Description

Possibly 17th century. Detached sundial sited in Formal Garden to N of Dowery House, incorporating square cap with 4 hollow dials, ogee top and ball on Doric column with 3 dials half way up.

Statement of Interest

Formerly listed as 'Stobhall, Sundial No 1 approx 25 Yards North of Dowery House' Part of A Group with HB numbers 79, 5473-5, 5477, 5480-81 and 43856. An interesting early dial, closely resembling the style of dial listed by MacGibbon & Ross as 'Dials on Market and Other Crosses'. The simplicity of design contrasts with the Baroque style, employed more normally for obelisk type dials, which is much more exuberant and heavily carved. An almost identical dial (listed separately) is attached to the terrace wall sited to the SW of Dowery House. That example is dated 1957. A slightly different style of facetted dial (also listed separately) is located in the Octagonal Garden to the NE of Dowery House.

Dowery House dates from the 17th century and it was during this period, when gracious living began to flourish, that formal gardens were being developed around traditional tower houses in the form of 'parterres and knot gardens, sundials and fountains' (Buxbaum, p7). Intense scientific interest led to early publications on the construction of sundials 'in which definite rules are laid down for the guidance of the dial-maker, so as to ensure

his producing a work which will accurately note the passing hours' (MacGibbon & Ross, p357).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17575253

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)