Leeds Castle, Maidstone

This sundial was in front of the main building, in a bay half way along the west curtain wall of the Inner Bailey. It is currently (2008) in store, having been replaced by a copy, mounted on the same pedestal (see SRN 8200). It is structurally sound but has been treated with some kind of lacquer which has deteriorated the the extent that it is hard to read the detail. Proper cleaning would probably restore it to excellent condition. It has a 16-point compass, an Equation of Time scale, and shows hours in Roman numerals from 4am to 8pm in intervals down to 2 min. The numerals are viewed from outside the chapter ring and use the form XII and IIII. There is a split noon line and inward pointing fleurs de lys half hour markers in the chapter ring. The wonderful gnomon has a four scallop underedge of curious design and two long quarter round gnomon supporters. It shows the time of noon at Belvoir, the Fairfax seat in Virginia, and at 16 other places from Mexico to Siam via Aleppo and Babylon. There is said to have been a companion dial at Belvoir, showing the time at Leeds Castle, but this has not been found. The dial was made in London to Hogben’s specification in 1749, possibly in the workshops of Thomas Wright.