Brodie Castle

Multi-faced Scottish lectern sundial with single metal gnomon on top and stone carved faces with one broken metal gnomon on four sides, sitting on a slender stone pedestal.

Thought to have been relocated to garden from the former bowling green, as seen on the 1770 Brown plan, via the West lawn. Although not named on the Brown plan, the terrier refers to a Bowling green in this location and the central feature appears to have protruding gnomons and has been surmised to be this sundial, although not an ideal situation for such an obstacle and perhaps indicating a changing role for the south walled enclosure. The sundial is now positioned at the north end of Cathedral walk and was shaded by trees when first seen and photographed; subsequently two trees were removed allowing sunlight to reach the dial.

Andrew Somerville in The Ancient Sundials of Scotland (Proceedings of the Society of Antiquities of Scotland, Vol. 117, 1987) gives the following description "Lectern without star, similar to Skibo Castle, Castle Fraser, Greenbank House and Foulis Castle, ie. square section block with dials on all sides (hollows E and W) with stepped top having a polar hemi-cylinder and dials in the steps. Equatorials on top and in step on N side".

The grid reference given, NH 979 577, locates in in the lawn west of the castle when recorded in 1986. An ‘SD’ is shown in the current location on the 2ndedition 1:2500 OS, and was the justification for locating the sundial here (S Fraser).

The Elgin Courant report of 1876 (see 3.3) also refers to the sundial “Returning to the lawn, with the streets, lanes and avenues leading to and from the castle … a large sundial visible from four directions at once …”. Evidently this sundial has had an erratic life and was probably moved to the west lawn when the Bowling green was removed and the South-west drive was extended to the castle forecourt in the mid-19th century.

(BRD14 B18)

Information from NTS (SCS) February 2016

Brass circular sundial finely engraved with hours and minutes, points of the

compass, months of the years and ‘Watch slower, watch faster’, with gnomon supported by scroll, set in square stone cap. Makers name of ‘Adie, Edinburgh’, probably by A Adie which would date it to early 19th century. Bulbous moulded stone pedestal on stepped stone base.

Shown in this position from 1870 1st edition OS 1:2500 map. Located in partially shaded position; trees need to be kept pruned in height for sundial to function in the months when the garden is visited.

(BRD14 B19)

Information from NTS (SCS) February 2016