Stenness, Seaplane Base

Stenness seaplane station was established as part of the strengthening of the Navy’s force of the “Large America” type of seaplane to conduct intensive anti-submarine patrols. The large number of aeroplanes contemplated required the placing of some at Stenness, without any sheds or maintenance equipment, which were all based at Houton. Flying began in May 1918 but it was soon found that the loch was too shallow and exposed.

In the RAF survey of aerodromes of summer/autumn 1918 the station comprised a slipway with light railway, a motor transport shed, a petrol store, offices and a power house. The establishment of the station was 198 officers and men. The officers were accommodated in the Standing Stones Hotel while the other ranks were accommodated in huts. The seaplane station covered an area of 4.8 hectares. It was planned that 18 seaplanes be based at Stenness, but it is unlikely that this number was reached before flying was suspended. The Hotel remained in military use even once flying moved to Houton.

Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 31 May 2013

HY31SW 71 centred 3020 1172

Two seaplane bases were built in Orkney, one in Stenness, the other in Orphir (HY30SW 42) during the First World War. The Stenness base was established on the S shore of the Stenness Loch beside the farm of Nether Bigging (HY 3003 1184). Three flights of flying boats were operated from here and the staff of 200 were billeted partly in a hutted camp (HY 3015 1170) and partly in the Standing Stones Hotel (HY 3020 1172). The hotel became the Headquarters of the Royal Naval Air Service serving Scapa Flow. However, the Stenness Loch proved too shallow and too exposed for a seaplane base and eventually the more sheltered base at Houton in Orphir (HY30SW 42) on the edge of Scapa Flow was favoured.

After the seaplane base was moved to Houton, the Standing Stones Hotel in Stenness, though now inconveniently placed, was retained as the Headquarters of the Naval Air Service.

R G Lamb 1991.

Nothing could be seen at this location on the date of visit, between the hotel (HY31SW 107) and Nether Bigging farmsteading.

Visited by RCAHMS (DE, GS), August 1999

HY 3020 1172 Site identified as part of a desk-based assessment and walk-over survey. Nothing is visible at this site today.

Jacobs Babtie, 2005.