At the lower end of the Loch of Skaill take the B9055, the road on which you see a phonebox against a house. The site is at the far roadside corner of the field past this. A modest and assuming earthen barrow. Once upon a time a cist was found here. In 1946 it was no longer, but RCAHMS reported a tradition of a chambered structure. In 1967 it was believed this roughly circular mound could well be it. If so it looks as if several stones from the chamber/s have been re-used as there are several over half a metre in the drystane wall alongside that are very out-of-place.
The mound is about 15m across and 1.2m high. RCAHMS also describe it as flat-topped, but this is a relative term. Like most earthen mounds it has a bland covering of grass. Alas I did not walk upon it as a tall 'Orkney gate' stood in my way. Not photogenic in itself, it commands a broad panoramic view of the Sandwick countryside about as you can tell even from the roadside.
This 'dominion' includes several lochs and many sites of various Ages, including well-known tumuli and tombs. It must surely have been a site of some importance due to these vistas, only the hills above the Loch of Skaill (Kier Fiold and Sand Fiold) overlooking blocking the view somewhat - though you can still see Skaill House and everything to its left from here .
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Posted by wideford
29th September 2004ce
Edited 29th September 2004ce
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