Ravie Hill
Barrow(S) (Prehistoric), Cist(S) (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Ravie Hill
Classification Barrow(S) (Prehistoric), Cist(S) (Period Unassigned)
Canmore ID 1792
Site Number HY22NE 8
NGR HY 2676 2508
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/1792
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Birsay And Harray
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
HY22NE 8 2676 2508.
(HY 2667 2512) Tumulus (NR)
(HY 268 250) Tumuli (NR) Stone Cist found AD 1869
A group of seven earthen mounds, all but one of which show signs of excavation, possibly by Farrer in 1867 (RCAHMS 1946) or 1869 (Name Book 1880). He found a cist with burnt bones in th centre of each mound of a group 'near the Free Church in Birsay' (HY 2680 2440) and noted that the peat was of the same depth on the mounds as on the surrounding ground. The mounds vary in diameter from 20 to 49ft and in height from 1 to
4 1/2ft. A short cist is exposed in the centre of mound 'C' (HY 2673 2511) and stones, possibly of cists, can be seen in mounds 'E' (HY 2679 2505) and 'F' (HY 2677 2505).
RCAHMS 1946; Name Book 1880.
A group of eight barrows, including the seven as described by the Commission, and another ('H', at HY 2677 2507) 3.5m in diameter and 0.3m high.
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS(NKB) 28 May 1967.
Field Visit (28 May 1967)
A group of eight barrows, including the seven as described by the Commission, and another ('H', at HY 2677 2507) 3.5m in diameter and 0.3m high.
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS(NKB) 28 May 1967.
Field Visit (16 September 1993)
This cemetery was excavated (by the Ritchies) although it is not clear which of the mounds was investigated. There were originally eight mounds in this group, three of which may have been levelled.
Ravie Hill 1: HY 26800 25000. Measures 9.85m by 9.2m. Height 0.6m.
Ravie Hill 2: Not recorded.
Ravie Hill 3: HY 26730 25110. Measures 12.0m by 11.2m. Height 0.65m.
Ravie Hill 4: HY 26800 25000. Measures 11.2m by 11.8m. Height 0.8m.
Ravie Hill 5: HY 26790 25050. Measures 9.0m diameter. Height 0.35m.
Ravie Hill 6: HY 26770 25050. Measures 9.0m by 10.0m. Height 0.6m.
Ravie Hill 7: HY 26800 25000. Levelled.
Ravie Hill 8: HY 26770 25070. Levelled.
The mounds are all visible on the horizon for 300m to the S and from the loch 250m to E. Number 6 is prominent to the N for 300m and shows on the skyline.
Information from the Orkney Barrows Project (JD), 1993
Orkney Smr Note
Group of 5 tumuli about 7 chains NE of Newbigging and about
20 chains SE of Castlehill. The excavation was made by Mr Farmer
MP in 1869 when a stone cist was found in the largest, nothing
else of interest was found. On the left side of the road 8 and 13
chains N of Newbigging there are another two and about 4 chains W
of Kirkbigging there is another. [R1]
Mounds, Ravie Hill, near Newbigging - A group of seven
earthen mounds, all but one of which show signs of excavation,
possibly by Farrer in 1867 or 1869. He found a cist with burnt
bones in the centre of each mound of a group 'near the Free Church
in Birsay' (HY2680 2440) and noted that the peat was of the same
depth on the mounds as on the surrounding ground.
Mounds vary in diameter from 20 - 49ft and height from 1 -
4.5ft. A short cist is exposed in centre of mound 'C' and stones,
possibly of cists can be seen in mounds E and F. [R2]
Information from Orkney SMR [n.d.]
