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Coming from South Ronaldsay after the 4th Churchill Barrier where the A961 turns sharp left to Burray village instead take a right turn onto the Ness road, signposted for the cemetery. Upon reaching Leith the cemetery road goes down directly by Leith's east side. I had thought to look for any remains that might have survived from the earlier church, but as I passed along to the shore it became obvious that before the Viking estate a broch had stood here. No reference exists to one here, but my fellow Brochaholic Dave said he always thought there should be many more in these South Isles than hitherto suspected. Perhaps this is because despite the monumentality of the mound/s there is a distinct lack of stonework (hopefully because still covered over), though when you think many stones must have been removed before kirk was built the landowners have kept it rather well preserved. It has elements reminding me of three other chapel brochs; the old Holm parish church and Warebeth in Stromness and Overbrough in Harray. The roofless church sits on top of the broch tower mound and the majority of the outer settlement looks to be between it and the nearby burn [to my eyes that is]. For the most part the broch surrounds the kirkyard on the north and west over to the path to the shore. The 17thC church appears to be towards the edge of the tower, either because the old kirkyard has gone or because an early chapel was attached to a Norse hall. It sits in ground above the rest of the kirkyard as there is a two foot deep rectangular cut through the mound. The old wall at the east end looks deeper and a little different in character also.
And the church is worth a visit for itself !
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The NMRS record for the site describes the present roofless kirk, which was built in 1621 at about the same time as the nearby Bow of Burray was rebuilt. St. Lawrence was patron saint of both Burray and South Ronaldsay, ecclesiastically the two were governed from Burray. According to the chairman of the Bu Sands planning commitee the original church was on the site of a Viking estate. The South Isles coastal survey had to miss out this area, though the principal broch profiles are readily observable without entering the field behind the kirk - my friend David Lynn, a broch expert, having seen some of my images agrees with my assessment (full confirmation pending some future visit alongside known suspects Kyelittle and Hillock of Fea).
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Taking the road to Deerness, after the St.Andrew's School junction you come to the Stembister junction in the Upper Sanday district. This road you then follow all the way to the Stembister millstream. Once over this you should find a place to park your vehicle before going on to the farm. Be careful not to disturb the ducks and geese as you pass through farmyard. The stone is on the northern end of the wifey's drying green a short distance in front of the house.
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RCAHMS NMRS record no. HY50SW 6 is a N-S aligned stone standing 6'2" high and varying in width from 14½-28". In about 1965 the stone was moved from a rapidly eroding clifftop a few metres inland to its present position (the small packing stones were removed between 1929 and 1964, presumably whilst moving the stone).
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This can easily be seen on the northern half of the Loch of Swannay side of Costa Hill when coming up from Evie, a mound with two layers of vegetation. However even when you know where it is it is a far harder spot from the road below, as the photo shows. My theory to explain this is that the barrow has a ditch and a [?low] bank, and that these survive best above and below as a person coming up or down a hill would avoid such big bumps along the way. Unfortunately being on my way to Birsay I did not go up and investigate. The hardy may choose to climb the wearyall to the viewpoint on top of the hill, where amongst the WWII radio station remains you can see for vast distances across Mainland and over to several of the other Orkney Isles.
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RCAHMS NMRS record no. is a 16.7 by 15.2m heather-grown bowl barrow on uncultivated land. An excellent spot by Jane Downes.
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Accordiang to "Grampian Battlefields" some believe that it is this which is the actual Craibstane rather than the massive square boulder near the junction of Harfgate and Bon Accord Terrace (the crest of Clay Hill). In which case it was probably a march stone for Rubislaw.
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In 1985 Orkney's county archaeologist Raymond Lamb compared Wasdale to the pre/proto-broch gatehouse forts of Clickhimin and Huxter (Whalsay) in Shetland because the 'apron' where causeway meets islet resembles their 'landing stages'
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According to "Grampian Battlefields" the Liggar's Stone before removal to Mains of Inveramsay as a gatepost stood near Harlaw House, which would place it in mediaeval Harlaw - an unlikely place for a stone circle.
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"the stone circle of Randra... formed of a lot of upright slabs of stone with the altar placed in the centre, the ground all round mixed with vitrified cramps locally called smithow cramps" 1903
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This time young kie present so kept out to avoid the curious creatures trampling the evidence as they followed (as is their wont)
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Traditionally Stanerandy was Earl Randolph's Stones, though the modern reading is 'stony ridge'/'ridge of stones'. The etymology of gervie is unknown but could be from either i) ge(y)r, an odd bit of land, angular and often left uncultivated, or ii) gør 'giantess/witch/trow'. Interestingly, these can be combined by the Northern Isles folklore that the 'White Folk' (Madruis or Queeda Folk) had enclosures surrounded by a dyke of earth or stones where there was often in one corner a rough affair, the White Chammer [i.e. chamber] where they lived. Certainly there are too many cut-off triangles of land in Orkney for coincidence.
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In 1996 "Countrywoman" wrote of a rumour that in a museum somewhere there is a gold ornament from either Howe-Harper or a hollowed mound nearby.
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A report in "The Orcadian" March 26th 1992 mentions a preliminary survey had been done of this and the surrounding area by a volunteer group (including the recenty deceased Anne Brundle). Thanks are due to Tommy Russell of Boardhouse farm for leaving the possible henge-type circle intact. In another Orcadian article "Countrywoman" informs us that the 'moat' and 'ramparts' are best seen when the land is cultivated whilst under a covering of snow.
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RCAHMS NMRS record no. HY31SW 34 is an area of disturbed ground 16x10 metres where there was once a large stone structure of unknown type. Roughly dressed stones are occasionally ploughed up on a slight rise and there are two such stones which are earthfast - I know of at least two other places where there are such stones directly outside of a building, and at least with one of those they must predate the structure.
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Neolithic painting on stones near tomb, with photo example
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site open until Halloween, fiver charged. Follow signs for Banks of Orkney and Skerries Bistro
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Unofficial 1969-70 account of University of York Newark excavation, mostly Norse and mediaeval. Now including photos and ground-plans of chamber and chapel, further notes in preparation.
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Unemployed and so plenty of spare time for researching contributors' questions and queries and for making corrections. Antiquarian and naturalist. Mode of transport shanks's pony. Talent unnecessary endurance. I love brochs.
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