Situated just inland from the Solway on the Scottish side of the border is the village of Kirkbean.

The small parish church is currently occupied by the Church of Scotland.

Just outside the perimeter wall of the church stands an impressive sundial atop a stone plinth.

Assorted text is written on the face of the sundial. As far as we can make out the third ring of text from the centre appears to be a list of countries.

Some reports date the sundial to 1826.

According to Historic Scotland the Sundial is inscribed “Robert Palmer fecit, 1826”.

It is a slate dial  with bronze gnomon raised on fluted red ashlar column with plinth.

It was given Grade ‘C’ listing in 1986.

Little is known about the history of this sundial except that a Robert Palmer, a schoolmaster, is attributed to making sundials in Currie (1836) and Riccarton (1829). He may also be connected with a sundial at Kenmure Castle.

He was a teacher of elemental astronomy and dialling.   Possibly this sundial was one of his early works?