The Cairns, Hall of Ireland Cairn(s) View all content for The Cairns, Hall of Ireland

described in the Orkney Name Book as mostly a raised earth and stone grass-covered mound [forming the northen end and ~25'D by 3' high] at the no, the remains of a Danish fort/castle (as they thought) . It is an uneven patch of ground approx. 100x50 yards with many irregular stony mounds that a recent survey think represents a substantial structure having seaward an enclosed yard (they also found a smaller mound landward of the structure's remains). RCAHMS described it as a 3m high N/S platform some 54x30m, and parallel to the coast, whose mostly level top rises slightly to the edges. To its seaward side bone pins were found in an area on the order of 50x10m that is enclosed by a curvilinear bank. The recent survey describes the structure as an irregular mound bounded by the yard (which goes all the way to the eroding coastline). The yard's north and south sides are formed by irregular earthen banks coming from the proposed structure's NW and SW corners. At present it is proposed that this is a funerary or ritual site. In which case I think it could relate to the scant remains of a large disc barrow on the hillside above - the Howe of Tongue held a cist (https://canmore.org.uk/site/1492/hall-of-ireland)

Posted by wideford 14th March 2021ce

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