Sundial in Formal Gardens of Somerleyton Hall is a Grade II listed building in the East Suffolk local planning authority area, England. First listed on 29 January 1987. Sundial.

Sundial in Formal Gardens of Somerleyton Hall

WRENN ID
brooding-tower-hemlock
Grade
II
Local Planning Authority
East Suffolk
Constituency
Lowestoft MP: Jess Asato (Lab)
Country
England
Date first listed
29 January 1987
Type
Sundial
Address
Sundial in Formal Gardens of Somerleyton Hall, Ashby and Herringfleet
OS grid reference
TM 492 977
Coordinates
52.52067, 1.67192
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The sundial in the formal gardens of Somerleyton Hall is an equatorial sundial, created around 1850 by John Thomas for Sir Morton Peto. It is made of brass and features a gilt Zodiac belt, which is supported by a sculptured marble pedestal approximately 2.5 meters high. The pedestal's capital is adorned with four heads with flowing beards, and below are four lions' heads that hold festoons of fruit and flowers. The sundial stands on a circular plinth with an octagonal base, raised on stone steps. It is listed for group value as a central feature of the formal garden, which was originally designed by Nesfield. Although a sundial is not specifically mentioned in his 'Plan of Details for the Enlargement of the West Parterre' dated October 1850, it forms part of a garden that is included in the HBMC County Register of Gardens at Grade II.

Local climate

Sundial in Formal Gardens of Somerleyton Hall receives an average of 780 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 60% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 78% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 6 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 96% of listed buildings. Of these, 4 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

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Nearby listed buildings

  1. Group of 4 Urns Around Sundial in Formal Gardens of Somerleyton Hall Grade II 11 m
  2. Group of 4 Urns in Centre of Formal Gardens of Somerleyton Hall Grade II 29 m
  3. Boundary Walling to Formal Gardens of Somerleyton Hall Grade II 32 m
  4. Group of 4 Stone Troughs in Formal Gardens of Somerleyton Hall Grade II 38 m
  5. Retaining Wall of Terrace to Garden Front of Somerleyton Hall Grade II 59 m
  6. Cistern at South End of Terrace to Garden Front of Somerleyton Hall Grade II 75 m
  7. Somerleyton Hall Grade II* 81 m
  8. Remains of Winter Garden of Somerleyton Hall Grade II 99 m
  9. Aviary Grade II 120 m
  10. Screen Wall to Entrance Front of Somerleyton Hall Grade II 123 m