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Shapinsay, 'hillock Of Howe'
Broch (Iron Age)(Possible)
Site Name Shapinsay, 'hillock Of Howe'
Classification Broch (Iron Age)(Possible)
Alternative Name(s) Howe Hill
Canmore ID 3097
Site Number HY51NW 5
NGR HY 5117 1599
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/3097
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Shapinsay
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
HY51NW 5 5117 1599.
(HY 5117 1599) Howe Hill (NR)
OS 6"map, Orkney, 2nd ed.,(1900).
"Hillock of Howe", a knoll 11ft 6ins high covering an area of some 50yds by 40 yds. It is said that it was dug into from the top a number of years ago and found to contain a structure of some sort. The excavation was filled in afterwards. It is the supposed site of a "Pict's House or Fort". (Name Book 1880).
RCAHMS 1946, visited 1928
An amorphous turf-covered mound still known as 'Howe Hill', rising to a maximum height of c2.5m towards its NW end. There are traces of walling around its NW and S sides, but this may be comparatively recent.
The mound has been opened within living memory at its highest point and accounts of curving dry stone passages and the appearance of the mound strongly suggest it was a broch.
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS(AA) 3 October 1972
This large knoll on the farm occupies an area of at least 0.25ha, most of which is reserved as rough grass amid arable. The mound is shapeless, displaying no exposed masonry that is certainly ancient, and reaches a maximum height of 2.5m at its NW end; it should perhaps be more properly classified as an unenclosed settlement. It seems to have been dug into before 1880 and perhaps at some more recent time. The OS records an oral report of curving drystone passages having been discovered.
Name Book 1880; RCAHMS 1946; 1987, visited November 1984
Orkney Smr Note (November 1984)
A shapeless mound as described, with no visible masonry
which appears to be ancient. It is crossed by a field dyke and
is a reserved area of rough amid arable. Contours suggest that
site is more extensive than the RCAMS measurements suggest.
Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) Nov 84.
Publication Account (2002)
HY51 1 HOWE HILL ('Hillock of Howe')
HY/512160
Possible broch on Shapinsay, a turf-covered shapeless knoll 3.5 m (11 ft. 6 in.) high which has been dug into in the past and which is said to contain a structure of some sort, including passages [2].
Sources: 1. OS card HY 51 NW 5: 2. RCAHMS 1946, 2, no. 780, 276: 3. Lamb 1987, 11.
E W MacKie 2002
