Edinburgh, Gilmerton Road, Inch House, Facet-head Sundial
Sundial (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Edinburgh, Gilmerton Road, Inch House, Facet-head Sundial
Classification Sundial (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 301236
Site Number NT27SE 80.05
NGR NT 27712 70754
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/301236
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
NT27SE 80.05 27712 70754
Two other sundials have been recorded in the grounds of Inch House, but none of them was observed when the site was visited by Dr Andrew Somerville in August 1986 (MS 5741/7/11). See also NT27SE 80.02 and NT27SE 80.06.
(A Cassells, 26 November 2009).
Field Visit (15 April 1921)
SUNDIALS.
Three 17th-century sundials are preserved in the grounds. The first, standing about 20 yards north-east of the house, is a cubical dial-stone, 1 foot 4 ½ inches in height by 1 foot 1 ¼ inches wide, on a moulded seating, which was removed from Craigmillar Castle and erected on a modern shaft and base; there are four dials.
The second stands about 100 yards north-east of the house and is a more elaborate example of the craft. On a modern baluster rests a cubical dial-stone containing three dials, and on the fourth face an armorial panel bearing the Preston arms; an upper dial-stone, in this case octagonal, surmounts the lower one, and the junction of square and octagon is effectively treated with cherubs' heads. The upper stone has eight dials on the sides and one on the upper surface.
A third sundial, also cubical, measuring 1 foot 1 inch broad and 1 foot 3 ½ inches high, has been erected on the lawn south-east of the house. It has four dials.
RCAHMS 1929, visited 15 April 1921.
