This sundial cube stone has fine carving detail. Each of five faces can read the time. The horizontal dial carved in the stone on top indicates an ornamental piece for a garden. A cube set on a tall pillar or on a wall will have the side dials only. Photo: Graciela Ainsworth.
This cube stone sundial stands in the garden of Haddo House, the National Trust for Scotland property in Aberdeenshire. When we examined it at the workshop, it had broken and missing gnomons and moss obscured the dials. After restoration the dials can now read solar time properly again.
A cube dial has the mathematical attraction of reading time by the sun on south, east, west, and north faces. As a result, as the sun moves round, the cube sundial is an excellent device for showing time at any hour of the day. In addition the horizontal top dial is an ideal feature for a sundial on display in a garden. This sundial is probably 18th century commissioned for the family.
There were a number of steps for the restoration. Firstly we checked the latitude of the sundial stone against the angles of the hour lines. This worked out at 57°N, which is the correct latitude for Haddo House. Next, we designed and manufactured new bronze gnomons, applied patination for the metal, and fitted the gnomons to the stone. Finally we studied the alignment to north on large scale maps, made the adjustment for true north, and set the sundial carefully in place. After restoration the sundial is able to read solar time with very good accuracy to within ten minutes.