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Field Visit
Date August 1979
Event ID 884549
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/884549
A very large and rich site being seriously and rapidly damaged by sea erosion. Buildings and middens are interspersed for whole of 60m length of exposure. Walls and floors of various stone buildings are founded at substantially varying levels. At about mid point of the exposure, what appears to be an underground passage or souterrain, partly blocked, is in section, in the cliff, low down on the bedrock. The deposit is about 2m thick. On the surface, the site shows as a mound corresponding in length to the exposure, and at least 30m wide measured back from the edge. There is copious evidence of recent major falls of material; 3 sherds were picked out of the fallen midden material. The soft cliff is only 6m back from MHWOST and there is only an evenly-shleving wave-cut platform offering no protection in NW gales. Mr Skea remembers the land extending much further seaward as a ness, and is losing more land year by year. This is a strong local tradition that the 'pool' or bay below the site, was an important Viking harbour.
Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) Aug 79.
