The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

wideford’s TMA Blog

Post to the TMA Blog

more early Orkney newspaper accounts summarised

Having gone back to Orkney's 19thC newspapers to extract accounts of non-Orcadian sites I found more Orcadian ones too. So here are more summaries

Birsay

October 27th 1886 "Orkney Herald" decorated 8/9th century box found previous year on exhibit in temporary museum in Kirkwall Town Hall along with contents

Blomuir (not one of the known sites)

December 7th 1896 Orkney Herald" account of chambered mound near house of Blomuir (built of stones from mound) excavated few weeks before by owner, producing 8 skeletons and a polished gneiss hammerhead. Half skeletons found in E/W aligned corbelled chamber measuring maximum 10' x 3½', walls standing up to 2½' with entrance half-way along S side. Stone ball stone B.1914.594 found at mound a few days ago

Braehowar

June 11th 1867 The Orcadian" new road cut through small part extensive stoney mound ruins revealing bone fragments and shells

Burrian Castle HY75SE 3

December 6th 1882 "Orkney Herald" recovered relics donated by Mr Traill of Woodwick to the Antiquarian Museum

Corquoy (Mansies Knowes) HY43SW 17

November 2nd 1880 "Orkney Herald" account in The Scotsman of previous excavation of a Manx nound producing same knd of urn

Hillhead HY40NW 12

April 19th 1882 "Orkney Herald" full description of ornamented stone ball found draing a field - only other example found in Ireland several years before. Cast being sent to the Antiquarian Museum.

Ivar's Knowe HY74SW 10

October 31st 1894 "Orkney Herald" rising Ivar's Knowe and a few mounds ¾ mile to its W mentioned as full of burnt stones

Knowe of Taft HY22SE 8

January 20th 1880 "Orkney Herald" on rise called The Taft farmer George Garson of Hamar breaks through 3~4" thick slab roof into space 2½" square extending in a circular direction. Bones have been found near this
January 24th 1880 "The Orcadian" George Garson of Hammer [sic], Greenie, excavates opening 2'6"~2'9" broad by a foot deep (above a yard of soil containing bone) thought part of a broch. Taken to about 30', 2 'cists' are found and also red pigment a decorative circular glass piece.and rude pottery - Samian sherd found here some time ago

Lingrow

October 27th 1886 "Orkney Herald" perforated serpentine macehead found on property of Mr Graeme of Graemeshall on exhibit in temporary museum in Kirkwall Town Hall

Little Howe of Hoxa ND49SW 2

June 21st 1871 "The Orkney Herald short account of dig on concentric walled ruin begun previous Wednesday and finds to date

Munkerhouse, Papay HY45SE 26

August 22nd 1874 "Orkney Herald" Mt Traill of Holland allows dig of broch remains in cliff-face near Established Church. Most of large tower gone but extensive outworks, with some lintels remaining, proceed undergorund towards kirk.
                 
Ness of Brodgar HY21SE 16

October 10th 1888 "Orkney Herald" visitors dig tumuli near Ring of Brodgar. One covered by 6" of peat, under which fine light brown earth, then after ~2'6" large stones cover dark ashy earth intermixed with small bone fragments. Mound lies on bed of clay

North Town Moss, Burray ND49NE 5

May 1st 1889 "Orkney Herald" very detailed description of silver hoard found on April 22nd by George Petrie of Little Wart 3' deep while diigging peats at "head of green slade" on N side of North Side Moss [sic] roughly a mile NW of school

Old Town Hall, Kirkwall HY41SW 142

November 12th 1890 "Orkney Herald" tombstones found in demolishing old walls of the old town hall, said to have re-used stone from Ear's Palace
December 17th 1890 "Orkney Herald" 2 12" white sanstone balls unearthed

Peterkirk (Tresness) HY74SW 7

October 31st 1894 "Orkney Herald" at St Peter's Chapel a fine well having been removed previously a narrow well-like vault with two recesses has been found and various stone tools and combs. The mound was originally at least 25' high

Pier of Gill HY44NW ?23

October 27th 1886 "Orkney Herald" Two polishd serpentine celts found in mound along with a skeleton on exhibit in temporary museum in Kirkwall Town Hall

Pisgah x2 HY44NW 7

August 22nd 1874 "Orkney Herald" description of 2nd earthhouse excavated in previous week by George Petrie a few hundred yards N of Pisgah souterrain, discovered at same time as that 25 years before but left undug

nr Sandwick Parish church

August 24th 1886 "Orkney Herald" unusually hig seas remove beach below church for some distance to reveal forest remains in a considerable depth of peat moss near where deer horns have been found

Saverock HY41SW 5

June 12th 1869 The Orcadian"
October 27th 1886 "Orkney Herald" two polished celts found in field where cists had been destroyed on exhibit in temporary museum in Kirkwall Town Hall

Thistle Brae, Sanday

June 11th 1867 The Orcadian" new road cut through small part of large mound "under the sands of South Myres" revealing bone fragments and shells. Thistle Brae conceals several buildings on 'western shore' and shows ruinous wall length of 38 paces roughly parallel to the road some parts burnt

Tofts Ness HY74SE

October 31st 1894 "Orkney Herald" reference to Picts Houses at Toft Ness

Ward Holm

June 22nd 1881 "Orkney Herald" apparently ecclesiastical remains on Kirk Holm [sic] and distinct cultivation traces all over the island

ce
wideford Posted by wideford
30th October 2014ce


Comments (0)

You must be logged in to add a comment