Hourston

A small island in the Loch of Harray, connected to the shore by a narrow causeway.

Nearest town:
Stromness (11km S)
OS reference:
HY28891957
OS sheet:
6
Latitude:
59° 3' 26.64 N
Longitude:
3° 14' 23.83 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Hourston (Crannog) by wideford

South end of crannog appears to show wall section

Image credit: wideford
wideford
wideford Jul 22, 2013
Image of Hourston (Crannog) by wideford

causeway leaving northern end of crannog

Image credit: wideford
wideford
wideford Jul 22, 2013

Articles

Hourston

wideford
wideford Jul 22, 2013

Having started at the south end of the ‘Swartland Drovers Road’ trail when just past the present sewage station I chanced to see on my left a small unnamed holm at the top of the Loch of Harray. I think this is most likely a crannog like those in the Voyatown and Swannay districts – the present NMRS designation is quite recent, probably interim. A comparison with the Loch of Wasfale in Firth, going by large-scale maps, this islet is roughly the same length but only half the width, giving as very approximate dimensions 35m by 12m but nowhere near as high. Even unaided you can see that a level mound or platform occupies the central half, with its sides gradually going down to loch level. At high zoom my camera shows at least three large stones (one erect) and a couple more at the back (perimeter wall ?). The stepping stones run NNW from at or near the mound’s edge. Following on in this direction the 1st 25” shows a circular stone arrangement offshore at at HY28881965, between the holm and the Wasum site (HY28841971). Ruling out an actual stone circle my guess would be that this had been a cairn, but it looks most rum on said map.

Miscellaneous

Hourston
Crannog
wideford
wideford Jul 22, 2013

Hourston HY21NE 93 – a narrow causeway connects islet to Loch of Harray shoreline. Where it meets the shore there is an NMRS for a probable enclosure

Sites within 20km of Hourston

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