view from Clouston road above Kirkwall-Stromness road, ‘satellite’ to left is Skae Frue
Images
top section of site outlined, west bank and mound
summer view from downhill
‘henge’ viewed from uphill at right
centre
Articles
Visited 6.6.12
The top of the Henge is just visible from the road.
We parked in a passing place and I hopped over the locked metal field gate and walked straight up the track to the top of the hill – 5 minute walk.
The Henge was a lot better preserved than I was expecting and I walked right around the circumference of the ditch, which is still fairly deep.
No coach loads of visitors here!
The Ring of Bookan is easily missed, or at least I found it so when I visited the site in late July 2009, though I will blame the long grass of course. It’s an important though probably over passed site unless one knows it’s there (minus the long grass).
The Bookan henge lacks two features common to Brodgar and Stenness – an entrance causeway and outer bank. These, however, could easily have fallen victim to ploughing and farming over the centuries.
Within the ditch are a number of stones and a rough mound. It has been suggested that this is the remains of a cairn, but this remains speculation
Latter info source: Orkneyjar/Ring of Bookan.
My videos & photosgraphs at:
Leaving the Ring of Brodgar the next feature is the Dyke of Sean, the old Stenness-Sandwick boundary down to the loch – on the other side of the accompanying burn the Wasbister disc barrow sits in the far corner of a usually rather damp field. Looking up to the north look for the big green mound on the skyline in the uphill field. This is the Bookan tomb. Take note of the field as this isn’t seen when you approach the fieldgate. Follow the field edge up to the tomb and just beyond take the track right that goes by the west side of the quarry with the various [?lesser] Bookan cairns along its sides. Leaving these looking northward and slightly downhill you see the Skae Frue mound. Above this is the field containing the Ring of Bookan. You reach the gate before coming to Skae Frue. Follow the track that passes east through two erect stones and in a few minutes the ring appears to your left. The easiest way into the surrounding ditch is on the right where this meets the field edge and then on the east side is the lower side of the mound. From on top you have a complete view of all the hills comprising the ‘rim’ of the ‘bowl’ within which the “Great Sacred Monuments” sit. More properly from any high point on the ‘rim’ the Ring of Bookan is visible, even when the monuments aren’t. Ante- or post-quem, eh !
The beggars have boxed it in, trying the old direct route but instead had to do a circular one through three fieldgates before entering by one almost opposite Skae Frue. Alas, though the Comet Stone points to it the Warbuster hill hides the valley below even if you took away the Bookan cairns from around the old quarry. No, it is Bookan tomb that dominates the view of the monuments below. On the other hand you can see why they built here – from on top you can see an unobscured 360deg panorama of the hills.
Rimmed platform cairn with central mound. And these can have one or more kerbs, perhaps explaining the reported stones conspicuous by their present absence.
Sadly, not much to see here, except a bit of a rise in the ground. We attempted an approach, but a herd of very excited cows, with calves and the most enormous bull prevented us even entering the field. This herd meant serious business.
FEBRUARY 24TH
Second time I reached the Ring of Bookan. Knowing now where it was as I went up the hill past where Bookan tomb lay to the top there was its outline to my left, a long low mound with a cleft in the middle in which a rectangular stone is prominent. The first time I saw it was as an unimpressive but still high mound, two fields away from the road and with a big hollow interior in which I saw a large standing stone and some less distinct stuff besides. This time it was clear that it is in the first field and there is no central empty space.
Walking towards it I was pleasantly surprised by the size and excellent condition of the surrounding ditch, which put me in mind of Maes Howe (though later this ditch called to mind Stackrue Broch down the other side of the hill : perhaps this like The Howe not only goes forward to Viking times but back to to the Neolithic – the subterranean passage could have been put through a tomb entrance as with the souterrain there). The stones I had seen were on a platform-like area across the mound. There seems to be an area of grass on the central mound indicative of an henge-type entrance long gone.
Down on the hillside portion there are exposed the friable stones of whatever structure underlies the mound’s exterior – this is so fragmented that I can’t help wondering if the builders used some pre-existing natural for a starting point at least. From here you can see the decent-sized mound of Skae Frue (alias Wasbuster barrow HY282144) below.
It is not obvious to me whether the ‘platform’ is archaeology or excavation. There is quite a lot going on there, possibly more than one structure even going by what is immediately obvious/visible, and you could use up a whole film trying to make sense of it. The archaeologists are unsure whether this is a henge or a tomb but I feel it could have been both (if some tombs were based-on, or incorporated, standing stones then this brings them closer to multi-period henge development – there is a divergence from a common origin let’s say).
Sorted out my confusion between this chambered tomb and/or henge and the Bookan chambered tomb further down. So much easier to find on CANMAP at higher mag – all visitors looking for particular sites (and ejits like me) should really check with this resource first, the archaeology is so thick on the ground in Orkney. My second attempt and I still misidentified. Going up the hill to Buckan Farm at the top I looked to my left and saw a big mound in the field with a couple of stones sticking up in the central hole. Thought to myself, oh I only have half a film left I’d better leave that for Stackrue, must come back and approach this tumulus another time. Then when RCAHMS finally came back online after the weekend I found out my ‘tumulus’ was really the sought-for Ring of Bookan!! Still, Stackrue Broch was well worth it.
Marwick records the tradition (“The Orkney Herald” 11/7/1888) that folk went to the Bookan farmhouse for “the road and perhaps the order of the [pre-marital and marital] services” (Orkney Norn for the former service being ‘buikin’).
At an OAS set of talks tonight audience shown an aerial photograph showing a cropmark [nearer Bockan than Buckan it looked] in a field on the opposite side of the road to the Ring of Bookan and being a circular feature of much the same dimensions to it. Given as a possibilty that this relates to a recorded flint scatter hereabouts, presumably a reference to the small brown & yellow mottled ground flint hammer from Bockan (NMRS record HY21SE 52). More to the point is that Bockan house was part of traditions centred round the two great circles and used to have some idols [possibly Iron Age, like those at e.g. Brecks of Netherbrough and Dale souterrain, rather than Neolithic ?]
If the folklore tradition is correct this would surely be the place for the ceremonies – perhaps adaptation for the same has resulted in the confused form visible today.
In 1849 it is recorded that the late Mansie Hay used the “Druidical circle of Wasbuster” as a law thing – think Tingwall by the Rousay Ferry in Evie. Perhaps the chamber was used in the adaptation or revealed by the work, so leaving it open to such deterioration that it did not survive to the present day in a recognisable state. Thomas’ 1849 description would identify Mansie Hay’s seat as the large triangular stone in the middle.
The alternative name of Black Hill of Warbister would relate this site to Viking vardr ‘beacon’ (as with The Wart in S.Ronaldsay, the Verron broch at Skaill Bay and the Point of Veron mound near Voy).
In 1883 the Ridge of Bookan (sic) was 136’ across the interior with a sharply defined ditch 44’ across and 6’ deep. No mention of any chambers, just the stones present nowadays.
Captain F.W.L. Thomas in 1851 believed he detected 5/6 circles tangential to the central feature, these [indicated on his plan] about 6’D and containing prominent stumps of stone. He observed that the ditch remained dry in even the wettest weather. He saw evidence that someone had tried to cultivate the land here – the earliest form of Bookan (preceding Bûkan even) refers to bygga ‘bere’ [a barley landrace] as suggested for Buckquoy in Birsay.
Latest views still split – archaeologist sees analogy with Stones of Stenness, locals remember there being a time they could walk into a central chamber.
In a talk at Orkney College the archaeologist Nick Card said that when he walked along the associated ridge it isn’t until you reach the Ring of Bookan that you finally see down into the Brodgar peninsula , and that it was being suggested that it was placed here as the demarcation between a settlement behind it and the sacred monuments below .
I now think his remarks actually refered to the Bookan chambered tomb further down .
rather small image showing topographical survey of centre of ring
Sites within 20km of Ring of Bookan
-
Skae Frue
photo 9 description 6 -
The Brecks
photo 49 description 7 -
Bookan
photo 15 description 3 link 2 -
Wasbister Cairn
photo 9 description 1 -
Bookan Cairns
photo 21 description 4 -
Wasbister Disc Barrow
photo 16 description 1 -
Burrian Broch
photo 1 description 1 -
Stackrue-Lyking Mound
photo 4 description 2 -
Ring of Brodgar
photo 159 forum 16 description 22 link 5 -
Plumcake Mound
photo 5 description 4 -
Salt Knowe
photo 7 description 7 -
Stackrue Broch
photo 15 description 6 link 1 -
Fresh Knowe
photo 9 description 4 -
Ness of Brodgar Cairns
description 1 -
Comet Stone
photo 27 description 7 link 2 -
Shennar Howe
description 2 -
Linga Fold
description 1 -
Rosemount and Easthouse
description 1 -
Voy
photo 25 description 3 link 1 -
Ness of Brodgar
photo 3 forum 3 description 43 link 5 -
Harray Viewpoint
photo 6 description 2 -
Lochview
photo 18 forum 1 description 13 -
Grimston
photo 9 description 1 -
Via Mound
photo 6 description 2 -
Via Mound
photo 3 description 3 -
Point of Onston
photo 1 description 3 -
Unstan
photo 67 description 10 link 1 -
Stones of Via
photo 3 forum 1 description 3 -
The Watchstone
photo 18 description 8 link 1 -
Knowe of Gullow
photo 2 description 2 -
Stone of Odin
photo 2 forum 2 description 11 link 1 -
Barnhouse Settlement
photo 58 description 4 link 2 -
Voy
photo 4 description 1 -
The Standing Stones of Stenness
photo 104 forum 2 description 18 link 3 -
Deepdale
photo 15 forum 1 description 6 -
Via Barrow
forum 1 description 3 -
Nether Bigging
description 2 -
Vola
photo 14 description 4 -
Burn of Cruland
photo 2 description 1 -
Knowe of Burrian (Garth Farm)
photo 2 description 2 -
Maesquoy
photo 1 description 1 -
Standing Stones Hotel
photo 2 description 4 -
Pickaquoy
photo 4 description 2 -
Feolquoy
photo 1 description 3 -
Staney Hill
photo 17 description 5 -
The Howe
photo 2 description 2 -
The Howe
photo 10 description 2 -
The Howe
photo 4 description 1 -
Barnhouse Stone
photo 7 forum 1 description 5 -
Staney Hill
photo 13 forum 1 description 7 -
Loch of Clumly
photo 4 description 2 -
Henge
description 3 -
Maeshowe
photo 50 forum 16 description 30 link 8 -
Stockan
description 1 -
Burrian (Russland)
photo 2 description 3 -
Quholm, Burn of Una
photo 12 description 2 -
Cummi Howe
photo 13 description 4 -
Corn Hillock
photo 5 description 3 -
Hurkisgarth
forum 1 description 3 -
Vetquoy
description 1 -
Appiehouse
photo 7 description 5 -
Dale
photo 4 description 3 -
Nettletar
photo 6 description 2 -
Lower Hobbister
photo 5 description 3 -
South Seatter
photo 1 description 2 -
Hourston
photo 3 description 2 -
Loch of Skaill Niche
photo 2 forum 1 description 2 -
Knowe of Angerow
photo 11 description 2 -
Wasdale
photo 32 description 10 -
Quoyelsh
photo 9 description 2 -
Lyde Road
description 1 -
Knowe of Nebigarth
description 3 -
North Biggin
photo 9 description 3 -
Broch of Borwick
photo 18 description 6 link 1 -
Hill of Heddle
photo 1 description 1 -
Howe Harper
photo 11 description 4 link 1 -
Grind
description 1 -
Burrian (Corrigall)
photo 5 description 3 -
East House
description 1 -
Dounby House
description 1 -
Knowes of Trotty
photo 6 description 7 link 1 -
Millhouse
description 1 -
Knowe of Geoso
photo 8 description 4 -
Skaill road
photo 1 description 2 -
Brough of Bigging
photo 6 description 3 -
Quinni Moan
description 1 -
Knowe of Makerhouse
description 2 -
Russel Howe
photo 10 description 3 -
Snaba Hill
photo 4 description 2 -
Skara Brae
photo 65 forum 6 description 21 link 5 -
Rowamo Cottage
photo 3 description 1 -
Brockan
photo 10 forum 1 description 2 -
Skaill Church
photo 1 description 2 -
Leafea
photo 16 description 6 -
Knowes of Howana
description 1 -
Knowe of Verron
photo 21 forum 2 description 3 -
Linnahowe
photo 7 description 5 -
The Hillock
photo 15 description 3 -
Breckness
photo 12 description 2 -
Upper Garson
photo 1 description 1 -
The Fairy Knowe
photo 57 forum 1 description 12 link 2 -
Ward Hill
photo 3 description 1 -
Sower
photo 5 description 2 -
Vestrafiold
description 1 -
Knowes of Yonbell
description 1 -
Knowe of Skorn
description 1 -
Harraymen’s Graves
description 1 -
Spurdagrove
photo 3 description 3 -
Berrydale
description 1 -
Chapel Knowe
photo 1 description 2 -
Ravie Hill
photo 1 description 3 -
Queena Fjold
photo 15 description 4 -
Loch of Boardhouse
photo 4 description 5 -
Ingshowe Broch
photo 19 description 2 -
Graystane
photo 4 description 4 -
Nabban
photo 6 description 1 -
Oyce of Isbister
photo 1 description 3 -
Konger’s Knowe
photo 12 description 6 -
Knowe of Nesthouse
description 2 -
Gyre
photo 2 description 2 -
Harproo
photo 4 forum 1 description 4 -
Rennibister
photo 33 description 5 link 4 -
Hillock of Breakna
photo 10 description 4 -
Brough of Braebister
photo 15 description 2 -
Kirbister Hill
description 1 -
Green Hill of Quoyness
photo 7 description 2 -
Wheebin
photo 9 description 6 -
St Mary’s Kirk (Isbister)
photo 7 description 1 -
Hundland Hill
description 1 -
Toy Ness
photo 11 description 1 -
Sandyhall
photo 4 description 2 -
Seven Knowes
photo 8 description 2 -
Wideford Hill
photo 8 description 2 -
Oxtro Broch
photo 11 description 3 link 1 -
Wideford Hill
photo 43 description 8 link 1 -
Stanerandy
photo 11 description 7 -
Newan
photo 4 description 3 -
St. Magnus’s Well
photo 4 description 2 -
Quanterness
photo 5 description 4 -
Mittens
photo 1 description 3 -
Wideford
photo 5 description 3 -
Redland South
photo 12 description 4 -
Quoys
description 1 -
Crossiecrown
photo 2 description 1 -
Redland North
description 1 -
Knowe of Buckquoy
photo 6 description 6 -
Tingwall
photo 23 description 5 -
Point of Buckquoy
photo 7 description 4 -
Point of Buckquoy
photo 4 description 1 -
Dwarfie Hamars
photo 6 description 1 -
Knowes of Lingro
photo 7 forum 1 description 5 -
Knowes of Lingro
photo 2 description 1 -
Knowe of Crustan
photo 8 description 5 -
Knowe of Midgarth
photo 10 description 2 -
Knowe of Stenso
photo 11 description 2 -
Crustan
photo 2 description 3 -
The Dwarfie Stane
photo 46 description 18 link 4 -
Knowe of Grugar
photo 12 description 3 -
Burgar
photo 10 description 2 -
Broch of Burgar
photo 5 description 1 -
Patrick Stone
photo 3 description 1 -
Lower Arsdale
description 2 -
Knowe of Dishero
photo 13 description 2 -
Peterkirk
photo 5 description 2 -
Saverock
photo 7 description 4 -
Costa Hill
photo 2 description 3 -
Saverock
photo 9 description 6 -
Ness of Woodwick
photo 10 description 2 -
Broch of Gurness
photo 37 description 8 link 2 -
Lingrow
photo 7 description 3 -
Pickaquoy
photo 7 description 3 -
Grain Souterrain
photo 24 description 6 link 1 -
Broch of Lingro
photo 17 description 8 -
Crantit
photo 18 forum 1 description 4 -
Nether Crantit
photo 5 description 1 -
Scapa
photo 2 description 3 -
Hillhead Well
photo 4 -
Hillhead Enclosure
photo 16 description 5 -
Knowe of Burrian
photo 5 description 1 -
Knowe of Lairo
photo 12 description 6 link 2 -
Westness
description 1 -
Knowe of Rowiegar
photo 4 description 1 link 1 -
Long Stone
photo 8 forum 1 description 3 -
Knowe Of Swandro
description 1 link 2 -
Knowe of Ramsay
photo 3 description 1 -
Knowe of Yarso
photo 28 description 5 -
Knowe of Hunclett
photo 6 description 1 -
South Howe
photo 1 description 3 link 1 -
Midhowe
photo 12 description 4 link 1 -
Broch of Midhowe
photo 14 description 2 -
North Howe
description 1 -
Twi Ness
photo 3 description 2 -
Blackhammer
photo 23 description 3 link 1 -
Whoom
description 1 -
Setter Noost
photo 11 description 1 link 1 -
Taversoe Tuick
photo 45 description 4 link 2 -
Quendal
description 1 -
Berstane Broch
photo 9 description 1 -
The Five Hillocks
photo 5 description 3 -
Long Cairn
photo 49 description 13