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It is said that the party who transferred the bones of St. Magnus from Birsay to Kirkwall stopped here to await the Harray men who would share the task, these men were said to have scuttled out from their huts like crabs, which gave the inhabitants of Harray their parish nickname!
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The monuments at Stenness held an important part in Orcadian wedding customs over a long period as relayed by the Rev George Low in 1774.
“There was a custom among the lower class of people in this country which has entirely subsided within these twenty or thirty years. Upon the first day of every new year the common people, from all parts of the country, met at the Kirk of Stennis, each person having provision for four or five days; they continued there for that time dancing and feasting in the kirk. This meeting gave the young people an opportunity of seeing each other, which seldom failed in making four or five marriages every year; and to secure each other’s love they had resource to the following solemn engagements:- The parties agreed stole from the rest of their companions and went to the Temple of the Moon, where the woman, in the presence of the man, fell on her knees and prayed to the god Woden (for such was the name of the god they addressed on this occasion) that he would enable her to perform all the promises and obligations she had and was to make to the young man present, after which they both went to the Temple of the Sun, where the man preyed in a like manner before the woman, then they repaired back to the [Odin] stone, and the man being on one side, and the woman on the other, they took hold of each other’s right hand through the hole, and there swore to be constant and faithful to each other. This ceremony was held so very sacred in those times that the person who dared to break the engagement made here was counted infamous and excluded from all society.”
From ‘A Tour Through the Islands of Orkney & Shetland, containing Hints relative to their Ancient, Modern and Natural History’ by Rev. G. Low 1774
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According to local legend the stone ship was erected over the grave of a warrior, King Alne, which is why the site of Gårdlösa is also known as Alnabjar.
On a terrace on the southern side of the hill a further four stones were said to have stood which marked the grave of Queen Gya, Alne's wife.
(Information taken from the signboard at the site)
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In folklore the area on which the cairns sit was haunted by a huge old boar known as the Purr Mooar, which was slain by a local legendary figure known as Jack the Giant Killer, who was himself somewhat feared by the locals. The story is related in a book of Manx folktales;
‘Now there was an old boar called the Purr Mooar, that had long been a terror to the district, so much so that it was not considered safe for any one to go alone over the Rheast and through Druidale. Even the shepherds with their dogs were unwilling to face him. This purr Jack determined to kill, so he armed himself with his thickest stick and set out in search of him. After travelling a considerable distance, he made his way down to a deep glen where he discovered the boar, it being a sultry day, luxuriating in the water. No sooner id he see Jack than he raised himself up, and, with a terrible roar, rushed out upon him. Jack, nothing daunted, received him with a severe blow upon the fore legs, which caused him to roll over. Getting up again he rushed once more at Jack, who belaboured him with many a heavy blow, but unfortunately the boar managed to inflict a deep wound in Jack’s thigh, which laid it open to the bone. Still the conflict went on till both were well-nigh exhausted and faint from los of blood, till at last Jack with one terrible blow shattered the boar’s head, and laid him dead at his feet. It was with great difficulty that he managed to crawl home, and it was long before his wounds, which were said to be of a poisonous nature, healed, and even then he was obliged to go about with a crutch for the rest of his life. Thus was the neighbourhood rid of two troubles – Jack and the Purr Mooar – for the one was now harmless and the other dead.’
From ‘Folklore of the Isle of Man’, by A.W.Moore, 1891
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Megalithic wanderer and modern day pagan.
I've always loved anything historical, particularly megalithic sites (I've many a fond memory of visits to Stonehenge in the mid 1970's as we used to stop there every year on the way to the annual family holiday down in Bournemouth, which I think started it off), and the discovery of a certain book by Mr. Cope set off an obsession in the late 1990's to see as many of these wonderful places as I can.
Enjoys walking in the wildnerness and climbing mountains (currently on the worlds slowest round of Munroe bagging), travel, playing guitar, real ale and malt whisky, historical re-enactment, fencing and wargaming (although not all at the same time!) Also adores small furry critters (particularly cats)
Lives in the megalithic desert of the Midlands with my lovely (and very patient) wife Ellen, and the venerable Tazzy cat.
Favourite sites would be Callanish and Ring of Brodgar (where I was handfasted) in Scotland, Les Pierres Platts in Brittany, Havangsdosen in Sweden, Glavendrup in Denmark, and Sunkenkirk in England.
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