Hall Of Clestran
Standing Stone (Prehistoric)
Site Name Hall Of Clestran
Classification Standing Stone (Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 1514
Site Number HY20NE 4
NGR HY 2935 0739
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/1514
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Orphir
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
HY20NE 4 2936 0729 to 2935 0739.
(HY 2935 0739) Standing Stone {NR}
O.S.6"map, Orkney, 2nd ed.,(1903).
This stone, evidently from the beach, stands (August 1928) 7 ft 9 ins above ground and is 20 ins wide at the base, tapering to about 12 ins at the top, with an average thickness of about 9 ins.
There is some evidence of a packing of small stones at the base but the monolith now inclines decidedly to the east.
RCAHMS 1946.
A stone, as described above, now lying against a field wall at HY 2936 0729, removed from its original position some years ago, which was, according to Mrs Craigie(Owner), Hall of Clestrain, Orphir, nr Stromness, Orkney was positioned at HY 2935 0739.
Present position surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS(RL) 13 May 1966.
Field Visit (13 October 2018)
HY 29569 07550 – (S1) Outbuilding; HY 29655 07481 – (S2) Walled garden enclosure; HY 29714 07531 – (S3) Garden feature, raised mound; HY 29701 07503 – (S4) Garden feature, stone-lined pond; HY 29596 07516 – (S5) Ephemeral raised earthwork; HY 29648 07517 – (S6) Garden path; kerb and flag stones; HY 29651 07515 – (S7) Socket stone for post or gate; HY 29686 07537 – (S8) Garden feature; row of trees; HY 29373 07297 – (S9) Standing stone; HY 29585 07529 – (S10) Outbuilding; HY 29576 07527 – (S11) Outbuilding; HY 29601 07539 – (S12) Spread of stone (site of doocot); HY 29587 07551 – (S13) Raised sub-rectangular earthwork; HY 29697 07548 – (S14) Possible structure / kerb stones; HY 29850 07560 – (S15) Site of possible hut circle, earthwork, buried land surface; HY 29865 07659 – (S16) WWII searchlight emplacement; HY 29815 07600 – (S17) Linear single lane track / drains
A walkover survey was undertaken, 13 October 2018, with assistance from the community, for the John Rae Society, at the Hall of Clestrain (built in 1769, birthplace of artic explorer John Rae). The survey provided updates to known sites and recorded a wide range of new sites and features. These ranged from a prehistoric standing stone (S9, HY20NE 4) and possible hut circle (S15, HY20NE 128) through to wartime sites (S16), demonstrating the rich History of the Hall of Clestrain area. In total, 17 sites and features were recorded, dating mostly from the post-medieval and modern periods.
Key sites contemporary with the main house at the Hall of Clestrain were recorded, including the walled garden (S2), the site of the doocot (S12) and an earthwork area with knocking stone (S13). These sites and features have the potential to increase our knowledge of the History of the hall and farm during the time of John Rae.
Archive: Archaeology Institute, UHI (currently)
Funder: Cuminga Trust and Orkney Archaeology Society
Andy Boyar – Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology
(Source DES Volume 19)
