Sundial, Lochgoilhead

This 17th century sandstone obelisk sundial stands in the garden of The Cottage (see separate listing) on land that was once common village ground, at the head of Loch Goil. The sundial is believed to have been moved several times (RCAHMS, Inventory), and its original location is now unknown; it has however occupied its current position since circa 1870. The sundial is a good example of a distinctive style of 17th century sundial design.

DESCRIPTION

The sundial stands on a square three-stepped plinth, and is surrounded by circular metal railings. The square shaft is divided on each face into 5 square panels, each of which contains a sunken geometrical shape; designs include hearts, hemispheres, saltires and other geometrical devices, and the stubs of broken metal gnomons remain on some of the panels. On the north side of the shaft, the top panel bears the initials D / HM, the middle panel bears the initials S / C (C), and the lowest panel bears the date 1626. The date appears to have been recut in the 19th century, and probably originally read 1696, as the sundial bears a strong similarity to one dated 1695 at Asknish House (see separate listing) (RCAHMS, Inventory). Surmounting the shaft is a multi-facetted head with sunken hemispheres and triangles on the oblique faces, and the obelisk above; both the head and the obelisk have several broken gnomons, some of which are surrounded by finely incised dials (now almost entirely illegible).