Field Visit

Date June 1979

Event ID 617039

Category Recording

Type Field Visit

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/617039

A knoll prominently sited on end of a blunt headland; the shore dyke runs across the top of it. Examination of exposed parts shows it to be a cairn of packed stones, approx. semicircular with its straight face formed by the eroded shore face. In the pasture field within the shore dyke the cairn, 0.9m high, has a very definite, steep edge with many stones showing, possibly a revetment although the steepness may be accentuated by

old ploughing. Maximum diameter of cairn (measured in straight line along shore face) is 26m. Outside the dyke, just above the shore, at about the central point of the straight of the semicircle, a length of passage is exposed running at right angles to the shore i.e. radially to the centre of the mound.

The passage is 970mm wide and the walls stand 0.4m high above debris in the passage. Direction of the passage is NW-SE and its visible length 1.6m, constructed with well-masoned drystone walls using quarried stone. Undoubtly a chambered cairn, probably of Maeshowe type.

Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) Jun 79.