Hill Of Dale

Heel-shaped Cairn, Hill of Dale. This monument stands about 700 ft. above sea level on the summit of the ridge, known as the Hill of Dale, which overlooks the head of Dales Voe from the W. When it was first inspected, all that was to be seen of it were two stones protruding through a thick growth of peat. Their position and the angles at which they were respectively set, however, indicated that they were the uprights usually found at the outer extremities of the curved frontal façade of cairns of the" heel-shaped" type (Fig. 628 [SC 1224155]). A simple excavation established the correctness of the hypothesis, and brought to light the greater part of the original outline.

The cairn, which measures 33 ft. 6 in. across the concave facade by 23 ft. 6 in. transversely, has been carefully constructed. The margin has been clearly defined by a well-built wall face, and at the extremities of the facade, which looks towards the E., are two upright pillar stones, measuring respectively 3 ft. 6 in. high, 2 ft. 8 in. wide and 8 in. thick, and 2 ft. 3 in. high, 1 ft. 8 in. wide and 9 in. thick. There is no entrance through the facade such as occurs at Punds Water (HU37SW 1), and the absence of this suggests that the interior may not be chambered, but may contain, or may have contained, cists, as did the cairns on Muckle Heog, in Unst (HP61SW 2). A partial examination of the body of the monument has recently been made but no structural features could be distinguished. An unfinished object of steatite, however, apparently from the Hillswick beds, was recovered. The relic, which has been much tooled, is now in the National Museum; it is 6 in. long by 2 ½ in., where it is widest, by 1 ¾ in. where it is thickest.

RCAHMS 1946, visited 18 August 1931 and 29 June 1934.

OS 6-inch map (unnoted)

The heel-shaped cairn at Hill of Dale was surveyed by RCAHMS c.1934. The plan was redrawn in ink and published at a reduced scale (RCAHMS 1946 Fig. 467).