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Hawell

Burnt Mound / Fulacht Fia

<b>Hawell</b>Posted by widefordImage © wideford
Also known as:
  • Hawill
  • Ha'well

Nearest Town:Kirkwall (7km WNW)
OS Ref (GB):   HY512065 / Sheets: 6, 7
Latitude:58° 56' 36.05" N
Longitude:   2° 50' 50.67" W

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<b>Hawell</b>Posted by wideford <b>Hawell</b>Posted by wideford <b>Hawell</b>Posted by wideford <b>Hawell</b>Posted by wideford

Fieldnotes

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Well worth a visit if you are into decayed structures (6 out of 10). I entered the field by climbing over a wooden gate that is difficult owing to the close construction. First sight is a long mound with a standing stone on the left and a circular depression in the centre. Closer to the standing stone is the end of a close packed straight wall that still is exposed for several yards. From afar you can make out a few small stones about the depression, so it comes as a pleasant surprise as one climbs ever so slightly to look down and see this is filled by large slabs even if no clearly discernable structure. The back of the mound survives a bit higher, so it is a disappointment when one goes behind that this appears so nondescript. Here are the two modern structures that are presumably where the second mound used to be. wideford Posted by wideford
19th March 2004ce
Edited 19th June 2007ce

This site lies close to an exceptionally zigzaggy burn (another mound of similar nature now gone). Down the road from Mine Howe looking to the right I could see a long green mound and at one end a standing stone. Coming round the junction nearer to Hawell I now saw another stone at right-angles to the first and apparently abutting it. On the other side of the road by the corner of Hawell at the roadside were two stones echoing the sight, the one parallel to the road having piercings top and bottom on one side.
RCAHMS NMRS record HY50NW 10 describes this a several stone compartments with a slab-formed rectangular tank just off, so presumably I misread the view. Prior to excavation the mound survived as an E-W ridge.
wideford Posted by wideford
3rd March 2004ce
Edited 19th June 2007ce

Miscellaneous

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When Brochan was still officially considered a chambered cairn this was likened to it in terms of the observable structure of each and that at both sites "rude stone implements" were found. Also both are near brochs and springs.
As regards my hypothesis concerning the possible connection of mines/metalworking with burnt mounds amongst the stone implements found was at least one hammerstone.
wideford Posted by wideford
7th September 2004ce
Edited 5th July 2005ce