Sunday, May 12, 2013
HOUTON AND MOANESS TO RACKWICK BAY, LYNESS June 27th 2012
Another trip with Orkney Blide Trust, this time to Hoy. There are two routes to Hoy. The one that calls in at Graemsay and Flotta starts off at Stromness and ends at Moaness Pier in the north-east of Hoy. Our trip instead started at Houton in Orphir and took us south to Lyness (though it also goes on to South Ness pier in South Walls, part of Hoy and Waas). Had a brief look at the boat-nousts (perhaps originally as impressive as those behind Long Ayre in St Andrews and on Skaill Farm in Deerness. Then turned my attention to the remains of the WWII seaplane base directly south of the present ferry pier (I wonder if the building still standing to some six courses on Midland Ness above relates to this). Another seaplane base had been where the Scapa coastguard is now. I can see nothing there now so think that they made use of the sands at low tide (as I think could have been the case with the Sands of Piggar for a Great War landing site, though on a modern aerial photo the Toy Ness inter-war/WWI building sits suurounding by a blank-looking field which is suggested as the Smoogro airfield). Houton is different and you can see the concrete wrecks of thickset slipways.and what resemble holding pens or stalls. Further wartime activity is evidenced on the hillhead Houton Head, Battery 143, on which can be seen an obs post (no, make that two, one now a dwelling !), engine house, gun emplacements and magazine. There are searchlights down on the shore's edge. I think there could have ben a now submerged Neolithic settlement between Kirkhouse and my kirk site at the Head of Houton (Johnstone came to believe that Orphir originally only meant this, Orfirasey), perhaps near/on the causeway, though admittedly this is a grand edifice to build on the basis of one dense black water-worn pebble that I picked up along the way once !! Facing the harbour on the Hill of Midland are several quarry sites, and one of these has been re-commissioned to provide the flags used to re-furbish some of the Stromness pavements in an initiative just coming to an end - Kirkwall's town centre is next up for 'renewal'.
Heading out of the harbour Stromness could be seen across the way. Soon passed the Calf of Cava lighthouse and Cava with its many ruins, both WWII buildings and farms likely enough mostly abandoned about that period. Coming into Lyness I saw Orkney's two Martello Towers and the gas plant and oil terminal of later wars. A quay built in WWII cost so much it gained the name of the Golden Wharf. On the hillside above, at Wee Fea, you can see the remains of H.M.S. Proserpine. This naval signal station had been the main Base H.Q. and Communications Centre for Scapa Flow. Nearby are more oil tanks (this time underground), LH4 gun emplacement/ack-ack and hut bases that could have been an accomodation camp. Close to the harbour is Lyness Museum with several munitions outside. We left this for now to drive north, following the road all up the rest of Hoy's east coast to Moaness.
Went for refreshments at Benethill Café next to the pier. To the north I could make out some wartime buildings with what appeared to be a broad track dug through the ground in front of them. At Burraquoy this is the Skerry Coastal Battery, HY20NW 25, with the WWII observation post at HY2374305219 and the associated camp at HY23790408 (this consisting of five or more Nissen Huts to the north of Burra House on the west side of the road. Surviving parts of the battery include gun and searchlight emplacements, a magazine and the engine-room. The WWII buildings are placed into an artificial mound at the clifftop, HY20NW 21 at HY23750523. In 1964 the OS found the remains of a sub-rectangular structure ~13m x ~6m with three walls re-used for a silage pit. This they identified with the 1929 report of large boulders amongst the grass here. Which to my mind has as much basis as the paper tiger of a discounted possible broch mentioned in that report - all we have is the brough legend on the 1903 map, no name etc. Of course this could be a 'homestead' like Little Howe of Hoxa. Perhaps there was a broch in this corner of Hoy, but I wonder if the Burra placenames hereabouts don't instead come from the Bu farm. It is difficult to believe there wasn't an earlier Bu of Hoy to the present one, HY20SW 13 at 23620479, built in about 1615.
Near the west side of the road, south of Bu and north of a waterfall, the old parish church (HY20SW 1 at HY23560463) stands a roofless shell in the graveyard. It would be nice to believe that the site started life as a chapel belonging to Bu, but the Royal Commission saw no trace of the likely mediaeval predecessor. The Name Book states it had been built in 1780 like the Graemsay church, though it more likely dates to the unification of the two parishes in the 1500s (and there are panels dated 1624]. That by the mid 1780s it had fallen down completely would back this up. In 1795 the church became partly rebuilt. It measures 15.2m by 6m, has two entrances in the southern wall, and the metre thick mortared walls stood 3m high in 1964.
The Hoy Manse near the slipway is now Burra House, HY20SW 12.00 at HY2380904031, where Sir Walter Scott stayed in 1814. It comprises several buildings that were easy to make out from the cafe. Some of the earlier fabric may have survived its re-building in 1798. What used to be a fine example of a corn-drying kiln (attached to the east end of an ancillary building) is now reported as battered. Usually these are distinctly attached but seperate, as at Millquoy in Firth or the kiln-barn at Woodwick, but this one is hemmed about by the building. Perhaps this once stood on its own, or at least pre-dates the building in its present form ? The third building I could make out is an old boathouse attached to the pier which looks later, tall with a lnarrow low pitched roof and rectangular window holes.
Nearer to where we were is a watermill. The Mill of Hoy, HY20SW 20 at HY23680392, is alongside a T-junction sitting opposite Hoyvale. Another site to go on my list for future drive-bys perhaps. Somewhere close a peedie bird's song rang out. Not much cop at identifying birdsong and the bird teasingly unseen. In the background two of high Hoy's hills. Ward Hill and the Cuilags are a simply magnificent backdrop. Ward Hill is stupendous even from here. With its two uneven humps there is a fine contrast with the Cuilags appearance as a conical peak bumped into a flat-ish hill. To explore them there is the Hoy Outdoor Centre for a base. I think. From the left a long line of comparatively low hills snake off south.
Next up a scenic 2 hour trek over and through lesser hills to the west coast. The Rackwick Trail roughly follows a drovers road, this starting as as a broad level track ruuning between Ward Hill and Cuilges. To one side it is overlooked by Round Hill, and I couldn't help but feel this such a defensive position that it should have a history. No, nothing, not even a cairn. Simply a large green conical hillock topped by a circlet of yellow flowers that made it stand out from the grey brooding masses. Whether the initial road is naturally high banked, been worn through or purpose built the dogs certainly enjoyed running over them. We have to cross a burn. Well you don't have to but bridges aren't quite as fun. To our left is Sandy Loch, a long wisp of a thing above which we rise. I spy a flock of large birds bathing in the lake and am surprised when I recognise that they are bonxies. This word I always use for skuas. Only one species is supposed to go by this sobriquet, but the one I was told this was on first coming to Orkney isn't the same species that they now limit it to ! My guess would be that this is probably an island thing, as with peedie/peerie for small. High up on a hill to our right a rocky outcrop resembles a near vertical scree slope with the boulders' flight frozen in time. At one point I can see clear across to the waters of Rackwick Bay, outlined centrally in a wide tilted depression as if some deity were panning for gold. And then the track curves right and heads down into the valley, the surface breaking up and eventually becoming a narrow footpath through heather. Just before that dip we came across the first of the blue gentian for which the islland is well know. Naturally its even tidgier thean the Scottish primrose, but far easier to spot once you know its there. Also along our way we find the cinquefoil called silverweed, some vetches and rest-harrow. At, I'd guess, about halfway through the trail the mists came up and pictures became difficult, though as well as the moist hills I did later snap knuckles of fern curled up lke a newborn bairn's hands. Hoy became rather damp but not our spirits! The track grew narrower yet, and the one signpost we see is a little equivocal, so despite the erosion warnings some crossed the peedie streamlet whilst others followed the other visible track. As we closed in on Rackwick the hills greened again.
Some of the party needed the loo and the one here fits in with the other buildings it stood amongst. Passed some lovely ruins. One stood to roof height at one end, and the wallface is heavily bearded with dull green vegetation that still managed to make it photogenic. Over to our far rightt Too of the Head's outline resembled the world's scariest slide, along the far left the shore has high Mel Fea to watch over it. At Rackwick we used the Burnmouth bothy provided for visitors and cooked the barbecue food prepared by The Blide's catering folk, with a mushroom-burger for the vegetarian. Only one of our group went to the beach that those awfu’ high cliffs of Mel Fea overlooked. The dogs provided entertainment for the rest. In the barbecue area/field could be made out probable footings covered by the 'lawn'. Looking over to whence we came stands low Greenhill that should be simply a monstous former sand-dune. There are no records to go with it, but again I get a feeling from it - perhaps like the mounds beside Dingieshowe. Certainly dug into at the very least. On the way back Rackwick Burn meandered pleasantly away from us through flat grassland at the end of its travels
On the ‘bus between here and Lyness we passed Trowie Glen with its Dwarfie Stane and Betty Corrigal’s Grave. Too many folk going to the former some of us chose the latter for a side-trip. Lyness Museum was closed so we contented ourselve perusing the outside exhibits until the ferry left. The armaments are now coloured an attractive mix of fading battleship grey and rust. From an engineering point of view the large pipes and valves of the surface oil tanks are equally interesting (I preferred the ?disconnected black ones to the gunmetal grey stuff). Of course what attracted me was climbing up the banks to view some huge brick walls - they virtually had to drag me away.
The Rackwick Traill deserves to be traversed slowly on a long warm summer's day. Wartime Lyness is much more than the area about the museum, deserves time on its own, some lovely structures remain. And then go to marvel at the Martello towers.
Labels: Burra House, Burraquoy, Greenhill, HMS Proserpine, Houton, Hoy Manse, Hoy Parish Kirk, Lyness, Martello Tower, Rackwick, Round Hill, seaplane base, Skerry Coastal Battery, Wee Fea
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
HOUTON-ONSTON-BRODGAR JUNE 24th 2010
Took the bus to Houton, which backs up opposite the lodge. Leaving the new ferry pier behind I decide to have another peek at the nausts down this side of the next pier. They still haul boats here and I see there is an exceedingly narrow path twisting down the bank a couple of metres high, so take myself down for more photos. The boat nousts are a mix of drystone walling and small and lengthy blocks. Don't know if this is handsome mishmash is the result of repairs or differing strengths needed. Certainly their origins lie before the old pier, as on the large-scale map the naust nearer to the pier shows as half lopped-off. Indeed though there may be more of it under the vegetation all you can see is a doubling of the wall with the remaining complete one. Close by the latter is a boatshed with two runners down to the sea, though it seems to be out of use as the doors' red paint is thoroughly fragmented.
Did think about taking the Scorradale road only to consider it a hill too far that day. So back up the ferry road and then left to the Clowally turn. Along the way I see two close steadings being demolished. If a replacement is being built I hope it will have suitably Orcadian features, not some wood monstosum that even on the mainland wouldna pass for traditional (come to that why do some drystane walls nowadays get Englished when re-built, this ain't The Peaks). At the rear of the large agricultural buildings Clowally has various lumps and bumps with stones sticking oot, including a big one, and even the O.S. shows no quaries this side. Perhaps a clue comes from its being named for a very old trackway going up to the ridge, according to Hugh Marwick's informant ("Orkney Farm Names" [sorely in need of a reprint and some sort of update, incomers would buy it in droves to name their new builds for instance]). Over from Clowally is the track I came up last time, likely part of said track (and possibly once going to Head Of Houton and the original kirk).
Continuing I came to an old dwelling on my left which I wrongly assumed to be Coubister as this was much further along the road. My error arises because I am terrible at gauging distances from maps- every time that I come this way my brain says Sower is just over the hill from Clowally [I am interested in the Castle, Hillock of Hoorse-ha (most likely not Broch Age but a smaller version of whatever lies beneath The Cairns in Eyrland, further towards Waithe)]. This site is Park Cottage at HY31140457, though it seems probable to me the cottage designation is late as it is evident that the present road has prevented its proper development. For what we have are three sections going diagonally up the hillside, each on its own level, though the furthest one has two windows and is the only one with chimneys too [a chimbley either end in fact] and behind it a wall is built back against the hill. The structure nearest the road has remained in use longest as it has a woodbeam and corrugated iron roof, whereas the other two stll have the remains of large slab roofing (small slab roofs are later). The middle section has been two features/structures as there is a vertical 'line' down the side - the first half has a stoop before the doorway and the second has a lintelled square/rectangular hole at the bottom next to the far end. Most of this is in the photos from roadside as I saw no near entry point for the field to proceed further this time. N.B. as elsewhere in Orkney "park" in the mediaeval sense, as in well parks or the parks of Scapa
At one point I fancied there were archaeologists up near the hill ridge looking fer summat as there were two or three big vehicles in what looked an out of the way place. Either that or perhaps a field studies group. Anyway they seemed to disperse sharpish as I watched so probably neither. Shortly after the northern end of the Scorradale road a gentleman who was trying a new way back fron a Renault dealer offered me a lift. I had refused an earlier offer (when the weather is fine a car interior can be fiercesome hot to the walker) and, realising higher powers were at work, got in. Went as far as the smithy junction before the Brig o' Waithe.
The tide being about to turn I did briefly consider that shore walk to Stromness again. Need to look at Quoyelsh again as last time what I thought to be a natural rock line at shore level showed up very artificial on the photo I took of something [probably] else. From the far end I then saw that at the very least this comprises a flat narrow rectilinear face from which the stone swept back in an arc and having rectangular forms at the other, which would mean this is the structure Marwick saw. Two options, that from this wall the building goes to the Point or that it comes to the shore - a very faint third possibily is that this is actually a collapsed vertical. Dave Lynn was wondering about the origins of the name Quoyelsh and my initial thought was the meaning for Elsness. Here the first element is thought to refer either to cramp (vitreous material, usually cinerary) or a cave. Of course with the Vikings this could be a kening i.e. it may have meant both. However, from my researches in The Orkney Room in this case the element appears to be the dialect word for an awl, thus referring to the Point itself. Still too close to high tide for a repeat walk. So I did something as it turned out equally daft.
Decided to attempt reaching the Cummi Ness sites from the north. So headed back towards Orphir, stopping a liittle short of Vasmire where on the west side of the road there is a [?track-turned-] drain runs to the shore by the side of the first fence I encountered. Made my way carefully as near the shore third 'burn' disappears below tallish vegetation. So continued down to the shore. This is composed of turf with watery channels running through and about, rather dodgy stuff. Almost the first thing that happened was my foot slipped in between. I fell forward, and whilst one hand sunk into the grass the other buried itself in one of the myriad potholes. A few metres further on my walking shoe went whoosh down a covered hole and the grungy water soaked onto my foot (fortunately not the one whose ankle I had twisted recently). From hereon in I went exceedingly careful. But after about 250m a real burn finally defeated me, so not even as far as Harbasue, let alone Dead Sand. At least from here I could see that the low mound where an aerial photo has the Cummi Ness cropmarks there is a similar one close to. I would say this is Gorrie's house as distinct from Gorrie's Knowe, though rather than being to do with a?Viking called Gorrie it strikes me as a variant of the placenaname Gyre/Gears (referring, then, to the triangular ness). From further photos the ness itself might not be so bad if you only approach it from the north by way of the broch as I originally thought. At least I tried. Decided not to risk going back via the drain but go to the bridge along the shore as much as possible. Only another 300m, so 850m in all ! At least there were small pieces of more pasture-like grass to my grand hopscotch now. Of that three hundred the first O.S. shows a path above high tide mark from where I had come down then turning back onto land after passing between an irregular tapering feature [? pond] about 20m long by roughly 3m wide and a much peedier version, from which another 100m to main road. There's probably some interesting stuff this side as from a very cursory inspection the tiny channels in one spot held fragments of a decorated dinner set [19thC perhaps] and in another a beer bottle, date unknown. Tide brought ?? Darn dodgy even with the right footwear. And then I had to climb up at the bridge as new fences stopped me going up any further from the shore.
Went to Unstan tomb again as I only have a slightly shaky picture of the bird on the lintel of the west chamber. Seem to be more graffiti than on the occasion I shot that. Though there is no mention of it in the 1884 papers there is plenty of evidence for such observational 'failures' of more famous sites even in recent times [and straightforward omissions]. If it weren't for the fact that this had been an unopened mound one would be thinking in terms of Pictish art. The neck seems short and the beak rather stubby for a loom (Great Northern Diver) or a scarf (cormorant). The neck might suit some geese, especially as there is a knob/Neb at the back of the beak. But the knobby beak aside a duck might be a better suit. Ah, skeldro 'sheldrake'. Evidence of its age is the wavy diagonal line that respects the bird instead of crossing it - perhap the lintel engraving had been intended as part of a larger scene.
I came to Brodgar the day before end of dig, as though they have made lovely discoveries on last days much will be be going back under black plastic early on the day. The 'shack' that is Bridgend had two workmen on top painting the roof brightly (but eventually abandoned the last corner for the day because of the rain later).
Past Bridgend went around the back of the Kokna-Cumming mound to come upon the Lesser Wall of Brodgar from behind by a gentler slope. Glad they have realised that this is a late feature as otherwise what would one make of the Brodgar standing stone pair straddling its view eastwards and the tomb outside its supposed remit. To me the point of it is to face the Staneyhill Tomb - I forget what they call it in political science but it is like gardeners "borrowing a view" by bringing a further vista into the visitor's eyeline. What does this mean for the hypothesis that the Greater Wall of Brodgar was meant to form a northern boundary to the whole Ness assemblage ? It doesn't seem to have any similar alignment [and perhaps too thick to find a statistically valid one anyhow] but is it equally late, performing a non-liminal function yet to be identified. At the bottom of the Lesser Wall's southern side there is now a pavement just under the level of the Wall base by the remains of what is to my eye another wall at a slight angle to the later Wall. Near the bottom of the Wall it looks to me as if there are what is left of two cruder walls parallel to one another over and at right angles to my putative earlier wall, and hence
the pavement below. To my dismay the area of trench behind the Wall has still not been dug below the level of its top. Probably a "health and safety" thing. Here there are two arcs of collapsed wall, perhaps an inner and outer section. Not that this necessarily means one or both had not been straight when still standing. Oh, I can barely wait for their investigation. And then maybe sometime they can go down to the Wall base here to see if the Lesser Wall might be part of some other structure yet.
On to the main Ness of Brodgar site a bit of height not only gains you perspective but also frees you of photographing beige stone against beige stone and having to decipher it later ! First up is the new to this season next-to-roadside observation platform with a long ramp for wheelchair access. Then there are the large spoil heaps by the northern and western sides, as long as you don't mind the shifting soil underfoot in places. The space between Lochview and the dig is too smaa for anything but a photographic tower for the bosses, and Joe Public can't use that. I thought that I hadn't been on the tower at the Howe of Howe but my memory plas me fause and I indeed took several shots from it. It amazes me that at first glance the site looks practically the same as last time. Up on the platform on this side of the site the bulk is taken up by Structure 10 on your left with its, ahem, standing stone. No work is ongoing in the 'cathedral' now. In front of the platform's near end Structure 8 is divine. Along the western edge are what I see as three sub-square interior cells but on plan I see are duplicated on the opposite side, forming two rectangular and one long oval sub-divisions of the whole. This is basically how it has looked since last year. But on my third visit of the season exterior to the northern wall at the trenches edge are (I think) three small strucures that make you think of mini-roundhouses. All this mixing of linear and circular or sub-circular forms throughout the site strike me as less a striving for a practical form [and/or effective ritual space] and more the search for an artistic vision, squaring the circle to put the art into architecture. Very nice, whatever. Next is the small Structure 7, pinned between 8 and the Structure 1+9 combo.
The latter can be seen from the first spoil heap. This is where I start. Today the weather lashed down from Lyde whilst I stood on top. Reminded me of the time when three seperate thunderstorms converged on Howe and I eventually went in to leave supervisor Stephen solitary like a tall lightning rod before he was finally ordered in. Up here the first thing you spot is a large circular wall arc [?9 - the structure plan on Orkneyjar is from the season's start] in front of which work has been going on in a linear structure apparently leading up and terminating before it with what I take to be either the wide facade of a forecourt or two flanking ?guard-cells. Looking left from this by the edge of the trench is a short length of low parallel orthostats that catch my eye but have been left behind for now.
From the top of the next spoil heap is a clear view of Structure 1, a large structure (oval or semi figure-of-eight) with rectangular niches or cells scattered along the interior edge. These are formed by the drystane walling (but multi-coloured) and tall thin orthostats. Near the trench edge to the right a double wall or pair of walls with pavement between them is nicely exposed. At the far end of the mound I look south to Structure 12, a large clean-looking oval with a couple of long cells. On my previous visit I only noticed the one nearest the spoil heap after I got back from an image taken near Lochview. That nearest the road looked as if someone had taken the Great Wall of Brodgar and removed the flesh to leave a rectangular skin.
The space between 12 and 10, or in 10, has three or four standing stones. I think they are roughly in a square. It is remarkable how many odd stones are scattered about the site, different in colour (red makes a change from beige) or shape (proper looking standing stones or blocky forms mostly). Not too much rhyme or reason for the most part, so I am thinking this is just a monumental version of picking up a pebble on a beach and taking it home.
All the above is only how I have this eclectic site in my mind's eye. Carefully as they excavate still there are different stages in any season's dig, structure's co-mingle and turn out to be part of other's. During an extended period of experimentation you can't even sort features out by materials used. And any single structure can be such a glorious mix of drystane walls, slabs, orthostats and standing stones, along with what I might call exhibition pieces.
By the time I am done with all three cameras there are still twenty minutes until the next tour and I give a moment's thought to tagging along for the display of new finds at its end. You are never sure what will be displayed or whether you will be able to take piccies, the latter depends on the group more than the presenter. When you're feeling faint walking is better than standing, for the former is merely a controlled fall biologically speaking. So straight on to Tormiston and the bus home.
Took the bus to Houton, which backs up opposite the lodge. Leaving the new ferry pier behind I decide to have another peek at the nausts down this side of the next pier. They still haul boats here and I see there is an exceedingly narrow path twisting down the bank a couple of metres high, so take myself down for more photos. The boat nousts are a mix of drystone walling and small and lengthy blocks. Don't know if this is handsome mishmash is the result of repairs or differing strengths needed. Certainly their origins lie before the old pier, as on the large-scale map the naust nearer to the pier shows as half lopped-off. Indeed though there may be more of it under the vegetation all you can see is a doubling of the wall with the remaining complete one. Close by the latter is a boatshed with two runners down to the sea, though it seems to be out of use as the doors' red paint is thoroughly fragmented.
Did think about taking the Scorradale road only to consider it a hill too far that day. So back up the ferry road and then left to the Clowally turn. Along the way I see two close steadings being demolished. If a replacement is being built I hope it will have suitably Orcadian features, not some wood monstosum that even on the mainland wouldna pass for traditional (come to that why do some drystane walls nowadays get Englished when re-built, this ain't The Peaks). At the rear of the large agricultural buildings Clowally has various lumps and bumps with stones sticking oot, including a big one, and even the O.S. shows no quaries this side. Perhaps a clue comes from its being named for a very old trackway going up to the ridge, according to Hugh Marwick's informant ("Orkney Farm Names" [sorely in need of a reprint and some sort of update, incomers would buy it in droves to name their new builds for instance]). Over from Clowally is the track I came up last time, likely part of said track (and possibly once going to Head Of Houton and the original kirk).
Continuing I came to an old dwelling on my left which I wrongly assumed to be Coubister as this was much further along the road. My error arises because I am terrible at gauging distances from maps- every time that I come this way my brain says Sower is just over the hill from Clowally [I am interested in the Castle, Hillock of Hoorse-ha (most likely not Broch Age but a smaller version of whatever lies beneath The Cairns in Eyrland, further towards Waithe)]. This site is Park Cottage at HY31140457, though it seems probable to me the cottage designation is late as it is evident that the present road has prevented its proper development. For what we have are three sections going diagonally up the hillside, each on its own level, though the furthest one has two windows and is the only one with chimneys too [a chimbley either end in fact] and behind it a wall is built back against the hill. The structure nearest the road has remained in use longest as it has a woodbeam and corrugated iron roof, whereas the other two stll have the remains of large slab roofing (small slab roofs are later). The middle section has been two features/structures as there is a vertical 'line' down the side - the first half has a stoop before the doorway and the second has a lintelled square/rectangular hole at the bottom next to the far end. Most of this is in the photos from roadside as I saw no near entry point for the field to proceed further this time. N.B. as elsewhere in Orkney "park" in the mediaeval sense, as in well parks or the parks of Scapa
At one point I fancied there were archaeologists up near the hill ridge looking fer summat as there were two or three big vehicles in what looked an out of the way place. Either that or perhaps a field studies group. Anyway they seemed to disperse sharpish as I watched so probably neither. Shortly after the northern end of the Scorradale road a gentleman who was trying a new way back fron a Renault dealer offered me a lift. I had refused an earlier offer (when the weather is fine a car interior can be fiercesome hot to the walker) and, realising higher powers were at work, got in. Went as far as the smithy junction before the Brig o' Waithe.
The tide being about to turn I did briefly consider that shore walk to Stromness again. Need to look at Quoyelsh again as last time what I thought to be a natural rock line at shore level showed up very artificial on the photo I took of something [probably] else. From the far end I then saw that at the very least this comprises a flat narrow rectilinear face from which the stone swept back in an arc and having rectangular forms at the other, which would mean this is the structure Marwick saw. Two options, that from this wall the building goes to the Point or that it comes to the shore - a very faint third possibily is that this is actually a collapsed vertical. Dave Lynn was wondering about the origins of the name Quoyelsh and my initial thought was the meaning for Elsness. Here the first element is thought to refer either to cramp (vitreous material, usually cinerary) or a cave. Of course with the Vikings this could be a kening i.e. it may have meant both. However, from my researches in The Orkney Room in this case the element appears to be the dialect word for an awl, thus referring to the Point itself. Still too close to high tide for a repeat walk. So I did something as it turned out equally daft.
Decided to attempt reaching the Cummi Ness sites from the north. So headed back towards Orphir, stopping a liittle short of Vasmire where on the west side of the road there is a [?track-turned-] drain runs to the shore by the side of the first fence I encountered. Made my way carefully as near the shore third 'burn' disappears below tallish vegetation. So continued down to the shore. This is composed of turf with watery channels running through and about, rather dodgy stuff. Almost the first thing that happened was my foot slipped in between. I fell forward, and whilst one hand sunk into the grass the other buried itself in one of the myriad potholes. A few metres further on my walking shoe went whoosh down a covered hole and the grungy water soaked onto my foot (fortunately not the one whose ankle I had twisted recently). From hereon in I went exceedingly careful. But after about 250m a real burn finally defeated me, so not even as far as Harbasue, let alone Dead Sand. At least from here I could see that the low mound where an aerial photo has the Cummi Ness cropmarks there is a similar one close to. I would say this is Gorrie's house as distinct from Gorrie's Knowe, though rather than being to do with a?Viking called Gorrie it strikes me as a variant of the placenaname Gyre/Gears (referring, then, to the triangular ness). From further photos the ness itself might not be so bad if you only approach it from the north by way of the broch as I originally thought. At least I tried. Decided not to risk going back via the drain but go to the bridge along the shore as much as possible. Only another 300m, so 850m in all ! At least there were small pieces of more pasture-like grass to my grand hopscotch now. Of that three hundred the first O.S. shows a path above high tide mark from where I had come down then turning back onto land after passing between an irregular tapering feature [? pond] about 20m long by roughly 3m wide and a much peedier version, from which another 100m to main road. There's probably some interesting stuff this side as from a very cursory inspection the tiny channels in one spot held fragments of a decorated dinner set [19thC perhaps] and in another a beer bottle, date unknown. Tide brought ?? Darn dodgy even with the right footwear. And then I had to climb up at the bridge as new fences stopped me going up any further from the shore.
Went to Unstan tomb again as I only have a slightly shaky picture of the bird on the lintel of the west chamber. Seem to be more graffiti than on the occasion I shot that. Though there is no mention of it in the 1884 papers there is plenty of evidence for such observational 'failures' of more famous sites even in recent times [and straightforward omissions]. If it weren't for the fact that this had been an unopened mound one would be thinking in terms of Pictish art. The neck seems short and the beak rather stubby for a loom (Great Northern Diver) or a scarf (cormorant). The neck might suit some geese, especially as there is a knob/Neb at the back of the beak. But the knobby beak aside a duck might be a better suit. Ah, skeldro 'sheldrake'. Evidence of its age is the wavy diagonal line that respects the bird instead of crossing it - perhap the lintel engraving had been intended as part of a larger scene.
I came to Brodgar the day before end of dig, as though they have made lovely discoveries on last days much will be be going back under black plastic early on the day. The 'shack' that is Bridgend had two workmen on top painting the roof brightly (but eventually abandoned the last corner for the day because of the rain later).
Past Bridgend went around the back of the Kokna-Cumming mound to come upon the Lesser Wall of Brodgar from behind by a gentler slope. Glad they have realised that this is a late feature as otherwise what would one make of the Brodgar standing stone pair straddling its view eastwards and the tomb outside its supposed remit. To me the point of it is to face the Staneyhill Tomb - I forget what they call it in political science but it is like gardeners "borrowing a view" by bringing a further vista into the visitor's eyeline. What does this mean for the hypothesis that the Greater Wall of Brodgar was meant to form a northern boundary to the whole Ness assemblage ? It doesn't seem to have any similar alignment [and perhaps too thick to find a statistically valid one anyhow] but is it equally late, performing a non-liminal function yet to be identified. At the bottom of the Lesser Wall's southern side there is now a pavement just under the level of the Wall base by the remains of what is to my eye another wall at a slight angle to the later Wall. Near the bottom of the Wall it looks to me as if there are what is left of two cruder walls parallel to one another over and at right angles to my putative earlier wall, and hence
the pavement below. To my dismay the area of trench behind the Wall has still not been dug below the level of its top. Probably a "health and safety" thing. Here there are two arcs of collapsed wall, perhaps an inner and outer section. Not that this necessarily means one or both had not been straight when still standing. Oh, I can barely wait for their investigation. And then maybe sometime they can go down to the Wall base here to see if the Lesser Wall might be part of some other structure yet.
On to the main Ness of Brodgar site a bit of height not only gains you perspective but also frees you of photographing beige stone against beige stone and having to decipher it later ! First up is the new to this season next-to-roadside observation platform with a long ramp for wheelchair access. Then there are the large spoil heaps by the northern and western sides, as long as you don't mind the shifting soil underfoot in places. The space between Lochview and the dig is too smaa for anything but a photographic tower for the bosses, and Joe Public can't use that. I thought that I hadn't been on the tower at the Howe of Howe but my memory plas me fause and I indeed took several shots from it. It amazes me that at first glance the site looks practically the same as last time. Up on the platform on this side of the site the bulk is taken up by Structure 10 on your left with its, ahem, standing stone. No work is ongoing in the 'cathedral' now. In front of the platform's near end Structure 8 is divine. Along the western edge are what I see as three sub-square interior cells but on plan I see are duplicated on the opposite side, forming two rectangular and one long oval sub-divisions of the whole. This is basically how it has looked since last year. But on my third visit of the season exterior to the northern wall at the trenches edge are (I think) three small strucures that make you think of mini-roundhouses. All this mixing of linear and circular or sub-circular forms throughout the site strike me as less a striving for a practical form [and/or effective ritual space] and more the search for an artistic vision, squaring the circle to put the art into architecture. Very nice, whatever. Next is the small Structure 7, pinned between 8 and the Structure 1+9 combo.
The latter can be seen from the first spoil heap. This is where I start. Today the weather lashed down from Lyde whilst I stood on top. Reminded me of the time when three seperate thunderstorms converged on Howe and I eventually went in to leave supervisor Stephen solitary like a tall lightning rod before he was finally ordered in. Up here the first thing you spot is a large circular wall arc [?9 - the structure plan on Orkneyjar is from the season's start] in front of which work has been going on in a linear structure apparently leading up and terminating before it with what I take to be either the wide facade of a forecourt or two flanking ?guard-cells. Looking left from this by the edge of the trench is a short length of low parallel orthostats that catch my eye but have been left behind for now.
From the top of the next spoil heap is a clear view of Structure 1, a large structure (oval or semi figure-of-eight) with rectangular niches or cells scattered along the interior edge. These are formed by the drystane walling (but multi-coloured) and tall thin orthostats. Near the trench edge to the right a double wall or pair of walls with pavement between them is nicely exposed. At the far end of the mound I look south to Structure 12, a large clean-looking oval with a couple of long cells. On my previous visit I only noticed the one nearest the spoil heap after I got back from an image taken near Lochview. That nearest the road looked as if someone had taken the Great Wall of Brodgar and removed the flesh to leave a rectangular skin.
The space between 12 and 10, or in 10, has three or four standing stones. I think they are roughly in a square. It is remarkable how many odd stones are scattered about the site, different in colour (red makes a change from beige) or shape (proper looking standing stones or blocky forms mostly). Not too much rhyme or reason for the most part, so I am thinking this is just a monumental version of picking up a pebble on a beach and taking it home.
All the above is only how I have this eclectic site in my mind's eye. Carefully as they excavate still there are different stages in any season's dig, structure's co-mingle and turn out to be part of other's. During an extended period of experimentation you can't even sort features out by materials used. And any single structure can be such a glorious mix of drystane walls, slabs, orthostats and standing stones, along with what I might call exhibition pieces.
By the time I am done with all three cameras there are still twenty minutes until the next tour and I give a moment's thought to tagging along for the display of new finds at its end. You are never sure what will be displayed or whether you will be able to take piccies, the latter depends on the group more than the presenter. When you're feeling faint walking is better than standing, for the former is merely a controlled fall biologically speaking. So straight on to Tormiston and the bus home.
Labels: Clowally, Cummi Ness, Gorrie Knowe, Hoorse-ha, Houton, naust, Ness of Brodgar, noust, Onston, Park Cottage, Quoyelsh, Unstan
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
HOUTON-CLOWALLY-ORPHIR July 23rd 2010
Been meaning to get back to Orphir parish for a few weeks now (went last week to Horse Rock at Hesti Geo bay below Foveran restaurant but that doesn't really count as apparently its now in St.Ola, though did take some pictures of the NMRS-less nausts [HY424074] whilst there). Instead of the originally intended long walk to Kirkwall (taking in Congesquoy) doing a circular route between Houton and Orphir 'village' as recently I have been photographing vegetation-bounded tracks and farmroads and this is a good area for them. So a Houton bus return it was. The bus stopped in front of Houton Lodge, just east of the present pier. The next pier along is the old one and down below the road end of this pier walking on there are boat nousts [HY3187804029] in better nick than those at Hesti Geo, though equally without a NMRS record. I think the reason why only a few stones poked out there is that they were in the grass at the end of the ravine whilst here they are down on the shore itself and I think thicker walled. Also they look to have been in use (until?) slightly more recently. One of the two here is in excellent preservation with all the drystone walling surviving that enclosed it whilst the other only has that surviving that seperates it from the other. Both can be seen if you drill down
deep on Pastmap, in spite of having no record there. The next pier along is shorter, of stone and comes out from the back of a small house, so for the householder's use I guess. Looking uphill one of many Orphir quarries (Quoybanks?) is right at the tippy-top, limned side on against the skyline. Probably this is the one that is to be re-opened to supply flagstones for Stromness. Look left and a little further down by a cleft are several ruins, some associated with the quarries.
At this point I decided to follow the road going towards Head of Houton and try and follow the track up to Clowally. On the left is Little Howth, the small place with a walled garden. Next is Howth itself, a proper two-storey house on the shore side of the road. On the other side of the road is a rectangular ruin sitting edge on to the road but several metres back from it. Perhaps this was the original Howth or perhaps somewhere that lost its name before the O.S. Perhaps simply a mill belonging to Howth. Certainly it is a mill. You can see the circular structure at the back third like Millquoy in Finstown.On the 1:25,000 you can just about make out the short line above that which was the sluice diverting a burn into the path of the mill. After Howth the minor road turns left and up, then turns left to Quoy of Houton, immediately before which it takes a final right to the last property Keldaquoy. Then the farm track starts - pleasantly surprised there are no obstacles to surmount. Look down on the Holm of Houton from a new direction with the whole of this island set before me. A lovely broad track with high and wide verges full of flower. Further up the hill on the left I see a solitary erect stone, around five foot high at a guess, edge on to the verge. Angled top with crisp lines cut machine straight. Also on the left is a side-shoot of the Clowally track fenced off. Same dimensions it heads northwards down the valley some distance and then what looks to be a continuation makes an angle and goes some more. Can't see its whyfore or end point - would love it to be going to Orakirk in the same manner that the 50/50 road took folk from Orphir to Stenness Kirk for services. In the last field before the road, again on the left, there are two more large erect stones. Tall and triangular but slightly less mechanical in feel, especially as one has a 'broken' not quite flat top. They stand perpendicular to one another a metre or so apart - my ankle still dodgy so I don't take the gate for a closer look [anyway, that is what zooms are for :-) ]. They are well beyond the field corner but perhaps the boundary shifted when the built the main road. Any road up the farmer has chosen to leave them there, which must make some kind of statement. Near these Clowley stones [HY31110439] up on the verge is where I went for a blistering panorama. The best ever view here of the whole of Stromness (from Warebeth right over to a mast t'other side of town [Maraquoy above the Howe road ??] ) and Graemsay, Hoy and most of Waas (the other half of Hoy). The higher hills may give a broader view (yet from further away) and the coastline be closer (too close to get all) but this is full on bliss.
Onto the main road and swooping down over Houton and across to the west end of the Bu/Gyre road. Here begins a smaller circular route that can include a smaller one still if you choose the coast. At the corners sits Grindally House. This rather grand private house (crenellated a la Hall of Tankerness) is rather late for a mansion house, being built 'only' in 1910 on a green site. It sits on a grassy terrace with a few steps of pale stone steps going down to ground level. There are a few small buildings behind it and a nice little wood on three sides. I think the new owners have finished the renovations now an its a bonnie house with a lovely clean profile. But, like I said, strictly private. Today I decided to take the uphill side first, following the main road up to the Scorradale junction and beyond. Sitting on a bridge and looking across the Congesquoy mound is framed by two rises like a setting sun mid-roll. Its almost as if this view had been designed. However there doesn't appear to be anything prehistoric this side of things, so most likely Mother Nature at work. Somewhere betwixt road and sea there are a pair of phase 1 gateposts [large, circular, of drystone construction] with a ruined house offset beyond them (Gerwin perhaps). Coming up to the edges of Orphir village in
a field on the left is a small mound that could have given its name to Cairnton on the other side (the house with a high wall that appears to have been built over the inner end of a small stone hut thingey, leaving the rest outwith the grounds). Finally reach the church down the side of which the Gyre/Bu road begins.
Had intended to take shots of Congesquoy with the digital camera but the way there choc-a-bloc with sheep, too many to risk scattering. Anyway the mound is sporting too much undergrowth now (though the scrapes are visible though binoculars still). At the corner after this one is a piece of ground that looks to have been cut off by the road. Continuing the line of the road on the other side of the burn is drystane dyke going uphill towards where Windbreck (RCAHMS NMRS record no. HY30NW 27 shown by aerial photo at HY33810516) used to be. At the top of the rise can make out the top of a phase 1 gatepost. Rounding the corner going down to Gyre looking across I see that its companion gatepost is not a drystane pillar but an ordinary erect stone. So has half a pair disappeared or was it always thusly ? Down at Gyre go a little down the hill on the Bu road to take photos looking up the way (at the bottom of the hill on the Gyre side were once the remains of a kirk and/or graveyard, in Norquoy field over the millburn from the Round Church). On the north side of the road is the triangular patch of land where cinerary 'urns' were found. At its NW edge entry to a field is by way of another pair of those fine gateposts. From here a track runs up the inside of the fieldwall to where Windbreck stood then on to Morton (HY30NW 16 at HY33760530). There are two more pairs of phase 1 gateposts along the way, a set across the path and another at right angles in the field wall (for long-gone Gossaquoy before Windbreck I suppose). All these gateposts of well-fitting stones. Beginning to think Gyre is later than what I take to be a threefold tunship of Morton+Gerwin+Windbreck.
Still not having the nerve to look for the last discovered cist in the farmyard - I know the owner of Orphir House is the archaeologist's friend, but others work here, and the right to roam is one thing, haunting a man's kailyard another ! So back and walking the coastal circular starting with the road to the small set of houses at Breck. As mentioned on another occasion the stretch going down to Gyre Burn has the feel of a hollow way, a steepish incline overshadowed by trees. Diverted myself along the woodland walk. Quite nice but you're never quite certain which bits 'belong' to it and someone has been seemingly deliberately churning the ground with their boots. Near the burn below Gyre an area called Moss Park was renamed Nutfield after a find of hazelnuts in the myre that must surely have acted as a beacon for the earliest settlers. Up the other side over to Swanbister Bay can be seen two buildings that are the remains of Piggar after which the sands and another [supposed] chapel site, Cairns o' Piggar, are named.
Reaching the houses the coastal path itself starts to the left after the small walled enclosure (a plantie creugh I think). Plenty of insects milling about on the umbellifers beside the path. Saw two bumblebees new to me, a peedie one roughly a centimetre across that escaped my camera and an extra-large humble bee an inch-and-a-half to two inches long I think.
Turn right at the cliff. Took distant shots of islands other besides Flotta, but frankly it is rather difficult to tell these from parts of the larger islands of Burray (Hunda possibly) with the windmill and South Ronaldsay (Hoxa) behind. Left to right must include Calf of Flotta (in front of east end of Flotta), Fara and Cava (lighthouse on Calf of Cava at west end). Easiest to identify from here is the smallest and nearest, with what looks like a tiny lighthouse on it. This is called the Barrel of Butter. The given explanation is that there may be a revenue or tithe connection, but you feel their heart's not in it and the name has been jumbled over time then [re?]englished. Last time I came this way a pair of ravens had cornered a piece of clifftop real-estate and I hoped for closer photos with the Casio. They were a no show, only some fulmars flew past. Then a dark shape flew real close. However, in the brief time it took to register that it wasn't an immature seagull the skua was ahead of my camera's start-up time. Saw another a while later which whizzed past further away. Ah well. All too soon the walk came downhill to the millburn. Coming to the bridge in the water saw some fry, one of which kept to and froing in the deeper water on the upstream side of the bridge. Big beggars about four or so inches long. Probably enough depth-of-focus to get them except that surface sun took the limelight for itself. On through the kirkyard and by the Round Church and Bu onto the main road. If the Earl's Palace had been here surely the Earl's Bu would not have that name but be known as the Earl's P(a)lace instead. I believe the Girth house to have been a priest-staffed infirmary with a chapel attached, a hospice set up in thanks after the visit to Jerusalem. End of coastal walk and out to Grindally House.
Arrived at Houton a few minutes ahead of the bus. Good low tide exposing rocks between Holm of Houton and land. Johnston contended that Orphir started out as only Orfira's-ey i.e. the Holm and the land about. Because once the rocks of Swinchitaing [aka Kirkhouse] were part of ground connecting with the mainland. Which could give us The Head of Houton as the first earl's place and chapel on one side and a [later] kirk priest's house on the other. So I was obviously delighted to be able to make out the line from Holm to Houton. Alack and alas. like most digital compacts there are way too few f-stops and the very bright day outshone even the Casi's talents, even at a thousandth. Sigh.
Been meaning to get back to Orphir parish for a few weeks now (went last week to Horse Rock at Hesti Geo bay below Foveran restaurant but that doesn't really count as apparently its now in St.Ola, though did take some pictures of the NMRS-less nausts [HY424074] whilst there). Instead of the originally intended long walk to Kirkwall (taking in Congesquoy) doing a circular route between Houton and Orphir 'village' as recently I have been photographing vegetation-bounded tracks and farmroads and this is a good area for them. So a Houton bus return it was. The bus stopped in front of Houton Lodge, just east of the present pier. The next pier along is the old one and down below the road end of this pier walking on there are boat nousts [HY3187804029] in better nick than those at Hesti Geo, though equally without a NMRS record. I think the reason why only a few stones poked out there is that they were in the grass at the end of the ravine whilst here they are down on the shore itself and I think thicker walled. Also they look to have been in use (until?) slightly more recently. One of the two here is in excellent preservation with all the drystone walling surviving that enclosed it whilst the other only has that surviving that seperates it from the other. Both can be seen if you drill down
deep on Pastmap, in spite of having no record there. The next pier along is shorter, of stone and comes out from the back of a small house, so for the householder's use I guess. Looking uphill one of many Orphir quarries (Quoybanks?) is right at the tippy-top, limned side on against the skyline. Probably this is the one that is to be re-opened to supply flagstones for Stromness. Look left and a little further down by a cleft are several ruins, some associated with the quarries.
At this point I decided to follow the road going towards Head of Houton and try and follow the track up to Clowally. On the left is Little Howth, the small place with a walled garden. Next is Howth itself, a proper two-storey house on the shore side of the road. On the other side of the road is a rectangular ruin sitting edge on to the road but several metres back from it. Perhaps this was the original Howth or perhaps somewhere that lost its name before the O.S. Perhaps simply a mill belonging to Howth. Certainly it is a mill. You can see the circular structure at the back third like Millquoy in Finstown.On the 1:25,000 you can just about make out the short line above that which was the sluice diverting a burn into the path of the mill. After Howth the minor road turns left and up, then turns left to Quoy of Houton, immediately before which it takes a final right to the last property Keldaquoy. Then the farm track starts - pleasantly surprised there are no obstacles to surmount. Look down on the Holm of Houton from a new direction with the whole of this island set before me. A lovely broad track with high and wide verges full of flower. Further up the hill on the left I see a solitary erect stone, around five foot high at a guess, edge on to the verge. Angled top with crisp lines cut machine straight. Also on the left is a side-shoot of the Clowally track fenced off. Same dimensions it heads northwards down the valley some distance and then what looks to be a continuation makes an angle and goes some more. Can't see its whyfore or end point - would love it to be going to Orakirk in the same manner that the 50/50 road took folk from Orphir to Stenness Kirk for services. In the last field before the road, again on the left, there are two more large erect stones. Tall and triangular but slightly less mechanical in feel, especially as one has a 'broken' not quite flat top. They stand perpendicular to one another a metre or so apart - my ankle still dodgy so I don't take the gate for a closer look [anyway, that is what zooms are for :-) ]. They are well beyond the field corner but perhaps the boundary shifted when the built the main road. Any road up the farmer has chosen to leave them there, which must make some kind of statement. Near these Clowley stones [HY31110439] up on the verge is where I went for a blistering panorama. The best ever view here of the whole of Stromness (from Warebeth right over to a mast t'other side of town [Maraquoy above the Howe road ??] ) and Graemsay, Hoy and most of Waas (the other half of Hoy). The higher hills may give a broader view (yet from further away) and the coastline be closer (too close to get all) but this is full on bliss.
Onto the main road and swooping down over Houton and across to the west end of the Bu/Gyre road. Here begins a smaller circular route that can include a smaller one still if you choose the coast. At the corners sits Grindally House. This rather grand private house (crenellated a la Hall of Tankerness) is rather late for a mansion house, being built 'only' in 1910 on a green site. It sits on a grassy terrace with a few steps of pale stone steps going down to ground level. There are a few small buildings behind it and a nice little wood on three sides. I think the new owners have finished the renovations now an its a bonnie house with a lovely clean profile. But, like I said, strictly private. Today I decided to take the uphill side first, following the main road up to the Scorradale junction and beyond. Sitting on a bridge and looking across the Congesquoy mound is framed by two rises like a setting sun mid-roll. Its almost as if this view had been designed. However there doesn't appear to be anything prehistoric this side of things, so most likely Mother Nature at work. Somewhere betwixt road and sea there are a pair of phase 1 gateposts [large, circular, of drystone construction] with a ruined house offset beyond them (Gerwin perhaps). Coming up to the edges of Orphir village in
a field on the left is a small mound that could have given its name to Cairnton on the other side (the house with a high wall that appears to have been built over the inner end of a small stone hut thingey, leaving the rest outwith the grounds). Finally reach the church down the side of which the Gyre/Bu road begins.
Had intended to take shots of Congesquoy with the digital camera but the way there choc-a-bloc with sheep, too many to risk scattering. Anyway the mound is sporting too much undergrowth now (though the scrapes are visible though binoculars still). At the corner after this one is a piece of ground that looks to have been cut off by the road. Continuing the line of the road on the other side of the burn is drystane dyke going uphill towards where Windbreck (RCAHMS NMRS record no. HY30NW 27 shown by aerial photo at HY33810516) used to be. At the top of the rise can make out the top of a phase 1 gatepost. Rounding the corner going down to Gyre looking across I see that its companion gatepost is not a drystane pillar but an ordinary erect stone. So has half a pair disappeared or was it always thusly ? Down at Gyre go a little down the hill on the Bu road to take photos looking up the way (at the bottom of the hill on the Gyre side were once the remains of a kirk and/or graveyard, in Norquoy field over the millburn from the Round Church). On the north side of the road is the triangular patch of land where cinerary 'urns' were found. At its NW edge entry to a field is by way of another pair of those fine gateposts. From here a track runs up the inside of the fieldwall to where Windbreck stood then on to Morton (HY30NW 16 at HY33760530). There are two more pairs of phase 1 gateposts along the way, a set across the path and another at right angles in the field wall (for long-gone Gossaquoy before Windbreck I suppose). All these gateposts of well-fitting stones. Beginning to think Gyre is later than what I take to be a threefold tunship of Morton+Gerwin+Windbreck.
Still not having the nerve to look for the last discovered cist in the farmyard - I know the owner of Orphir House is the archaeologist's friend, but others work here, and the right to roam is one thing, haunting a man's kailyard another ! So back and walking the coastal circular starting with the road to the small set of houses at Breck. As mentioned on another occasion the stretch going down to Gyre Burn has the feel of a hollow way, a steepish incline overshadowed by trees. Diverted myself along the woodland walk. Quite nice but you're never quite certain which bits 'belong' to it and someone has been seemingly deliberately churning the ground with their boots. Near the burn below Gyre an area called Moss Park was renamed Nutfield after a find of hazelnuts in the myre that must surely have acted as a beacon for the earliest settlers. Up the other side over to Swanbister Bay can be seen two buildings that are the remains of Piggar after which the sands and another [supposed] chapel site, Cairns o' Piggar, are named.
Reaching the houses the coastal path itself starts to the left after the small walled enclosure (a plantie creugh I think). Plenty of insects milling about on the umbellifers beside the path. Saw two bumblebees new to me, a peedie one roughly a centimetre across that escaped my camera and an extra-large humble bee an inch-and-a-half to two inches long I think.
Turn right at the cliff. Took distant shots of islands other besides Flotta, but frankly it is rather difficult to tell these from parts of the larger islands of Burray (Hunda possibly) with the windmill and South Ronaldsay (Hoxa) behind. Left to right must include Calf of Flotta (in front of east end of Flotta), Fara and Cava (lighthouse on Calf of Cava at west end). Easiest to identify from here is the smallest and nearest, with what looks like a tiny lighthouse on it. This is called the Barrel of Butter. The given explanation is that there may be a revenue or tithe connection, but you feel their heart's not in it and the name has been jumbled over time then [re?]englished. Last time I came this way a pair of ravens had cornered a piece of clifftop real-estate and I hoped for closer photos with the Casio. They were a no show, only some fulmars flew past. Then a dark shape flew real close. However, in the brief time it took to register that it wasn't an immature seagull the skua was ahead of my camera's start-up time. Saw another a while later which whizzed past further away. Ah well. All too soon the walk came downhill to the millburn. Coming to the bridge in the water saw some fry, one of which kept to and froing in the deeper water on the upstream side of the bridge. Big beggars about four or so inches long. Probably enough depth-of-focus to get them except that surface sun took the limelight for itself. On through the kirkyard and by the Round Church and Bu onto the main road. If the Earl's Palace had been here surely the Earl's Bu would not have that name but be known as the Earl's P(a)lace instead. I believe the Girth house to have been a priest-staffed infirmary with a chapel attached, a hospice set up in thanks after the visit to Jerusalem. End of coastal walk and out to Grindally House.
Arrived at Houton a few minutes ahead of the bus. Good low tide exposing rocks between Holm of Houton and land. Johnston contended that Orphir started out as only Orfira's-ey i.e. the Holm and the land about. Because once the rocks of Swinchitaing [aka Kirkhouse] were part of ground connecting with the mainland. Which could give us The Head of Houton as the first earl's place and chapel on one side and a [later] kirk priest's house on the other. So I was obviously delighted to be able to make out the line from Holm to Houton. Alack and alas. like most digital compacts there are way too few f-stops and the very bright day outshone even the Casi's talents, even at a thousandth. Sigh.
Labels: Grindally, Gyre, Houton, Howth, nausts, nousts
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Earl Paul's 'Palace'
Reading the Orkneyingasaga there is an hiatus between mention of the farm or farmstead and the mention of the drinking-hall et al. which looks to me as if they are seperate places, leaving the way open for a consideration of any number of places as the setting for the earl's p(a)lace and kirk. Only the farm needs to have a 'height' from which the island of Damsay could be seen. For now let us assume that the specified topography apart from this point does apply to the murder's locale.
Despite Pope's failure to find any native tradition for the site of Sweyn's murder, a scant few decades later Oback in Tuskerbister is named. Actually there are at least two Obacks north of Kirbister loch, that so named at present and the "old Oback" which the map Johnstone reproduces (with additions) calls only Oba.
The first of these is up at the top of a hill the other side of the former seasonal Loch of Lummagen from Kebro farm. It sits just below the track that goes to the Slack of Oback (the dale head) whence some said the killer fled to Firth. According to which map you peruse there was a quarry to one side or below the present Oback. Directly before reaching Oback there is a long low-ish mound running roughly E-W, centred at HY355107 in a narrow field trackside above. On the Kebro end there is exposed fragmented stone in an earth matrix. The mound presents the appearence of division and there are various small slabs in and on it. The Obak end dips sharply into a hollow. When describing the Oback site's similarity to the earl's place in Torfaeus perhaps the Rev.Liddell saw in this latter the vaulted cellar. Of course resemblance is not identity, and on my second visit I saw a shallow trench dug across for a small blue plastic pipe had revealed that (here at least) all that lies beneath the surface is homogenous dark clay (almost black).
Then in the valley below, down on the Burn of Skaill, is Oba. The ruined steading upstream of the trees has no seperate entry but is mentioned in connection with the supposed foundations (pointed out by a farmer one genration removed from the antiquarians time) of Tuskerbister chapel, HY31SW 7 at HY35481035, as being to their NE. The Ordnance Survey could find the platform but not the graveyard on the opposite bank. Neither did they find any trace of the "earl's palace and church". Which is hardly surprising as Omond specifically writes that this site lay above, but close to, old Oback, whereas the platform is downstream in the direction of the district's Skaill farm. Likely there has been a confusion between the kirk and burial place being on opposite banks and the earls "palace" having faced his church. Oba is tight to the NW corner of a long narrow field straddling the burn. This enclosure's odd shape is partly due to the burn's passage through it. From the north an unusual curved track comes down to where the burn cuts across the top of the field. There is a ford crossing the stream at this point. I haven't yet figured an easy way up the burn but on an image taken from Skaill farm I notice a probable mound upstream of Oba on the higher opposite bank.
At one time the Hillock of Breakna broch at Swanbister, HY30NE 13 at HY35330508, had been proposed as the earl's palace only for it to turn out that this had arisen by the changing of a map legend. And it is argued that there is not enogh space between here and the sea for the church. However erosion is a consideration, great chunks of coast disappearing in a single storm or landslide in Orkney. Always presuming that the rectangular structure subsequently built into the eastern side of the broch isn't, as often in these situations, the church itself. Which would still leave us missing a bu - Sweanabow farm way up near the top of the Swanbister road being merely common pasturage. The only (?traditional) church [and burial-ground] site was in an area to the west, HY30NE 12 at HY35151502. However the fact that said site is called the Cairns of Piggar does raise the possibilty of a suite of buildings having been there if this was indeed a kirk. In 1870 deer antlers were found in the vicinity.
Until the 19th century Bow farm consisted of three 'cottages' in a line closely set. Perhaps these are a development of the "magnificent building" in Torfaeus. In which case the great house would have been the drinking hall, making the south house the church's descendant. Or else the three structures comprise the bu farm and the church would have been in the region of the north kirkyard wall but downslope by the burn bank. On the other hand the association of the Bu of Orphir with an Earl's Bu, or more specifically with that place mentioned in connection with Sweyn Breistrop, only dates back to the speculation of Alexander Pope. As the farm of Bow it is more likely to have been land held in common, like Sweanabow but occuring in an area even more archaeologically dense. Similarly with the Round Church it was originally referred to as the Girth House, with no ecclesiastical connection - the tradition being that it had been an asylum. Grand though the Round Church is it may simply have been attached to a non-ecclesiastical establishment. Its being an occupied site gives a better reason for the accumulation of five feet of midden. Also I find it rather odd that the church road goes both south and north of the Bu churchyard, normally one would expect that the kirk itself at at the end of a church road rather than there being some kind of drive-around. Perhaps one branch went on to the church field at Gyre ?? It appears to me that the church road was not named for any kirk at the Bu of Orphir. Before striking up sharply for Bow farm this track bent down to a site at the western Bu boundary called Harproo 'head of the stream' , HY30SW 16 at HY332042, a traditional chapel site where stones and large bones were found. In 1980 north-south foundations were found in the right place, though this is being eroded where it meets the coast. The massive 136' wall Johnstone excavated actually ran under the north branch of the church road, and if this were the southern side of the Orkneyingasaga site's 'palace' I would have expected the chapel to have been closer to the present kirkyard wall than the Round Church is. If the asylum of tradition had been mediaeval then it would have been in charge of the clerics - could the excavated wall have belonged to, say, a monasterium ?
One option Johnstone mentioned is that the name Orphir originally only applied to the region around Houton, specifically the area about the tidal Holm of Houton, and that the Earl's Bu started there before the name was transferred to the present Bu of Orphir. If this had been the case then the question naturally arises as to which region had held the location of the earl's place mentioned in the Orkneyingasaga - no sense looking for architectural specifics if you are in the wrong place to begin with. Away from Houton terminal the coastal track runs west to a place where several mediaeval bronze bells were found (a late name for the Girth House has benn interpreted as a place of prayer - perhaps instead it was in plain language a bell-house). The site of the Kirkhouse chapel, HY30SW 7 Howton Head at HY31240359, is a mess of fences and vegetation, a roughly triangular piece of land set by the coast set a little below the general level of the land thereabouts. Such a shame that there is nothing above to correspond to the Earl's Palace. And present opinion is that the partially excavated wall doesn't look particularly ecclesiastical. Of course a kirk house need not neccessarily be a kirk, and what Johnstone's map shows here is labelled graves. Which reminds me that the famous Birsay bell was found in its very own cist amidst the cemetery uncovered at Saevar Howe, though that was no later than late Viking [a.k.a. early mediaeval].
A very short distance around from Kirkhouse are the Houton Head buildings, HY30SW 51at HY3113, which appear on the O.S as a couple of roofed buildings (though in 1882 an unroofed structure and an enclosure also appeared here). What I found were two unroofed structures in in a good to excellent state of preservation. The larger of these is set back into the hillside, with a series of wide slab steps from above come down by the western end and on to the shore. The wall facing the shore still stands to 2.2m, is 18.3m long and seems to have a break at 15.6m, presumably a doorway. This structures shorter sides are 6.5m and the interior is unfortunately filled up with vegetation. Within this at the eastern end is an even later mortared and dressed construction, a metre to a metre-and-a-half square, about 2.5m from the shoreside wall and with its base at the present wall top. To cap it off there is a metre high wall on the outside of the eastern end, 3.1 by 0.5m, standing at a lower level ~1.5m away. Into this a modern oven had found its niche. On the shore is a small concrete construction that may have been used to anchor a boat.
The second structure (roughly 15m from the western end of the larger one) is represented by further drystane walling that makes a highly curved wall corner 1.3m tall and 0.6m thick that is either part of a once larger structure or the bulk of ?planti-crue or ??well. The side facing the coast is only 2.3m long, but the other 'arm' then runs for at least another couple of metres on into thick vegetation. And it too appears, admittedly to untrained eyes, very post-mediaeval.
But the larger building apparently occupies an older site, for work to remedy bulging includes mediaval ecclesiastical stonework at the south-western corner (including a block with column) sitting on a wide flagstone plinth. Originally my theory had been that this material had been taken from the Kirkhouse site, but if that had not been the kirk it would seem to have been here. A reasonable assumption is that the body of this had succumbed to wave erosion leaving little to build on - either that or perhaps the foundations still lie beneath the present structure. If it shared anything like the footprint then it would have been most impressive. It was only recently that I looked at the early O.S. at a large enough magnification to spot that the two roofed buildings were offset from one another in such a way that the steps down to the shore would have been opposite the eastern end of the uphill building's eastern end, matching the respective locations given for the Earl's Place and church. I could not see any sign of the uphill structure from below, but I imagine that it was removed when the modern houses were built (I think the land above might be private and so forewent further solitary investigation) - perhaps some of the relics associated with Kirkhouse came from here ?? The Head of Houton up above could have been the farm mentioned in the Orkneyingasaga.
I have posted a few photos http://tech.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/circlesettler/photos
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EARL PAUL'S PLACE
"There was a large homestead (farm buildings) there ; it stood on the hill-side, and there was a height behind the houses (brekka 'oblong rising hillside'). From the top of the hill Aurridafiörd [Bay of Firth] may be seen on the other side... In Jórfiara [Orphir] there was a large drinking-hall ; the door was near the east gable on the southern wall, and a magnificent church was in front of the door ; and one had to go down to the church from the hall. On entering the hall one saw a large flat stone on the left hand [suggested to be a partition]... {the murder} There Magnus... accompanied him away behind the house, and into Aurrida Firth."
alternative rendering "on a hillside sloping down behind the buildings the hall, just a few paces down from it, stood a fine church"..
Orkneyingasaga
"There were at Orphir very magnificent buildings which stood on a rising ground ; behind the house there was a gentle declivity ; and at a distance above it the hill of Orphir... there was in these buildings a very large hall... In the south wall, and near the east corner, which joined the two sides of the court, there was a door, and before it a most magnificent temple [hof], to which they entered from the great hall by that back door, where you entered the court there was on the left hand a large vaulted cellar [there was an "underground chamber near Girth House of Orphir"], then you came to another door, and opposite it a drawing room."
"Ancient History of Orkney, Caithness and the North" by Thormodus Torfaeus, translated by Alexander Pope (W.Hiram Reid 1866)
"In the district of Tuskibister, at a place called Obak, resided several of the ancient Counts of Orphir; particularly Harold... and Paul... The situation is so circumstantially described by the Icelandic historian, as not to admit of a doubt; although, except an ancient chapel and burying ground, alluded to by the historian, scarce a vestige of the ruin remains."
"Parish of Orphir" by Rev. Mr.J.Liddell in "The Statistical Account of Scotland Vol XIX Orkney and Shetland" (1797)
"the ruins of Oback are close to the Burn of Skaill. A little above the farm, and near it... what is supposed to have been an earl's palace and church".
"The Parish : Its History" by James Omond in "The Book of Orphir" ed. by Reverend J.A.Stephen (1910)
"a building, known locally as a chapel... indicated... at HY 3548 1035 on the west bank of a burn and 50.0m.SW of a ruined croft [HY35511041]... the original "Oback"... no trace of ... burial-ground or ... residence of the "ancient counts"." . [but this 'chapel' is downhill of the steading]
NMRS HY31SE 7
BOW FARM AND EARL'S BU
"there is the site of chapel, called Harproo, at the head of the Hope of the Bu... Houton may have been the original Örfiara, and the Earl's Bu first erected there, and afterwards shifted to its present site, taking the name with it... The present Bú house stands to the north of the old site, and was built in the middle of the last century. Before that, the Bú was divided into three farms, with three cottages which stood end on from north to south along the east side of the present path from the public road to the churchyard gate, and named respectively the Nether, Muckle, and Synde Húses. The old church road... ran along the north and south sides of the yard wall, the north road going between the yard and the south end of the Synde Húse... There is a place at the shore called the kirkyard or Harproo ['stream-head' ?], where bones and large stones have turned up...The site of the Round Church and the old Bu is covered with debris, about five feet deep above the clay, on which latter the foundations are built... up till 1829... the old church road ran along outside the north wall of the churchyard, passing over the entire length of the wall now excavate"
"Round Church and Earl's Bu of Orphir" by Alfred W.Johnston (private printing Curtis & Beamish 1903)
"Recent examinations have shown that a large building (the north wall excavated measures 136 feet in length) has stood a little to rhe north of the Round Church. A doorway was found opposite to the old church in front of the present entrance to the churchyard."
"The Parish : Its History" by James Omond in "The Book of Orphir" ed. by Reverend J.A.Stephen (1910)
Reading the Orkneyingasaga there is an hiatus between mention of the farm or farmstead and the mention of the drinking-hall et al. which looks to me as if they are seperate places, leaving the way open for a consideration of any number of places as the setting for the earl's p(a)lace and kirk. Only the farm needs to have a 'height' from which the island of Damsay could be seen. For now let us assume that the specified topography apart from this point does apply to the murder's locale.
Despite Pope's failure to find any native tradition for the site of Sweyn's murder, a scant few decades later Oback in Tuskerbister is named. Actually there are at least two Obacks north of Kirbister loch, that so named at present and the "old Oback" which the map Johnstone reproduces (with additions) calls only Oba.
The first of these is up at the top of a hill the other side of the former seasonal Loch of Lummagen from Kebro farm. It sits just below the track that goes to the Slack of Oback (the dale head) whence some said the killer fled to Firth. According to which map you peruse there was a quarry to one side or below the present Oback. Directly before reaching Oback there is a long low-ish mound running roughly E-W, centred at HY355107 in a narrow field trackside above. On the Kebro end there is exposed fragmented stone in an earth matrix. The mound presents the appearence of division and there are various small slabs in and on it. The Obak end dips sharply into a hollow. When describing the Oback site's similarity to the earl's place in Torfaeus perhaps the Rev.Liddell saw in this latter the vaulted cellar. Of course resemblance is not identity, and on my second visit I saw a shallow trench dug across for a small blue plastic pipe had revealed that (here at least) all that lies beneath the surface is homogenous dark clay (almost black).
Then in the valley below, down on the Burn of Skaill, is Oba. The ruined steading upstream of the trees has no seperate entry but is mentioned in connection with the supposed foundations (pointed out by a farmer one genration removed from the antiquarians time) of Tuskerbister chapel, HY31SW 7 at HY35481035, as being to their NE. The Ordnance Survey could find the platform but not the graveyard on the opposite bank. Neither did they find any trace of the "earl's palace and church". Which is hardly surprising as Omond specifically writes that this site lay above, but close to, old Oback, whereas the platform is downstream in the direction of the district's Skaill farm. Likely there has been a confusion between the kirk and burial place being on opposite banks and the earls "palace" having faced his church. Oba is tight to the NW corner of a long narrow field straddling the burn. This enclosure's odd shape is partly due to the burn's passage through it. From the north an unusual curved track comes down to where the burn cuts across the top of the field. There is a ford crossing the stream at this point. I haven't yet figured an easy way up the burn but on an image taken from Skaill farm I notice a probable mound upstream of Oba on the higher opposite bank.
At one time the Hillock of Breakna broch at Swanbister, HY30NE 13 at HY35330508, had been proposed as the earl's palace only for it to turn out that this had arisen by the changing of a map legend. And it is argued that there is not enogh space between here and the sea for the church. However erosion is a consideration, great chunks of coast disappearing in a single storm or landslide in Orkney. Always presuming that the rectangular structure subsequently built into the eastern side of the broch isn't, as often in these situations, the church itself. Which would still leave us missing a bu - Sweanabow farm way up near the top of the Swanbister road being merely common pasturage. The only (?traditional) church [and burial-ground] site was in an area to the west, HY30NE 12 at HY35151502. However the fact that said site is called the Cairns of Piggar does raise the possibilty of a suite of buildings having been there if this was indeed a kirk. In 1870 deer antlers were found in the vicinity.
Until the 19th century Bow farm consisted of three 'cottages' in a line closely set. Perhaps these are a development of the "magnificent building" in Torfaeus. In which case the great house would have been the drinking hall, making the south house the church's descendant. Or else the three structures comprise the bu farm and the church would have been in the region of the north kirkyard wall but downslope by the burn bank. On the other hand the association of the Bu of Orphir with an Earl's Bu, or more specifically with that place mentioned in connection with Sweyn Breistrop, only dates back to the speculation of Alexander Pope. As the farm of Bow it is more likely to have been land held in common, like Sweanabow but occuring in an area even more archaeologically dense. Similarly with the Round Church it was originally referred to as the Girth House, with no ecclesiastical connection - the tradition being that it had been an asylum. Grand though the Round Church is it may simply have been attached to a non-ecclesiastical establishment. Its being an occupied site gives a better reason for the accumulation of five feet of midden. Also I find it rather odd that the church road goes both south and north of the Bu churchyard, normally one would expect that the kirk itself at at the end of a church road rather than there being some kind of drive-around. Perhaps one branch went on to the church field at Gyre ?? It appears to me that the church road was not named for any kirk at the Bu of Orphir. Before striking up sharply for Bow farm this track bent down to a site at the western Bu boundary called Harproo 'head of the stream' , HY30SW 16 at HY332042, a traditional chapel site where stones and large bones were found. In 1980 north-south foundations were found in the right place, though this is being eroded where it meets the coast. The massive 136' wall Johnstone excavated actually ran under the north branch of the church road, and if this were the southern side of the Orkneyingasaga site's 'palace' I would have expected the chapel to have been closer to the present kirkyard wall than the Round Church is. If the asylum of tradition had been mediaeval then it would have been in charge of the clerics - could the excavated wall have belonged to, say, a monasterium ?
One option Johnstone mentioned is that the name Orphir originally only applied to the region around Houton, specifically the area about the tidal Holm of Houton, and that the Earl's Bu started there before the name was transferred to the present Bu of Orphir. If this had been the case then the question naturally arises as to which region had held the location of the earl's place mentioned in the Orkneyingasaga - no sense looking for architectural specifics if you are in the wrong place to begin with. Away from Houton terminal the coastal track runs west to a place where several mediaeval bronze bells were found (a late name for the Girth House has benn interpreted as a place of prayer - perhaps instead it was in plain language a bell-house). The site of the Kirkhouse chapel, HY30SW 7 Howton Head at HY31240359, is a mess of fences and vegetation, a roughly triangular piece of land set by the coast set a little below the general level of the land thereabouts. Such a shame that there is nothing above to correspond to the Earl's Palace. And present opinion is that the partially excavated wall doesn't look particularly ecclesiastical. Of course a kirk house need not neccessarily be a kirk, and what Johnstone's map shows here is labelled graves. Which reminds me that the famous Birsay bell was found in its very own cist amidst the cemetery uncovered at Saevar Howe, though that was no later than late Viking [a.k.a. early mediaeval].
A very short distance around from Kirkhouse are the Houton Head buildings, HY30SW 51at HY3113, which appear on the O.S as a couple of roofed buildings (though in 1882 an unroofed structure and an enclosure also appeared here). What I found were two unroofed structures in in a good to excellent state of preservation. The larger of these is set back into the hillside, with a series of wide slab steps from above come down by the western end and on to the shore. The wall facing the shore still stands to 2.2m, is 18.3m long and seems to have a break at 15.6m, presumably a doorway. This structures shorter sides are 6.5m and the interior is unfortunately filled up with vegetation. Within this at the eastern end is an even later mortared and dressed construction, a metre to a metre-and-a-half square, about 2.5m from the shoreside wall and with its base at the present wall top. To cap it off there is a metre high wall on the outside of the eastern end, 3.1 by 0.5m, standing at a lower level ~1.5m away. Into this a modern oven had found its niche. On the shore is a small concrete construction that may have been used to anchor a boat.
The second structure (roughly 15m from the western end of the larger one) is represented by further drystane walling that makes a highly curved wall corner 1.3m tall and 0.6m thick that is either part of a once larger structure or the bulk of ?planti-crue or ??well. The side facing the coast is only 2.3m long, but the other 'arm' then runs for at least another couple of metres on into thick vegetation. And it too appears, admittedly to untrained eyes, very post-mediaeval.
But the larger building apparently occupies an older site, for work to remedy bulging includes mediaval ecclesiastical stonework at the south-western corner (including a block with column) sitting on a wide flagstone plinth. Originally my theory had been that this material had been taken from the Kirkhouse site, but if that had not been the kirk it would seem to have been here. A reasonable assumption is that the body of this had succumbed to wave erosion leaving little to build on - either that or perhaps the foundations still lie beneath the present structure. If it shared anything like the footprint then it would have been most impressive. It was only recently that I looked at the early O.S. at a large enough magnification to spot that the two roofed buildings were offset from one another in such a way that the steps down to the shore would have been opposite the eastern end of the uphill building's eastern end, matching the respective locations given for the Earl's Place and church. I could not see any sign of the uphill structure from below, but I imagine that it was removed when the modern houses were built (I think the land above might be private and so forewent further solitary investigation) - perhaps some of the relics associated with Kirkhouse came from here ?? The Head of Houton up above could have been the farm mentioned in the Orkneyingasaga.
I have posted a few photos http://tech.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/circlesettler/photos
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EARL PAUL'S PLACE
"There was a large homestead (farm buildings) there ; it stood on the hill-side, and there was a height behind the houses (brekka 'oblong rising hillside'). From the top of the hill Aurridafiörd [Bay of Firth] may be seen on the other side... In Jórfiara [Orphir] there was a large drinking-hall ; the door was near the east gable on the southern wall, and a magnificent church was in front of the door ; and one had to go down to the church from the hall. On entering the hall one saw a large flat stone on the left hand [suggested to be a partition]... {the murder} There Magnus... accompanied him away behind the house, and into Aurrida Firth."
alternative rendering "on a hillside sloping down behind the buildings the hall, just a few paces down from it, stood a fine church"..
Orkneyingasaga
"There were at Orphir very magnificent buildings which stood on a rising ground ; behind the house there was a gentle declivity ; and at a distance above it the hill of Orphir... there was in these buildings a very large hall... In the south wall, and near the east corner, which joined the two sides of the court, there was a door, and before it a most magnificent temple [hof], to which they entered from the great hall by that back door, where you entered the court there was on the left hand a large vaulted cellar [there was an "underground chamber near Girth House of Orphir"], then you came to another door, and opposite it a drawing room."
"Ancient History of Orkney, Caithness and the North" by Thormodus Torfaeus, translated by Alexander Pope (W.Hiram Reid 1866)
"In the district of Tuskibister, at a place called Obak, resided several of the ancient Counts of Orphir; particularly Harold... and Paul... The situation is so circumstantially described by the Icelandic historian, as not to admit of a doubt; although, except an ancient chapel and burying ground, alluded to by the historian, scarce a vestige of the ruin remains."
"Parish of Orphir" by Rev. Mr.J.Liddell in "The Statistical Account of Scotland Vol XIX Orkney and Shetland" (1797)
"the ruins of Oback are close to the Burn of Skaill. A little above the farm, and near it... what is supposed to have been an earl's palace and church".
"The Parish : Its History" by James Omond in "The Book of Orphir" ed. by Reverend J.A.Stephen (1910)
"a building, known locally as a chapel... indicated... at HY 3548 1035 on the west bank of a burn and 50.0m.SW of a ruined croft [HY35511041]... the original "Oback"... no trace of ... burial-ground or ... residence of the "ancient counts"." . [but this 'chapel' is downhill of the steading]
NMRS HY31SE 7
BOW FARM AND EARL'S BU
"there is the site of chapel, called Harproo, at the head of the Hope of the Bu... Houton may have been the original Örfiara, and the Earl's Bu first erected there, and afterwards shifted to its present site, taking the name with it... The present Bú house stands to the north of the old site, and was built in the middle of the last century. Before that, the Bú was divided into three farms, with three cottages which stood end on from north to south along the east side of the present path from the public road to the churchyard gate, and named respectively the Nether, Muckle, and Synde Húses. The old church road... ran along the north and south sides of the yard wall, the north road going between the yard and the south end of the Synde Húse... There is a place at the shore called the kirkyard or Harproo ['stream-head' ?], where bones and large stones have turned up...The site of the Round Church and the old Bu is covered with debris, about five feet deep above the clay, on which latter the foundations are built... up till 1829... the old church road ran along outside the north wall of the churchyard, passing over the entire length of the wall now excavate"
"Round Church and Earl's Bu of Orphir" by Alfred W.Johnston (private printing Curtis & Beamish 1903)
"Recent examinations have shown that a large building (the north wall excavated measures 136 feet in length) has stood a little to rhe north of the Round Church. A doorway was found opposite to the old church in front of the present entrance to the churchyard."
"The Parish : Its History" by James Omond in "The Book of Orphir" ed. by Reverend J.A.Stephen (1910)
Labels: Bu, Houton, Oback, Orphir
Monday, October 15, 2007
1697
"There were at Orphir very magnificent buildings which stood on a rising ground ; behind the house there was a gentle declivity ; and at a distance above it the hill of Orphir... there was in these buildings a very large hall... In the south wall, and near the east corner, which joined the two sides of the court, there was a door, and before it a most magnificent temple [hof], to which they entered from the great hall by that back door, where you entered the court there was on the left hand a large vaulted cellar, then you came to another door, and opposite it a drawing room."
"Ancient History of Orkney, Caithness and the North" by Thormodus Torfaeus translated by Alexander Pope (W.Hiram Reid 1866)
The Orkneyingasaga relates that the ale was stored on the left-hand side of the drinking hall behind a large flat stone. It has been suggested that this stone formed a partition. Torfaeus describes the storage place as a large vaulted cellar. Putting these two observations together leads me to think that this is most likely to this area being a souterrain. In 1860 W.Kemp presented two items to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland from a weem close to the Girth House i.e. the Round Church [which had been used as an asylum]. The two items mentioned in the Proceedings are a three-inch stone ball quartered by crude grooved lines (presumably the possible grinder mentioned in "The Orkney Herald") and a four-inch circular stone with a square hole as if for a spindle. Or could these items have come from the Norse mill that prior to modern excavation was thought to be an earthhouse ?
There are two main problems with Oback in Tuskerbister as the area where Earl Paul's drinking hall lay. If Oba along the Burn of Skaill is it then where is the gentle declivity with the height behind, and if it is at the modern Oback (I imagine that the Loch of Lummagen once drained by there) the only height behind is that small slope to where the track from Kebro goes to the Hill of Lyradale. It has been objected that one cannot see the Bay of Firth from the top of the Hill of Lyradale. However this same fact AFAIK applies even more so to all the candidate hills (one should note that it is only the bay that is mentioned as being seen from the other side of the hill, not the island of Damsay itself, the latter being used for stage-setting). The most compelling reason is that this is not even a hall of Orphir, let alone The hill. But unlike anywhere else at least it had the tradition attached, so something else importantant had surely been in the Dale of Oback.
The association with the Bu of Orphir only dates back to 1758 when Alexander Pope, after his disappointment at finding no traditional location for the "earl's palace" (unlike that the author of the statistical account found a scant few decades later for Oback) discovered that large and very deep foundations had been found in digging for the Bow farm. The present Bú house dates from the mid-nineteenth century. Before the Bow consisted of three farms with three 'cottages', end on from north to south the Nether and Muckle and Synde Húses (a Bow being more generally land held in common, the croft system being an exceedingly late arrival to Orkney). From the illustration reproduced in Johnstone's book it would appear that the exposed site shown today as {probably} part of the Earl's Bu is the last of these, especially as the north church road ran between the south end of this Synde Húse and the kirkyard. The buildings shown are, at least outwardly, only seventeenth or eighteenth century. If built upon earlier foundations then this could have been the location for Torfaeus' magnificent buildings (though they sound even more similar to the Oback mentioned regarding the Battle of Summerdale, a fairly common setup), with the Muckle Húse as the drinking-hall/court. Unfortunately this would make the last house the earl's church, which seems a little unlikely. So maybe the church lay before the Synde Húse, a few paces down would take you nearer the burn. The way that the Girth House has been interpreted as the earl's church is to say that instead of being downslope going into the hill was meant. I would suggest that rather than the "earl's palace and church" this site was important as the location of the ferry after which the King's Ferry Road (i.e. the road from the old parish church pst Gyre through by the Bu to the Orphir road again - the safe haven of the Hope o' the Bu.
If the view of Aurridafiörd is an error then there are, one would imagine, several places that meet the other requirements. Regarding the etymology of Orphir it has been proposed that originally this applied to a far smaller than the parish. Specifically the region of Howton/Houton opposite Orfirasey, the Holm of Houton guarding Midland Haven Which would make the Orphir hill the Hill of Midland. For myself I would like to say that the earl's church as Kirkhouse (part of which appears a little further round the coast at HY31130347as part of the fabric of the Houton Head structures). This site (HY31240359) is definitely a few paces downslope but I can't see the Head of Houton being the hill of Orphir, alas, and there are no known structures above it anyway.
"There were at Orphir very magnificent buildings which stood on a rising ground ; behind the house there was a gentle declivity ; and at a distance above it the hill of Orphir... there was in these buildings a very large hall... In the south wall, and near the east corner, which joined the two sides of the court, there was a door, and before it a most magnificent temple [hof], to which they entered from the great hall by that back door, where you entered the court there was on the left hand a large vaulted cellar, then you came to another door, and opposite it a drawing room."
"Ancient History of Orkney, Caithness and the North" by Thormodus Torfaeus translated by Alexander Pope (W.Hiram Reid 1866)
The Orkneyingasaga relates that the ale was stored on the left-hand side of the drinking hall behind a large flat stone. It has been suggested that this stone formed a partition. Torfaeus describes the storage place as a large vaulted cellar. Putting these two observations together leads me to think that this is most likely to this area being a souterrain. In 1860 W.Kemp presented two items to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland from a weem close to the Girth House i.e. the Round Church [which had been used as an asylum]. The two items mentioned in the Proceedings are a three-inch stone ball quartered by crude grooved lines (presumably the possible grinder mentioned in "The Orkney Herald") and a four-inch circular stone with a square hole as if for a spindle. Or could these items have come from the Norse mill that prior to modern excavation was thought to be an earthhouse ?
There are two main problems with Oback in Tuskerbister as the area where Earl Paul's drinking hall lay. If Oba along the Burn of Skaill is it then where is the gentle declivity with the height behind, and if it is at the modern Oback (I imagine that the Loch of Lummagen once drained by there) the only height behind is that small slope to where the track from Kebro goes to the Hill of Lyradale. It has been objected that one cannot see the Bay of Firth from the top of the Hill of Lyradale. However this same fact AFAIK applies even more so to all the candidate hills (one should note that it is only the bay that is mentioned as being seen from the other side of the hill, not the island of Damsay itself, the latter being used for stage-setting). The most compelling reason is that this is not even a hall of Orphir, let alone The hill. But unlike anywhere else at least it had the tradition attached, so something else importantant had surely been in the Dale of Oback.
The association with the Bu of Orphir only dates back to 1758 when Alexander Pope, after his disappointment at finding no traditional location for the "earl's palace" (unlike that the author of the statistical account found a scant few decades later for Oback) discovered that large and very deep foundations had been found in digging for the Bow farm. The present Bú house dates from the mid-nineteenth century. Before the Bow consisted of three farms with three 'cottages', end on from north to south the Nether and Muckle and Synde Húses (a Bow being more generally land held in common, the croft system being an exceedingly late arrival to Orkney). From the illustration reproduced in Johnstone's book it would appear that the exposed site shown today as {probably} part of the Earl's Bu is the last of these, especially as the north church road ran between the south end of this Synde Húse and the kirkyard. The buildings shown are, at least outwardly, only seventeenth or eighteenth century. If built upon earlier foundations then this could have been the location for Torfaeus' magnificent buildings (though they sound even more similar to the Oback mentioned regarding the Battle of Summerdale, a fairly common setup), with the Muckle Húse as the drinking-hall/court. Unfortunately this would make the last house the earl's church, which seems a little unlikely. So maybe the church lay before the Synde Húse, a few paces down would take you nearer the burn. The way that the Girth House has been interpreted as the earl's church is to say that instead of being downslope going into the hill was meant. I would suggest that rather than the "earl's palace and church" this site was important as the location of the ferry after which the King's Ferry Road (i.e. the road from the old parish church pst Gyre through by the Bu to the Orphir road again - the safe haven of the Hope o' the Bu.
If the view of Aurridafiörd is an error then there are, one would imagine, several places that meet the other requirements. Regarding the etymology of Orphir it has been proposed that originally this applied to a far smaller than the parish. Specifically the region of Howton/Houton opposite Orfirasey, the Holm of Houton guarding Midland Haven Which would make the Orphir hill the Hill of Midland. For myself I would like to say that the earl's church as Kirkhouse (part of which appears a little further round the coast at HY31130347as part of the fabric of the Houton Head structures). This site (HY31240359) is definitely a few paces downslope but I can't see the Head of Houton being the hill of Orphir, alas, and there are no known structures above it anyway.
