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Sanday, Colli Ness
Broch (Iron Age)(Possible), Burial Ground (Early Medieval)(Possible), Chapel (Early Medieval), Cup And Ring Marked Stone (Prehistoric)
Site Name Sanday, Colli Ness
Classification Broch (Iron Age)(Possible), Burial Ground (Early Medieval)(Possible), Chapel (Early Medieval), Cup And Ring Marked Stone (Prehistoric)
Canmore ID 3513
Site Number HY64SE 21
NGR HY 6850 4212
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/3513
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Lady
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
Colli Ness, Sanday, cross-slab
Measurements:
Stone type:
Place of discovery: HY 6850 4212
Present location: lost.
Evidence for discovery: it was found in 1828 re-used in a grave near the site of the Colli Ness chapel.
Present condition:
Description
This slab is said to have been incised on one broad face with ‘a cross Calvary’, a cross on a stepped base.
Date: early medieval or later.
References: NMS SAS MS 551, 98; RCAHMS 1946, no 458; Scott & Ritchie 2014, no 19.
Compiled by A Ritchie 2017
HY64SE 21 6850 4212
See also HY64SE 28.
A site probably consisting of a broch overlain by a chapel was destroyed by military use shortly before 1928, on the point of Colli Ness (HY 6842), about 1/2 mile NW of Colligarth. It was described by Dr Wood as a large artificial mound, partly robbed, in which an iron spearhead, 7" long rounded and pointed at one end and flattened at the other,was found. (?HY64SE 28)
A chapel, built at the SE corner of the mound, measured 12' long and little more than 8' broad. A stone 2' long, 10" thick and 10" broad was found in the chapel. One side of the stone was covered with small circular holes about 1" deep. They were not arranged in order but were inter-connected by grooves.
A cist cemetery lay near the west end of the chapel. The cists lay about 2' below the surface. They were close together in rows forming the divisions between the graves. Many of the skeletons were pretty entire; they were lying with their heads to the west. All were on their right sides with their legs a good deal bent. One of the skulls had a long wound in the upper part of it. A gold ring, rather larger than a finger ring, was found in one of the graves, but the boy who found it, broke it, to ascertain is composition. On the flag which formed the south or right side of one of these graves there was a very rude attempt at carving a cross Calvary. The upright portion was 13 inches long; the cross beam, 9 inches. (Information in letter from Dr Wood to OS)
New Statistical Account (NSA) 1845; RCAHMS 1946.
The site of this chapel falls on a natural hillock at HY 6850 4212. The summit is now occupied by a rectangular enclosure with traces of modern buildings within it, which are known locally to have once been used by the military. There are indications that these buildings have destroyed an earlier structure, and decayed bones and burnt stones can be seen in the area. There is disturbed gound immediately to the SE of the enclosure. The tradition of a chapel and the discovery of the graves is recalled locally, but there is now no trace of them, or of a broch.
Visited by OS (AA) 13 July 1970.
A gold ring, found in one of the graves, was mentioned in The Orcadian newspaper on January 10th 1863.
Field Visit (June 1979)
On E side a large embrasure is formed in the enclosure bank, suggesting that military occupation was by a battery, but not clear whether enclosure bank is substantially prehistoric or a modern military work.
Site of chapel OR 110 and Burials 111.
Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) Jun 79.
Note (1980)
Colli Ness, Sanday HY 6850 4212 HY64SE 21
A prominent mound, probably site of broch or similar structure, later occupied by a chapel. The New Statistical Account describes a probable cup-and-ring-marked stone, rows of oriented flagstone-lined graves, and a cross-slab which may have formed part of a slab-shrine. Much structural material remains, although the site is confused by reuse as a battery in the nineteenth century.
RCAHMS 1980
(NSA, xv, Orkney, 142; RCAHMS 1946, ii, pp. 170-1, No. 458; OR 109-11)
Field Visit (1999)
A prominent natural rise located at the neck of a promontory is further enlarged by an artificial mound. The site has been recorded as a chapel, burial ground and possible broch. Archaeological remains are known to have been disturbed in this area by military activity, prior to 1928. Records mention the discovery of a possible cup and ring marked stone, a possible cross slab fragment, a chapel and probable early christian cemetery and beneath it, the remains of a probable broch. The only structure now visible is a military building of 20th C date, which serves as an occasional store and cattle shelter. This building measures 8m by 3m, has a concrete roof and a doorway at either end. Interestingly, while the majority of the structure is built from mortared beach stone, several blocks of hand-dressed red sandstone have been incorporated into the walls near the doorways. These may derive from the church which previously stood on this site. This building has been built over part of an earlier enclosure wall, which extends around the summit of the mound. Enclosing an area of 25m by 18m, this drystone wall incorporates dressed stone blocks which may also derive from the chapel. In places, the wall runs slightly irregularly and is thicker; this may be because it has accommodated and incorporated pre-existing structures. At the northwest side of the mound, the collapse of part of the enclosure wall has revealed early structural remains beneath it. Below the present ground level is exposed what looks like part of a cell constructed within a thick wall. The exposed portion of this 'cell' measures 3m in length and 1.25m wide; the batter of the walls suggest that it had a corbelled roof. The best provisional interpretation of this feature is that it represents an intra-mural cell within a broch wall. If this is the case, it is possible that a great deal more archaeological remains are present that was previously though to be the case. Ref.: NSA (1845), Vol 15, Orkney, 140, 142; RCAHMS (1946), #473; RCAHMS (1980), #173.
Moore & Wilson 1999.
Coastal Zone Assessment Survey, 1999
Publication Account (2002)
HY64 1 COLLI NESS
HY/685421
Site of a possible broch in Lady on Sanday, destroyed by military use shortly before 1928 [1]. There was a large artificial mound on the spot from which an iron spearhead was obtained and where there was also a chapel, apparently on top of an older building.
Sources: 1. OS card HY 64 SE 21: 2. RCAHMS 1946, 2, 172, no. 473.
E W MacKie 2002
Orkney Smr Note
A large artificial mound probably containing the biggest burgh in the parish. Much quarried for its large stones; c. 1840 an iron spearhead found. [R1]
Recent military use has destroyed traces of earlier structures. [R2, R3]
Mound may well be artificial, 1.5m high. Sub-rectangular enclosure created or substantially occupied by military occupation, which is represented by two stone hut-bases and one stone building. Immediately N of standing building is a pair of inward-facing wall-faces in the enclosure bank, suggestive of a broch-type galleried structure.
Petrie manuscript SAS 551, in RMS.
Orkney Smr Note
Chapel built in ruins of Colliness Burgh (OR 109). It is in
SE corner of ruins, 12ft x 8ft wide. A stone 2ft long, 10in in
thickness, and as many in breadth, was found in this chapel. One
side of this stone was covered with small circular holes, about
1in in depth, and straight lines were cut from one hole to
another; the holes were not arranged in any regular order.
[R1]
Recent military use has destroyed traces of earlier
structures. [R2
Nothing visible now that can be associated with the chapel.
Information from Orkney SMR (RGL) Jun 79.
See OR 109 (the prehistoric structure beneath) and OR 111
(burial ground and cross-slab apparently associated).
Information from Orkney SMR [n.d.]
Orkney Smr Note
At a very short distance from the W end of the chapel (OR
110) flagstone-lined graves were discovered, close together in
rows, lying with heads to the W on their right sides with knees
bent. Gold ring found and soon afterwards broken. Slab with
rude Cross of Calvary formed one of the grave-sides. The cross
upright was 13in long, the beam 9in. [R1]
Probably associates with the chapel OR 110 which is on site
of prehistoric structure OR 109.
Information from Orkney SMR [n.d.]
