Knowes of Trotty

Also known as:
Huntiscarth
Nearest town:
Stromness (12km SW)
OS reference:
HY341175
OS sheet:
6
Latitude:
59° 2' 22.74 N
Longitude:
3° 8' 54.63 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Knowes of Trotty (Cairn(s)) by wideford

northern end of Knowes of Trotty cemetery seen from farmroad to Winksetter

Image credit: wideford
wideford
wideford Jul 5, 2013
Image of Knowes of Trotty (Cairn(s)) by wideford

excavated Knowes of Trotty seen from Winksetter farmroad

Image credit: wideford
wideford
wideford Jul 5, 2013
Image of Knowes of Trotty (Cairn(s)) by wideford

northernmost of mounds with what looks to be a rather deep ditch – for ths or whole barrow cemetery ??

Image credit: wideford
wideford
wideford Jul 16, 2012

Articles

Knowes of Trotty

Uncovering the burial mounds of Bronze Age Scots

Hob
Hob Aug 30, 2006

Extract taken from The Scotsman’s Website

Four thousand years ago work began to erect the great earthen burial mounds that comprise the Bronze Age barrow cemetery at the Knowes of Trotty, in Harray, Orkney. There are at least 16 barrows – or graves – in two rows, nestling between the edge of the farmlands and the foot of the moorland. Many were raised upon natural mounds to enhance their prominence

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Knowes of Trotty

Knowes of Trotty Open day

wideford
wideford Jul 28, 2006

(For those with transport) Sunday July 30th there are guided tours from one o’clock till five, including the ongoing excavation of an ‘early’ Neolithic structure with central hearth.

Knowes of Trotty

wideford
wideford Jul 10, 2005

In the height of summer you’ll need waterproofs if it has been damp – before you reach the mounds the rutted farmtrack finally gives out and you have no choice but to wade through sodden knee-high grass (even went through waterproof shoes to leave squelchy feet).

Knowes of Trotty

wideford
wideford Jul 10, 2004

Surprised these aren’t already on. But it is a bit of a yomp. Went on a guided walk with the Orkney Archaeological Trust. Because the area covered by these 11 cairns is now under management (hence the falling through of funding for further excavations this year) you can no longer reach here through Netherhouse byre but have to go the long way around via the Howe Road. The way through the heath is a ways past the Howe Farm turnoff and on your right. The rough and intermittent path leading to the ‘cemetery’ isn’t signposted so it is fortunate that they stand out. Owing to all the moss and heather it is a very bouncy walk -thankfully duckboards have been placed along the worst patches of the swampy bits now.

They aren’t much to look at – I would have been content to take a group picture at the first suitable place and gone back, myself. The cairns were constructed using natural drumlins as platforms. Though many were excavated by ‘barrow-diggers’ only the one with the golden discs was in any sense recorded. The 2002 excavation by Jane Downes, our guide, besides numerous cists in one of the cairns revealed in a flat area between two of the cairns some kind of building – perhaps a mortuary structure. In the Bronze Age the settlements were tiny and usually within a kilometre or two (so look about you if you visit). I think that from here you can make out the Knowes of Trinnawin tumuli on the west side of Hindera Fiold. From the cairn nearest Netherhouse at one spot two of the hills almost form a continuous flat skyline.

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