13 April 2017 CE
Images
13/8/96-the lovely fencing in the equally lovely industrial estate ;)
can't delete earlier version
entrance lintel etc.
niche at RH side of entrance
chamber seen from end of passage
chamber viewed from rear
chamber roof perimeter detail
passage seen from chamber, light is oncoming visitor around 'corner'
centre corbelling of chamber roof
centre corbelling of chamber roof
half of roof supports
lower portion of entrance, a little out of focus
Wow!! Nice capitals!
egg-eating serpent
Sarah is 5ft – still a squeeze though!
The 5m long passageway into the chamber
The main chamber
13/8/96-inside the main chamber
13/8/96-along to the main chamber...
13/8/96-the steps down down down...
13/8/96-the lovely fencing in the equally lovely industrial estate ;)
Articles
Visited 5.6.12
On the way to catch the ferry to Rousay we stopped off to have a look at the Grain Souterrain.
We called into the jewellers to pick up the keys (the staff were very friendly and helpful) and we drove the short distance (300 metres) to the site (well sign posted).
Historic Scotland provided a torch but I think the batteries needed changing!
Fortunately we had brought our own head lights.
Dafydd and myself climbed down the steps and into the main chamber.
I was just about able to stand up straight – Dafydd had no such problem.
Although it was warm outside, down here you could see your breath.
The Souterrain is well constructed and has 4 large uprights supporting the roof.
Drips of water trickled over some of the stones.
This is a very easy site to access – don’t be put off by having to ask for the keys – and is well worth a visit when in Kirkwall.
Amid the modern paraphenalia of a bustling light industrial and trading estate on the edge of Kirkwall harbour hides this underground chamber. Vans and trucks rush past delivering crates of fish only metres from its weird surface mound, which is fenced off and locked.
Going down into it is really quite steep, though not as steep as Mine Howe. You descend about 3 metres into the ground. To the right is a small storage chamber area, about 1 metre cubed and the passageway leads off to the left, curving round slightly and running for about 4 ms. You have to stoop. It then opens up into a large chamber with four really extraordinarily beautiful pillars, with supporting capitals tied into the walls of the chamber. And lovely corbelling. Another masterpiece of construction. Take note ye architects of ugly industrial buildings! A functional building can be beautiful and long lasting!
Like many of the tombs and souterrains hereabouts, a powerful torch is provided for the visitor, this time by the keeper of keys in the jewellery shop round the corner.
Going out of Kirkwall you obtain a key (weekdays only) from Ortak Jewellery that sits at the corner of Hatston Industrial Estate. In the estate take the second road on your left and then at the second junction on your right, the bottom end of Scott's Road, lies the earthhouse.
There have been at least two sites of this type in the kilometre area, the present one at HY44131161 (RCAHMS NMRS record HY44SW 19) and another fully excavated ahead of a new road and car park at HY44181159 (RCAHMS NMRS record HY44SW 14).
Grain Souterrain, Kirkwall
Tuesday 13/8/96
In an industrial estate on the outskirts of Kirkwall stands a rectangular fenced-off piece of grassland with a couple of strange looking mounds in it- Grain Souterrain. A set of small stone steps takes you down into the earth (mind yer head on the lintel!) and there's a passage leads off to the right. It's only about 5 m or so, then opens up to reveal a larger oval chamber. There are four stone pillars holding up the roof (along with some help from a couple of twentieth century iron bars), some of which have been vandalised with modern-ish day carving. Don't forget yer torch/lantern- this place is lucky enough still to have the original roof intact. I'm always amazed when I get photos back from souterrains, chambered cairns, caves etc as there's bugger all to see through the viewfinder and it's a bit hit or miss!
The Just About Anything earthhouse had an Iron Age building above it, and there were further structures to the N and S of the main excavation. This is described in the published excavation report as the remains of an extensive IA settlement that in all likelihood encompassed the still-visible souterrain also.
Hatston generally seems to be a hotbed of earthhousing. In wartime the Hatston Airfield Souterrain was found at HY43621238. After excavation the roof and uprights were buried/stored at HY43621265. And the Saverock Souterrain used to be at HY43681296.
Hatston Airfield was also a set of two ("The Orkney Herald" 12/7/39)
Video of a visit to Grain Souterrain, showing the reinforced internal structure and the everyday surroundings of the industrial park.
Sites within 20km of Grain Souterrain
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Pickaquoy
photo 7 description 3 -
Saverock
photo 7 description 4 -
Saverock
photo 9 description 6 -
Wideford
photo 5 description 3 -
Crossiecrown
photo 2 description 1 -
Crantit
photo 18 forum 1 description 4 -
Nether Crantit
photo 5 description 1 -
Scapa
photo 2 description 3 -
Quanterness
photo 5 description 4 -
Broch of Lingro
photo 17 description 8 -
Hillhead Well
photo 4 -
Hillhead Enclosure
photo 16 description 5 -
Lingrow
photo 7 description 3 -
Wideford Hill
photo 43 description 8 link 1 -
Wideford Hill
photo 8 description 2 -
Berstane Broch
photo 9 description 1 -
Rennibister
photo 33 description 5 link 4 -
Long Cairn
photo 49 description 13 -
Nabban
photo 6 description 1 -
Twi Ness
photo 3 description 2 -
Ingshowe Broch
photo 19 description 2 -
Setter Noost
photo 11 description 1 link 1 -
Howe of Staneloof
description 1 -
Staneloof
photo 3 description 1 -
Ston Loe
photo 1 description 2 -
The Five Hillocks
photo 5 description 3 -
Chapel Knowe
photo 1 description 2 -
Yinstay
description 1 -
Craw Howe
photo 1 description 4 -
The Five Hillocks
photo 6 description 3 -
Whitecleat
photo 4 description 2 -
Broch of Steiro
photo 19 description 2 link 1 -
The Howie of The Manse
photo 3 description 2 -
The Fairy Knowe
photo 57 forum 1 description 12 link 2 -
Nearhouse
photo 3 description 1 -
Howe Hill
photo 4 description 1 link 1 -
Oyce of Isbister
photo 1 description 3 -
St Mary’s Kirk (Isbister)
photo 7 description 1 -
Loch of Tankerness
photo 13 description 4 -
The Hillock
photo 15 description 3 -
Knowe of Dishero
photo 13 description 2 -
Burn of Langskaill
photo 2 description 1 -
Hawell
photo 4 description 3 -
Round Howe
photo 8 description 4 -
Long Howe
photo 8 description 7 -
Mine Howe
photo 27 forum 2 description 18 link 6 -
Sandyhall
photo 4 description 2 -
Mecigar
photo 2 description 2 -
Rowamo Cottage
photo 3 description 1 -
Snaba Hill
photo 4 description 2 -
Mor Stein
photo 7 description 4 -
Hill of Heddle
photo 1 description 1 -
Laughton’s Knowe
photo 4 description 2 -
Hall of Gorn
photo 3 description 3 -
Graystane
photo 4 description 4 -
Howe Harper
photo 11 description 4 link 1 -
Wasdale
photo 32 description 10 -
Seven Knowes
photo 8 description 2 -
The Brough
photo 1 description 2 -
Castle Bloody
photo 3 description 3 -
St. Mary’s Broch
photo 6 description 2 -
Hillock of Breakna
photo 10 description 4 -
Lower Hobbister
photo 5 description 3 -
Ward Hill
photo 3 description 1 -
Tower of Clett
photo 3 description 5 -
Toy Ness
photo 11 description 1 -
Venikelday
photo 7 description 4 -
Hurnip’s Point
photo 6 description 3 -
Unyatuak
photo 5 description 3 link 1 -
Harraymen’s Graves
description 1 -
Konger’s Knowe
photo 12 description 6 -
Knowes of Trotty
photo 6 description 7 link 1 -
Dale
photo 4 description 3 -
St. Peter’s Bay
photo 9 description 2 -
Lamb Holm
photo 10 description 4 -
Tingwall
photo 23 description 5 -
St Peter’s Kirk
photo 4 forum 1 description 3 -
Eves Howe
photo 5 description 2 -
Gyre
photo 2 description 2 -
Comely
photo 3 description 1 -
Maeshowe
photo 50 forum 16 description 30 link 8 -
Appiehouse
photo 7 description 5 -
Henge
description 3 -
Knowe of Midgarth
photo 10 description 2 -
Pickaquoy
photo 4 description 2 -
Staney Hill
photo 13 forum 1 description 7 -
St. Nicholas Church
description 1 -
Barnhouse Stone
photo 7 forum 1 description 5 -
Vola
photo 14 description 4 -
Lyde Road
description 1 -
Feolquoy
photo 1 description 3 -
Nettletar
photo 6 description 2 -
Staney Hill
photo 17 description 5 -
Harproo
photo 4 forum 1 description 4 -
Grimston
photo 9 description 1 -
Millfield
photo 3 description 2 -
Castle Howe
photo 6 description 3 -
Dingieshowe
photo 5 description 5 -
Barnhouse Settlement
photo 58 description 4 link 2 -
Hillock of Burroughston
photo 12 description 2 -
The Cairn
photo 3 description 2 -
Harray Viewpoint
photo 6 description 2 -
The Standing Stones of Stenness
photo 104 forum 2 description 18 link 3 -
Stone of Odin
photo 2 forum 2 description 11 link 1 -
Stembister
photo 9 description 3 -
The Watchstone
photo 18 description 8 link 1 -
Standing Stones Hotel
photo 2 description 4 -
Ness of Woodwick
photo 10 description 2 -
Lochview
photo 18 forum 1 description 13 -
Ness of Brodgar
photo 3 forum 3 description 43 link 5 -
Maesquoy
photo 1 description 1 -
Howan Blo
photo 2 description 2 -
Nether Bigging
description 2 -
Burrian (Corrigall)
photo 5 description 3 -
Knowe of Gullow
photo 2 description 2 -
Knowe of Burrian (Garth Farm)
photo 2 description 2 -
Redland South
photo 12 description 4 -
Comet Stone
photo 27 description 7 link 2 -
Fresh Knowe
photo 9 description 4 -
Mussaquoy
photo 9 description 5 -
Ness of Brodgar Cairns
description 1 -
Redland North
description 1 -
Plumcake Mound
photo 5 description 4 -
Ring of Brodgar
photo 159 forum 16 description 22 link 5 -
Quoys
description 1 -
Salt Knowe
photo 7 description 7 -
North Howe
photo 9 description 2 -
South Howe
photo 17 description 1 -
Newark
photo 3 description 3 link 1 -
Wasbister Disc Barrow
photo 16 description 1 -
Bookan Cairns
photo 21 description 4 -
The Cairnhead, Hunda
photo 4 description 1 -
Riggan of Kami
photo 12 description 2 -
Wasbister Cairn
photo 9 description 1 -
Sower
photo 5 description 2 -
Bookan
photo 15 description 3 link 2 -
Burrian Broch
photo 1 description 1 -
Backland
photo 4 description 2 -
Corn Hillock
photo 5 description 3 -
North Biggin
photo 9 description 3 -
The Brecks
photo 49 description 7 -
Knowe of Hunclett
photo 6 description 1 -
Unstan
photo 67 description 10 link 1 -
Point of Onston
photo 1 description 3 -
Southtown (Burray), St Lawrence Church
photo 9 description 4 -
Cummi Howe
photo 13 description 4 -
Burrian (Russland)
photo 2 description 3 -
Ring of Bookan
photo 9 description 14 link 1 -
Taversoe Tuick
photo 45 description 4 link 2 -
Skae Frue
photo 9 description 6 -
Blackhammer
photo 23 description 3 link 1 -
Broch of Gurness
photo 37 description 8 link 2 -
Long Stone
photo 8 forum 1 description 3 -
Knowe of Burrian
photo 5 description 1 -
Cubbie Roo’s Burden
photo 4 description 2 -
The Howe
photo 2 description 2 -
The Howe
photo 10 description 2 -
The Howe
photo 4 description 1 -
Knowe of Yarso
photo 28 description 5 -
Knowe of Lairo
photo 12 description 6 link 2 -
Shennar Howe
description 2 -
Knowe of Ramsay
photo 3 description 1 -
Deepdale
photo 15 forum 1 description 6 -
Knowe of Stenso
photo 11 description 2 -
Hourston
photo 3 description 2 -
Knitchen Hill
photo 3 description 1 -
Stackrue-Lyking Mound
photo 4 description 2 -
Stackrue Broch
photo 15 description 6 link 1 -
Dounby House
description 1 -
Tammaskirk
photo 14 description 1 link 1 -
Knowe of Makerhouse
description 2 -
Rosemount and Easthouse
description 1 -
Little Howe of Hoxa
photo 18 description 2 -
Howe of Hoxa
photo 16 description 3 -
East House
description 1 -
Quoyelsh
photo 9 description 2 -
Knowe of Grugar
photo 12 description 3 -
The Wart
photo 11 forum 1 description 4 -
Linga Fold
description 1 -
Westness
description 1 -
Voy
photo 25 description 3 link 1 -
Broch of Burgar
photo 5 description 1 -
Via Mound
photo 6 description 2 -
Via Mound
photo 3 description 3 -
Stones of Via
photo 3 forum 1 description 3 -
Vetquoy
description 1 -
Burgar
photo 10 description 2 -
Quinni Moan
description 1 -
Stockan
description 1 -
Via Barrow
forum 1 description 3 -
Voy
photo 4 description 1 -
Burn of Cruland
photo 2 description 1 -
Knowe Of Swandro
description 1 link 2 -
Knowe of Rowiegar
photo 4 description 1 link 1 -
Quholm, Burn of Una
photo 12 description 2 -
Grind
description 1 -
Loch of Clumly
photo 4 description 2 -
Hurkisgarth
forum 1 description 3 -
South Howe
photo 1 description 3 link 1 -
Peterkirk
photo 5 description 2