Points of a weathervane from St Ninian's Church, North Leith

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These cardinal points of a weather vane are from St Ninian's Church in North Leith. Weathervanes were sometimes used for target practice, and a musket shot may be responsible for the broken arrow point in this example.

Made from copper sheet, the vane would have originally been gilded.

Weathervanes showed the direction of the wind, the main key in predicting the weather. The meaning of the word weather may originally have been closer to wind than climate.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-048-096-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  H.1993.1.1-2
• Date: 17th century
  
• Material: Copper alloy
  Weather vane
  
• Dimensions: 650 mm H x 790 mm W (cock); 770 mm x 770 mm (radial points)
  
• What: Weather vane
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh, Leith
  
• Event:
• Description: Weather vane of copper from St Ninians Church, Leith
  
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