Edinburgh, Holyrood Palace, North Garden, Sundial

SUNDIAL, NORTH GARDEN.

Although popularly associated with Mary, Queen of Scots, this dial was constructed only in 1633 for Charles I, whose initials are carved upon it accompanied by those of his queen, Henrietta Maria, and by the arms of the United Kingdoms displayed within the Garter. John Mylne, the King's Master Mason, fashioned the stone-work with the assistance of his sons John and Alexander; the "dyell " was engraved and gilt by John Barton, and painted by John Anderson. Having fallen into disrepair, the dial was renovated by Queen Victoria's orders and was then placed in its present position on the W. side of the North Garden. The head, which is original, is a polyhedron, each side presenting a dial to the number of twenty-nine in all, while the under-surfaces with one exception display devices such as the portcullis, the rose, the thistle, the fleur-de-lys, the Prince of Wales's feathers, and the Scots crest. The octagonal pedestal, which seems to have been renewed, stands on the original base of three octagonal steps. The total height of the sundial is 10 ft. and the width of the base 10 ft. 3 in.

RCAHMS 1951, visited c.1941

The Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (http://www.pmsa.org.uk/) set up a National Recording Project in 1997 with the aim of making a survey of public monuments and sculpture in Britain ranging from medieval monuments to the most contemporary works. Information from the Edinburgh project was added to the RCAHMS database in October 2010 and again in 2012.

The PMSA (Public Monuments and Sculpture Association) Edinburgh Sculpture Project has been supported by Eastern Photocolour, Edinburgh College of Art, the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, Historic Scotland, the Hope Scott Trust, The Old Edinburgh Club, the Pilgrim Trust, the RCAHMS, and the Scottish Archive Network.

Facet-headed sundial standing on a high, wide-spreading base, consisting of three moulded steps. The support of the dial is hexagonal. At top and bottom the facet-head has five sides and in the centre ten sides. The dials are hollowed out with figures of various shapes. In one the gnomon is formed by the nose of a grotesque face. The under surfaces have no dials, but are decorated with the royal arms and the initials of Charles I and his queen Henrietta Maria, for whom Charles had the dial made.

The sundial was made by John Mylne, the king's master mason, in 1633, assisted by Mylne's sons, John and Alexander, ' "for which he was paid the sum of £408, 15s. 6d. Scots." The dial and pedestal measure 6 feet 7 inches high, and the total height, including the base, is 10 feet, and the width at the ground is 10 feet 3 inches. It is stated that this dial was lying broken and uncared for, and that it was put in order by command of the queen.' (Castellated and Domestic Architecture, Vol. V) (1)

Inspected By : T.S.

Inscriptions : On the under surfaces of the sundial: C R and M R [ the initials of Charles I and his queen Henrietta Maria]

Signatures : None

Design period : 1633 (original) / 1908 (repairs and new gnomons)

Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN0723)