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Muckle Skerry

Chambered Cairn(S) (Neolithic)

Site Name Muckle Skerry

Classification Chambered Cairn(S) (Neolithic)

Alternative Name(s) Pentland Skerries; Pentland Firth

Canmore ID 9512

Site Number ND47NE 8

NGR ND 4615 7835

NGR Description ND 4615 7835 and ND 4617 7837

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/9512

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Orkney Islands
  • Parish South Ronaldsay
  • Former Region Orkney Islands Area
  • Former District Orkney
  • Former County Orkney

Archaeology Notes

ND47NE 8 4615 7835 and 4617 7837.

Stone foundations and traces of kitchen midden immediately N of the central pool to the W of the lighthouse on Muckle Skerry (information from A Black, lighthouse keeper).

RCAHMS 1946

Black is undoubtedly referring to two adjacent structures ('A' and 'B'), at ND 4615 7835 and ND 4617 7837 respectively.

'A', possible an Orkney-Cromarty stalled cairn, consists of a peat-covered stony mound about 15.0m NE-SW by 10.5m NW-SE and 0.8m high with several thin slabs on edge protruding through the top, the highest 0.7m.

'B', five metres to the NE and similar to 'A' but considerably eroded. There are so many fallen slabs within this cairn that it is difficult to tell which of the protruding stones are in situ.

No midden material visible in either cairn.

Surveyed at 1/10,000.

Visited by OS (ISS) 8 May 1973

Orkney-Cromarty stalled type chambered cairn.

J L Davidson and A Henshall 1989

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