Hatston

A souterrain with a corbelled roof, partially intact, was found filled with peat-ash during car park and road construction. It may have had a side cell to the north. The souterrain was later blocked off and a new cell built to the north-east. A large structure was built on top, containing earth and paved floors and a hearth. Beyond the structure to the south was a stone setting and an extensive earth floor. It is not known how these preserved structures, of Iron Age date, relate to the adjacent Guardanship site of the Grainbank souterrain. Finds are deposited in Tankerness House Museum, Kirkwall.

D Haigh and B Smith 1982.

An area 5m x15m immediately to the W of the Grainbank earth-house, (OR 1555) was scrapped of topsoil during the construction of a car-park at the Hatston Industrial Estate. Archaeological deposits were uncovered immediately adjacent to the Grainbank earth house. An earth-house of at least two phases was found lying 6m west of the Grainbank structure. Another Iron Age building overlay the earth-house and fragmentary remains of the other structures survived to the N and S.

Based upon Petrie's recording that Farrer had in 1857 found he investigated Grainbank ' remains of walls running in various directions.....' etc, the writers believed they had found another part of 'what appears to have been quite an extensive Iron Age settlement', the relationship of which to the Grainbank earth-house was unclear and propose that a full investigation be launched should the site ever become threatened.

Full description of excavation and details with drawings and plans in OR detailed records.

Finds in Tankerness House Museum.

Information from Orkney SMR [n.d.]