History of Garden Sundials

Sundials are an ancient method of telling time. Probably the oldest sundial was ancient man noticing that his shadow lengthened and shortened during the day. Indeed any structure that marks the passage of the sun throughout the day can be considered a sundial.

Structures such as Stonehenge in Wiltshire and New Grange in Ireland, although several thousand years old, are not true sundials in the modern sense, as they use the sun to mark the season rather than the hour.

The oldest known true sundial was constructed in Egypt around 1500 BC It was shaped like an L, and the length of the shadow cast by the vertical leg along the horizontal leg indicated the time. Romans perfected the horizontal sundial we know today, and even invented portable versions for travelling.

Not only did the Romans perfect sundials, but they were also among the first to use them in gardens. Roman gardens were private spaces, most often set behind houses and enclosed on all sides by colonnades and rooms. In the midst of this ordered scene was the sundial - set on a stone pedestal to catch the shadow of the Sun God Sol as he drove his chariot across the sky.

In earlier days one only had to look up to tell the time, for vertical sundials were mounted on the outside walls of many churches and public buildings. Indeed, despite the introduction of clocks in the 18th century, the French railways were regulated by sundials until the beginning of the 20th century.

In gardens, sundials have never gone out of fashion. We can carry on an age-old tradition simply by placing a sundial in a sunny spot. Set on a stone plinth, a sundial can create a centre for your garden and trace the hours you spend weeding.

If you would like to discuss a sundial project with me - Capel Tenison, you can contact me at

Border Sundials
Trewern, Llanddewi Skirrid, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP7 8AW United Kingdom
Telephone +44 (0)1873 737 545

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