Inverkeithing Mercat Cross

In the opulent Country Estates of Scotland, gardens would host large free standing sun dials, obelisk sundials and multi-facet sundials.  This is where Master Masonry combined with art, science and mathematics to create a bravura never seen before or since, anywhere in the world.  

Calvinist fashions of the time dictated that garden ornaments should be functional and with a purpose.   This, combined with an enlightened Scotland’s interest in science and mathematics as well as a "renaissance" interest in re-discovering the esoteric knowledge of the Ancients, created a fashion entirely unique to Scotland. 

Lee Castle Sundial, Fry's Trading Cards

Obelisk Sundial at Drummond Castle
Image courtesy of Dennis Cowan, Sundials Scotland

Obelisk Sundial at Cumbernauld House

"There are 2 types of sundial, those that are attached and those that are detached"  

I had no idea, when I started this quest, that I was wading blindly into giant countrywide jigsaw of bits of sundials, erroneously matched up.   Whether they fit, seems not to have mattered on many occasions.....

Craigiehall Sundial, Image Courtesy of Dennis Cowan, Sundials Scotland

I was incredibly excited to learn that Lauchope House had a rather unique and spectacular Scottish Sundial.  It is first seen recorded in 1940 in Stevenson's Sundials of the Six Counties near Glasgow.

The Lauchope sundial had been moved from its original location at Lauchope House to the owners new home, Johnston Hall, less than a mile away.  The dial did not appear to be on its original plinth and there was the stone head of a woman, removed to take the photograph.  It was originally thought the head was not part of the sundial, but theory on this has now changed to believe it was part of the Lauchope Sundial.  The dial went missing at Johnston Hall in the 20th Century and hasn't been seen since.  The site of Johnston Hall is now a Warehouse.


So what did the dial look like?  

Stevenson gives us an excellent description and a picture (shown below) but there are no close up images of the sundial. In the record, he tells us about an impressive facet dial with 26 sides.  Made up of a complicated pattern of squares, Octagons pentagons and hollows.

Lauchope Sundial Image from from Sundials of the Six Counties near Glasgow, 1940

I searched around for similar dials and I found only one which is almost identical in shape, at George Heriot's School in Edinburgh.  It has a verified and recorded provenance.  There was also a similar dial at Waygateshaw near Carluke, (below) which is also lost to history.

Waygateshaw Sundial, Image from Sundials of the Six Counties near Glasgow

What did the plinth look like?

If the ladies head was part of the plinth then we need to look towards the only similar surviving sundial and plinth at Lennoxlove (below) where the dial is precariously perched on top of the ladies head.  It is certainly one of the most impressive sundials, and definitely one of my most favourites.

It has been suggested by Sundial enthusiasts that the Lennoxlove Lady is a composite piece.  The Lady has being attributed to Stone Mason James Gifford.  The dial ,which some have suggested is in the style of Mylne, has Acanthus detail on the dial, and bears a strong resemblance to much of the surviving stonework from Hamilton Palace.

Sundial at Lennoxlove, East Lothian.
 Images courtesy of Dennis Cowan, Sundials Scotland

How old was it?

While it is impossible to say, it does appear to predate the rebuilding of Lauchope in the 1830's which would put it into the timeframe of when the Muirhead family were in residence.

Similar dials appear to have been made late 17th century.  The closest match for the Lauchope dial, George Heriot's dial mentioned previously, was gifted to them in 1679 by Alexander Burton.   The Lennoxlove Sundial is also dated 1679.

Unfortunately, the trail runs cold at this point.  I've been unable to uncover any further details on the Lauchope Sundial.  Perhaps more primary research will uncover additional information.

Interestingly enough, after the Muirhead family sold the lands of Lauchope and moved to Bredisholm they commissioned another spectacular sundial from local stone mason Alexander Fraser.  He was described as a "unsuccesful gardener", but always seemed to have a dial to hand.

Bredisholm dial from Ross & MacGibbons Castellated & Domestic Architecture of Scotland
from the 12th to 18th C, 1839, 

Fraser seems to have been one of the last Scottish dialers.  The Bredisholm dial bears the inscription "We spend our lives as a tale that is told"

Muirhead Family Sundial at Bredisholm near Ballieston.  Late 19th Century
Image from Glasgow University Archives

Lamentably, fashions change and the art of ‘Dialing’ died out in Scotland in the 19^th Century. Stone Masons are no longer trained to make these complicated dials and they are an art, lost to history.

My quest continues.....

If you are interested in helping to save the site at Lauchope for the community, or would just like to find out a bit more about it, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the author, or check "Lost Houses of the Clyde Valley" Facebook page

Finally many thanks to Dennis Cowan from Sundials Scotland who provided essential information regarding the Heriot Sundial and many images above.   I would highly recommend anyone wanting to find out more about Scottish Sundials, visit his fabulously informative website.

Bibliography

MacGibbon & Ross, 1839, The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland from the 12th to 18th Centuries

WB Stevenson, 1940, Sundials of the Six Counties near Glasgow,  Transactions of the Glasgow Archeological Society, Vol 9, No 4