Sundial, Old Palace Of Mochrum

Castle comprised of two towers of different dates—the western tower dating to circa 1500 and the southern tower to circa 1580—which have undergone complete restoration and substantial additions between 1873 and 1908.

The exterior restoration and enlargement was undertaken by architect Richard Park. The western tower was restored between 1873 and 1874, while the southern tower was restored and a connecting hall constructed between 1877 and 1898. Service ranges to the north and east were built between 1900 and 1902. Interior work was designed by Robert Weir Schultz between 1903 and 1908. Stone carving was executed by H W Palliser; woodcarvings by Joseph Armitage; ironwork by Ernest Gimson; and additional woodwork by Ernest Gimson and Ernest and Sidney Barnsley. The courtyard was laid out by Schultz, and a wellhead was designed by Schultz in 1902 and executed by Ernest Gimson. A walled garden was designed by Schultz in 1903. The sundial was designed by Schultz and executed by William Vickers in 1905. The connecting hall was probably remodelled by Schultz after 1912 to incorporate a chapel.

The building originally consisted of two square-plan towers linked by a wall. Following restoration, a two-storey hall was built incorporating the linking wall, creating a connection between the towers. Ranges were built to the north and east in an L-plan arrangement, with the eastern range adjoining the southern tower and the northern range linked to the western tower by an arched pend, forming an enclosed courtyard.

The structure features asymmetrically disposed openings. The walls are constructed of small-packed rubble with cream sandstone ashlar dressings. Doors and windows have rybated margins, some chamfered and some with roll-moulded architraves. Most doors are four-centre-arched. There is a projecting eaves course. Leaded glazing predominates, mainly in two-light casement windows, with some fixed glazing. Timber doors are fitted with decorative wrought-iron hinges of varying designs. Crowstepped gables feature crowsteps built of small stones covered over with thin stone slabs. Dormerheads have ashlar crowsteps with fleuron finials. Chimney stacks are ashlar-coped rubble, with various gablehead and wallhead treatments across the different ranges. Grey slates, mainly graded, cover the roof.

The western tower rises three storeys with an attic. It has a corbelled crenellated parapet walk with water spouts on the north and south elevations, and circular bartizans at each angle. A small cap-house sits to the southeast. The eastern (courtyard) elevation features a door left of centre with small and larger windows flanking, a window above the door at first-floor level, and windows at the second floor with a dormerheaded window at third-floor level. The northern elevation is adjoined to a pend bay. The western elevation includes a slightly advanced pend bay to the left, a slit window at first floor, and windows at second and third floors. The southern elevation has windows at the first and second floors, with a moulded panel inscribed with a crest and the date "1874" in the gablehead above the parapet walk.

The southern tower is four storeys with an attic, with the third storey breaking the eaves. The northern (courtyard) elevation features a broad gable with a square stair-tower advanced at centre. The stair-tower has a door to the right at ground level on its west return, a moulded blank panel above the door, windows at various levels, and an attic floor advanced on a corbel course. A re-entrant angle at first-floor level to the right is infilled with a coped roof and suspended bell. Gun loops and windows are positioned at ground, first, second and third floors. The western elevation has a window at the first floor and another at the second floor left of centre, with a window to the right at third-floor level. The southern (garden) elevation features a broad gable rising from the eaves at centre, with windows arranged at first, second and third-floor levels. The eastern elevation shows windows at various levels, with a moulded blank panel in the gablehead.

The connecting hall features a straight parapet with ball finials at the southwest and northeast angles. It has a door to the left of the eastern (courtyard) elevation, a slit window at ground floor, and windows at the first floor facing both the courtyard and garden, plus a door at ground floor leading to an adjoining modern glasshouse.

The eastern range is a single storey with a tall attic. Its western (courtyard) elevation features a gabled bay advanced to the right, doors and windows at ground and first floors, and dormerheaded windows. The eastern (entrance) elevation has gabled bays to the outer left and right, a protruding dome (oven) to the left, multiple doors and windows at ground level, and slit and dormerheaded windows at first-floor level. The southern (garden) elevation has two windows.

The northern range is also a single storey with tall attic. Its southern (courtyard) elevation features doors, windows at ground floor, dormerheaded windows at first floor, and a gabled pend bay with a segmental arch. The northern elevation has five windows at ground floor and five dormerheaded windows at first floor, with an off-set wallhead stack. The western elevation includes a gabled pend bay with a segmental-arched gateway.

The interior contains timber panelling and ceilings, and stone chimneypieces. The western tower has a turnpike staircase and vaulted rooms at ground and first floors. The southern tower also has a turnpike staircase. The chapel at first-floor level in the connecting hall has a low timber ceiling and rough stone walls. The northern range contains a kitchen, dining hall and gun room, while the eastern range houses kitchen offices and stores.

The courtyard is laid with cobbles intersected by stone-flagged paths. A well features a hexagonal red sandstone parapet with a decorative wrought-iron overthrow well-head designed by Schultz and executed by Gimson in 1902.

The walled garden to the south is square-plan and formal in layout. It has rubble walls surmounted by spaced semi-circular rubble stones to the west and heavily buttressed to the east, with the wall stepped up at intervals with rounded boulder finials. Arched gateways with flagged coping and boulder finials provide access, fitted with timber gates featuring elaborate wrought-ironwork. The southeast corner of the wall is built on natural rock and corbelled from square to form three bartizans, with a raised platform and circular stone garden seat. Random rubble-flagged paths radiate from the central sundial.

The sundial, dated 1905, is a detached horizontal structure in cream sandstone with a circular bronze dial and open gnomon. An octagonal dial-stone is inscribed "J C S AD 1905" (John Crichton-Stuart). The octagonal pedestal has a square-section base set on a circular foundation. A range of lean-to outbuildings dating to circa 1900, with a central archway and open bays, stands to the east.

The boundary of the property is defined by drystone rubble walls with squat rubble drum piers featuring band courses and conical caps surmounted by small boulder finials.