Sanday, Newark
Township (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Sanday, Newark
Classification Township (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 182246
Site Number HY74SW 36
NGR HY 723 424
NGR Description Centred HY 723 424
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/182246
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Lady
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
HY74SW 36 centred 723 424
A township comprising one unroofed building, fifteen roofed buildings and twelve enclosures is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Orkney and Shetland (Orkney) 1882, sheet lxxxii).
Three roofed buildings and one enclosure are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1974).
Information from RCAHMS (SAH), 8 December 2000.
Field Visit (1999)
A large 'farm mound' which is located immediately by the coast edge, has been eroded in places by the sea to reveal substantial structural remains. The mound measures some 50m in diameter and stands up to 3m high. Archaeological deposits are visible in the erosion face for over 120m, but the most substantial deposits are contained within a 15m long section to the south of the area. Here, fragments of coursed drystone walling stand up to 0.75m or 8 courses high; two stone-lined drains are also present. The walling runs parallel to the section face and appears to represent part of a rectangular structure which was built on sloping ground, to one side of a midden heap. The soils which lie below the base of the wall are highly organic and contain inclusions of shell, bone, peatash and charcoal. Traces of later buildings are suggested by further concentrations of slabs and blocks to the south. Overall, the visible remains indicate that the site was occupied over a long period of time; the exposed structural remains may be of Viking/Norse date.
Coastal Zone Assessment Survey, 1999.
