Dounby, Loch Of Sabiston
Site (Iron Age)
Site Name Dounby, Loch Of Sabiston
Classification Site (Iron Age)
Canmore ID 1841
Site Number HY22SE 10
NGR HY 2937 2199
NGR Description HY 2937 2199 and HY 2934 2196
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/1841
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Birsay And Harray
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
HY22SE 10 2937 2199.
(HY 2937 2199) There are traces of a bean-shaped structure, divided into three compartments, on the larger or outer island at the SW end of the Loch of Sabiston.
The remains, now merely grass-grown foundations, are impossible to classify. They are 54 ft in length, north to south.
A causeway, 18 ft wide and 35 to 40 yds long, joins this island to the smaller, inner island (HY 2934 2196) which, in turn, seems to have been joined to the mainland by a continuation of the causeway, 20 yds long, which now exists only as an irregular line of stepping-stones.
RCAHMS 1946.
The turf-covered footings of a bean-shaped structure, as described by the Commission. Because of the lowering of the water-level the two islands are now part of the mainland: the causeway is now merely a scatter of heavy stones protruding through the turf. The line of stepping stones between the 'inner island' and the old shore-line now survives about 0.3 m. above the present level of the loch.
On what was the shoreward side of the 'inner island' (the south-west side) there is an arc of heavy stone wall- ing, 6.0 m. long and one course high, apparently the remains of a breastwork.
Visited by OS (NKB) 18 May 1967.
