Clovigarth

HY21SW 1 'A' 2418 1464 and 'B' 2421 1465

(HY 242 146) Clovigarth (NAT)

OS 6" map, Orkney, 2nd ed., (1903).

The modern farm-house replaced an older one further w. of which part survives as a hen house and store.

The present lay-out of the old house, named Clowigar in 1923, is not likely to be original.

The earlier building was a block measuring 72 ft. 9 ins. from N. to S. by 17 ft. 6 ins. from E to W. the 20 ft. furthest south rising to two storeys. From the W. Wall a wing projected 33 ft. W. with a width of 15 ft. The two storeyed part and the wing have been demolished. This type of house probably dates from between the end of the 16th century to the late 17th century.

The property belonged to the Irvings from the 15th to the 18th century.

J S Clouston 1923; RCAHMS 1946.

The present farm house of Clovigarth is deserted and is now used as a hay shed. Only the footings remain, at HY 2418 1464, of the earlier building described above. At HY 2421 1465 there are the remains of another two storied house with outside stairway, which Mr. J. Leonard (Information from Mr James Leonard, Langskaill, Stromness.), asserts

is the original building which belonged to the "Beaton " family some 200 years ago - probably successors of the Irvings. According to Mr. Leonard, the last of the Beaton family married a De.Scott, who resides in Edinburgh and who visits Clovigarth each summer to carry out excavations and research into the original building. He has unearthed the lower floor and the outside stairway of a building, and also discovered a fireplace built into the enclosure wall at HY 2421 1465 - "the blackened stones of which he has had removed for analysis."This building is much smaller than that at HY 2418 1464, and there can be no doubt that the larger building with the W wing is the one to which the above authorities refer.(Further information from Mr William Kirkness, South Guyron, Sandwick.)

'A' Revised at 1/2500 and 'B' Surveyed at 1/2500

Visited by OS (RB), 16 September 1964.