23/03/2016
Sundials is the second gallery in a series to celebrate the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design in 2016 which showcases architectural details from the collections of Historic Environment Scotland (HES). Sundials are structures used to show the time of day by means of the sun shining on a 'gnomon', the shadow of which falls on the surface of the dial which is marked with a diagram showing the hours. These can be freestanding, usually on a pillar, or fixed to a building.
The National Record of the Historic Environment at HES includes a wealth of material illustrating buildings and gardens across Scotland, including more than 650 recorded sundials, dating back to the 17th-century and of a great variety of types and styles.The collections include historic prints and drawings as well as survey photographs and information from the past hundred years which create a fascinating architectural record.
The collections can be consulted in our Search Room and through our online resources. This includes Canmore where new images and information are added every day through ongoing surveys of Scotland's built heritage, as well as through an active digitisation programme of negatives, prints and drawings.

































SC 1029109
View of sundial (no.35 on plan), from South, Drummond Castle formal garden.
© Crown Copyright: HES








DP 030812
Detail of gnomon and brass plate on top of Western sundial, Craigiehall House, Edinburgh.
© RCAHMS

DP 030813
Detail showing the Annandale Crest on Western sundial, Craigiehall House, Edinburgh.
© RCAHMS


DP 031136
Detail of central section of shaft of the East sundial, Craigiehall House, Edinburgh.
© RCAHMS













DP 034674
Detail of brass plate showing makers name inscription on the Western sundial, Craigiehall House, Edinburgh.
© RCAHMS













SC 1124364
View of sundial (no.35 on plan), from South, Drummond Castle formal garden.
© Crown Copyright: HES







SC 1132000
Drawing showing North, South, West and East elevations of East Sundial, Craigiehall House.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 058673
View of sundial at Culzean Castle with gardener's cottage behind, from SSE
© Crown Copyright: HES













DP 092097
Drawing showing Queen Mary's sundial, Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh
© Courtesy of HES (Alexander Archer Collection)






SC 1223425
Detail of sundial on west face of tower, St Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh.
© Crown Copyright: HES


SC 1230061
Detailed view of sundial on Forrest Road facade of Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.
© Dianne King

DP 096338
Detail of the garden sundial, situated to the North-East of Cumbernauld House, Cumbernauld.
© Crown Copyright: HES





SC 1230959
View of sundial, at upper level of Murrayfield Drive facade of 43 Ormidale Terrace, Edinburgh.
© Dianne King


DP 100193
View of sundial showing detail of gnomon in walled garden, Pitmuies House.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 100236
Detail of sundial on south west corner, Coach house, Pitmuies House.
© Crown Copyright: HES






SC 1245541
General view of sundial, originally from Wrights' House, Edinburgh.
© Courtesy of HES (Francis M Chrystal Collection)












SC 1304685
Detail of sundial in courtyard, west range, George Heriot's School, Edinburgh.
© Crown Copyright: HES







DP 158563
General view of sundial, Huntly House Museum, 146 Canongate, Edinburgh, from SE.
© Crown Copyright: HES








SC 1435261
View of sundial at Midmar Castle.
© Crown Copyright: HES (Scottish National Buildings Record)










SC 1471903
Detail of sundial, Dalserf House.
© Crown Copyright: HES (Scottish National Buildings Record)

DP 210678
View of sundial at top of Hospitalfield House tower, Arbroath, showing north east and south east faces
© Crown Copyright: HES







SC 1476322
View of female figure in 17th century costume which apparently bore a sundial, Dunvegan Castle, Skye.
© RCAHMS






DP 225814
General view of sundial in the garden of Nunraw House from South East.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1496406
Detail of sundial capped by small figure in walled rose garden, Myres Castle.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1496407
Detail of sundial capped by small figure in walled rose garden, Myres Castle.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1502673
View from SW of lighthouse and keepers' house, with sundial in foreground, Barns Ness Lighthouse.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 587451
Detail of sundial on South front, Pilrig House
© Crown Copyright: HES (Scottish National Buildings Record)

SC 692146
Detail of 1898 sundial on south wall with the initials of Mr and Mrs Pullar, Brahan House, Perth.
© RCAHMS

SC 763911
View of sundial with figure of Time by John Cheere 1743 in walled garden, Blair Castle.
© RCAHMS

SC 1029109
View of sundial (no.35 on plan), from South, Drummond Castle formal garden.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 030812
Detail of gnomon and brass plate on top of Western sundial, Craigiehall House, Edinburgh.
© RCAHMS

DP 030813
Detail showing the Annandale Crest on Western sundial, Craigiehall House, Edinburgh.
© RCAHMS

DP 031136
Detail of central section of shaft of the East sundial, Craigiehall House, Edinburgh.
© RCAHMS

DP 034674
Detail of brass plate showing makers name inscription on the Western sundial, Craigiehall House, Edinburgh.
© RCAHMS

DP 040787
View of sundial from west, Arthur Bell's Distillers, Cherrybank, Perth.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1124364
View of sundial (no.35 on plan), from South, Drummond Castle formal garden.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1132000
Drawing showing North, South, West and East elevations of East Sundial, Craigiehall House.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 058673
View of sundial at Culzean Castle with gardener's cottage behind, from SSE
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 092097
Drawing showing Queen Mary's sundial, Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh
© Courtesy of HES (Alexander Archer Collection)

SC 1223425
Detail of sundial on west face of tower, St Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1230061
Detailed view of sundial on Forrest Road facade of Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.
© Dianne King

DP 096338
Detail of the garden sundial, situated to the North-East of Cumbernauld House, Cumbernauld.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1230959
View of sundial, at upper level of Murrayfield Drive facade of 43 Ormidale Terrace, Edinburgh.
© Dianne King

DP 100193
View of sundial showing detail of gnomon in walled garden, Pitmuies House.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 100236
Detail of sundial on south west corner, Coach house, Pitmuies House.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1245541
General view of sundial, originally from Wrights' House, Edinburgh.
© Courtesy of HES (Francis M Chrystal Collection)

SC 1304685
Detail of sundial in courtyard, west range, George Heriot's School, Edinburgh.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 158563
General view of sundial, Huntly House Museum, 146 Canongate, Edinburgh, from SE.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1435261
View of sundial at Midmar Castle.
© Crown Copyright: HES (Scottish National Buildings Record)

SC 1471903
Detail of sundial, Dalserf House.
© Crown Copyright: HES (Scottish National Buildings Record)

DP 210678
View of sundial at top of Hospitalfield House tower, Arbroath, showing north east and south east faces
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1476322
View of female figure in 17th century costume which apparently bore a sundial, Dunvegan Castle, Skye.
© RCAHMS

DP 225814
General view of sundial in the garden of Nunraw House from South East.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1496406
Detail of sundial capped by small figure in walled rose garden, Myres Castle.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1496407
Detail of sundial capped by small figure in walled rose garden, Myres Castle.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1502673
View from SW of lighthouse and keepers' house, with sundial in foreground, Barns Ness Lighthouse.
© Crown Copyright: HES