Sundial to rear of Glynllifon House

Cadw's description

Location

Situated at the base of the wooded hillside immediately to the rear of the conservatory at the north-east corner of Glynllifon house. Reached from the high level path that runs along the back of the house.

History

C19 sundial possibly contemporary with the rebuilding of the house. It is allied to a stone plaque attached to the outside of the house giving guidance on how to interpret the sundial readings. The sundial has long since ceased to function as its surroundings have become overgrown. Its original context would have been at the centre of a broad walk running north-south.

Glynllifon was the seat of the Wynn family and Sir Thomas John Wynn became the 1st Lord Newborough in 1776. The house was rebuilt after a fire 1836-48 by Edward Haycock, architect of Shrewsbury.

Exterior

Huge sundial made out of cast-iron. The 'gnomon' is carried on a 4m high Ionic column similar to those carrying the pentice within the kitchen courtyard and it rises diagonally from the ground high up in a northerly direction, approximately 7m in length. Towards the base is a circular timber dial faced in tinplate on which the degrees were marked - these are now faded. There was presumably also an area of ground laid out from which to take readings but again this has become overgrown.

Integral to the interpretation of this sundial is a stone plaque fixed to the back wall of the house, by the conservatory, and inscribed:
'Correction - To find Greenwich Mean Time add to the hours and minutes indicated by the sun-dial the number of minutes corresponding to the day of the month below for longitude 4 .18. west' This is followed by a table of figures.

Reason for designation

Listed as an extraordinary example of a C19 sundial which contributes to the fine historic character of Glynllifon.