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Field Visit
Date 6 May 1920
Event ID 1087867
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1087867
SUNDIALS.
(a) On the south-east angle of the 17th century extension is an angled dial dated 1644.
(b) A rather unusual dial (fig. 82) has been erected in the south garden adjoining the mansion on the east. It is dated 1679 and was removed by the present proprietor from North Barr House, Renfrewshire. On a base of two octagonal steps a female figure clothed in the costume of the period supports a dialstone on her head. She wears a fluted skirt with draped panniers, a high waisted stomacher, passimented at the neck, with puff sleeves intaken at the elbow and ruffed at the forearm. In her left hand she holds a fan, and in her right she bears a rose disposed against her bosom. Around her neck she wears a necklace of beads with a heart-shaped pendant and in her ears drop-shaped ear-rings. The dial stone is an octagonal block with 17 faces. The perpendicular faces are alternately cupped and plane. On the horizontal dial are the initials D. McG. for Donald MacGilchrist, who built the house of North Barr in 1676, and the date 1679. The figure is 3 feet 11 ½ inches high, the dial stone is 1 foot 2 ½ inches high and the steps are each 8 inches high.
(c) On the lawn south of the mansion is around horizontal dial with a baluster shaft. It is undated but on its metal face is engraved ‘David Lyon sculpsit’.
The first two sundials are illustrated in Proc. Soc. Ant. Scot. xxiv., pp. 173 and 247.
RCAHMS 1924, visited 6 May 1920.
