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<< Our Photo Pages >> Wasdale (Orkney) - Crannog in Scotland in Orkney

Submitted by howar on Sunday, 10 October 2004  Page Views: 10658

Iron Age and Later PrehistorySite Name: Wasdale (Orkney)
Country: Scotland County: Orkney Type: Crannog
Nearest Town: Finstown  Nearest Village: Berstane
Map Ref: HY343147  Landranger Map Number: 6
Latitude: 59.014299N  Longitude: 3.145771W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
2 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
3 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
2 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
3

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Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : Loch of Wasdale crannog , Orkney , HY343148 (Vote or comment on this photo)
Crannog in Orkney

This site lies just inside the Loch of Wasdale, the Howe Harper Cairn being back towards Berstane. This is a multi-period site that has been used for many different purposes. The oldest section is part of a wall at the W end. Only accessible now at very low water levels it has been likened to the causewayed island duns of the Outer Hebrides, which makes it a crannog in my book!
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Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : Artificial islet and water cropmarks. (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : Islet in ice (Vote or comment on this photo)

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : Loch of Wasdale islet (Vote or comment on this photo)

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : north side of landward end of causeway (Vote or comment on this photo)

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : south side of landward end of causeway (Vote or comment on this photo)

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : worked stone in landward end of causeway - from another structure surely

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : Iron Age wall at back of islet

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : this wall at back of islet as a comparison to IA one

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : terracing at northern side of islet

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : dun wall at N end of mound

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : smaller circle with long ?ellipse behind sightly N of it

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : dissimilar circles resembling double BA house or a Taing of Beeman

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : larger circle [/annular ring]

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : composition of lake bed archaeology

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : inside 'enclosure', wall/s in area of Dryden's cru [if that is its true nature]

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : regular arrangement of stones within 'enclosure' is set over one long stone of more megalithic size hidden by overhang

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : 'radial' wall from moundlet to/towards 'chamber'

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : 'chamber'

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : older wall section

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : stepping stones with mound behind

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : SE'ern view of islet

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : southern view of islet with 'modern' cairn centred

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : Wasdale 2, the edgeset stones I mistook for foam girdle the former islet like Holm of Grimbister in Kirbister loch Orphir parish

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : Wasdale 2, erect stones only just offshore are reminiscent of some islets on Loch of Harray opposite St. Mary's in Bigging district

Wasdale (Orkney)
Wasdale (Orkney) submitted by howar : Artificial islet and causeway, detail.

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 499m SE 142° Howe Harper* Chambered Cairn (HY346143)
 1.2km S 170° Hill of Heddle* Round Barrow(s) (HY345135)
 1.3km ESE 120° Rowamo Cottage* Artificial Mound (HY35451400)
 1.4km WNW 299° Dale Souterrain* Artificial Mound (HY33111538)
 1.9km ESE 105° The Hillock* Broch or Nuraghe (HY361142)
 2.0km NW 308° Woodwyn* Cairn (HY32781594)
 2.2km NW 311° Appiehouse* Standing Stone (Menhir) (HY32621620)
 2.3km WNW 289° Venus of the Whins* Round Barrow(s) (HY321155)
 2.5km WNW 290° Staney stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (HY320156)
 2.5km E 85° Benziaroth* Artificial Mound (HY36781488)
 2.5km W 277° Langskaill Mound* Artificial Mound (HY31811505)
 2.7km WNW 287° Feolquoy* Round Barrow(s) (HY31741551)
 2.8km N 355° Knowes of Trotty* Barrow Cemetery (HY341175)
 2.9km SE 131° Cuween Hill* Chambered Cairn (HY36421277)
 2.9km WSW 254° Vola* Round Barrow(s) (HY31471395)
 2.9km WNW 293° Staney Hill* Chambered Tomb (HY316159)
 3.1km SW 231° Maes Howe* Chambered Cairn (HY31821277)
 3.3km W 260° Campston (Grimeston)* Broch or Nuraghe (HY310142)
 3.3km W 260° Grimston Broch* Broch or Nuraghe (HY310142)
 3.3km NW 323° Nettletar* Broch or Nuraghe (HY32321741)
 3.4km NE 44° Redland settlement Ancient Village or Settlement (HY367171)
 3.5km NW 313° Caperhouse* Standing Stones (HY318171)
 3.7km WNW 298° Maesquoy* Standing Stones (HY311165)
 3.9km WNW 293° Knowe of Gullow* Broch or Nuraghe (HY307163)
 3.9km SW 229° Barnhouse Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (HY31271217)
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"Wasdale (Orkney)" | Login/Create an Account | 12 News and Comments
  
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Re: Wasdale (Orkney) by howar on Tuesday, 07 June 2011
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In 1985 Orkney's county archaeologist Raymond Lamb compared Wasdale to the pre/proto-broch gatehouse forts of Clickhimin and Huxter (Whalsay) in Shetland because the 'apron' where causeway meets islet resembles their 'landing stages'
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Wasdale (Orkney) by howar on Sunday, 07 April 2013
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    With the lochan low went over causeway yesterday, seemed even more exposed than last time I managed to do this. To call it a causeway is to over-egg the pudding as it is more a line of stepping stones (warning -halfway across you have to jump onto the edge of a slab to get between stones). Saturday I had the feeling that the stones could be re-used from the original prehistoric structure on the islet, perhaps when the kirk was founded. Looking back along the mound's northern side from the far end there is a kind of stepping to the turf - one of the two contenders for causing this is a broch of course
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Wasdale (Orkney) by howar on Thursday, 09 September 2010
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I have always thought that there should be a Neolithic settlement below Howe Harper, as with the Cuween and Wideford Hill Cairns. Just remembered that in a field S/SW of the loch thre is what could well be a dry version of the lochbed sites, after a prolonged period of rain it is marked by a shallow pool.
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Re: Wasdale (Orkney) by howar on Thursday, 09 September 2010
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September 7th. Coming down Wasdale road from N. Past the traditional graveyard site [marked by a hut] the loch opens out and the bright overhead sun (just before one o'clock) picks out figures in the loch, two circles of dissimilar sizes on the side near the road (?conjoined e.g. double BA house) and a long ?ellipse towards the other side and a little further north. All many metres across. First impression is that the gale is whipping waves that flush underlying vegeatation up to reflect underlying archaeology. But the camera later reveals that the plnts are actually a myriad small stones. Also the circles have a clear central space, so annular rings I suggest. As an aside apparently in places such as Skye it has been known for submerged crannogs occasionally to appear briefly to view. Alternately these have been mooted as fish traps of unknown age.
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Re: Wasdale (Orkney) by howar on Tuesday, 29 July 2008
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Dryden should read GB241/D21/4/1/16. Though it has plenty of measurements and shows th contours of level changes, the only objects it shows are the planticru to the left as you come onto the mound and the short cist (which I failed to identify) in the top right corner.
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    Re: Wasdale (Orkney) by howar on Tuesday, 29 July 2008
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    Could we be seeing matters topsy-turvy ?? In the Proceedings of the Orkney Antiquarian Society the chapel site on the east side of the loch is described as evidently used by man because of the rich grass covering it, which sounds more like the north loch site. He too says that there are no signs of the kirk, apart from a few earthfast slabs. Is it possible that Dryden's plan does not have N at the top in the modern manner. This would certainly explain why he shows, like Wasdale 2 a wide neck connecting it to the shore, but no causeway.
    [ Reply to This ]

Re: Wasdale (Orkney) by howar on Tuesday, 29 July 2008
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Dryden's plan & drawings are amongst Petrie's papers - in the Orkney Room specifically GB241/D21/1/16, and probably in the Shetland archive of his papers too
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Re: Wasdale (Orkney) by howar on Saturday, 26 July 2008
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After visiting the Ring of Brodgar dig I made my long way over to the Loch of Wasdale. Couldn't quite get across to "Counrtrywoman"s other island (HY34221517) what I shall call Wasdale 2, as I wasn't sure whether the fence I saw kept the kie out. My first sight of the edgeset stones, offshore by the wooden hut, didn't look to show any regular pattern. Carrying further along this old road brought more of them to light, ones projecting less above the water, and indicated a fairly regular spacing. Despite the fact that I saw my first ones in front of that hut they could well be more further up the shoreline as there was too much 'foam' there to make anything out. I should point out, for what it's worth that there do appear to be one or more edgeset stones on the shoreline opposite the site i.e. below the road. In Orkney one or two orthostats (or facing pairs) tend to be called 'sailors graves', and more than that is a 'graveyard', but to my eyes it is most unlikely that there has been any actual burial ground here.
Coming on to the now permanent island there is a greater depth of the causeway showing. Indeed it is passable now. But you will still need some care over the stepping stones in a few sections - rest the foot and then push off, test firmity on the centre of stones where these don't have an obvious incline. There is nothing to add about the large stones fronting the mound.
Walking around the islet it certainly seems basically artificial, even if the stonework surrounding the mound isn't yer megalithic broch style it is definitely circular and the base survives for two or more courses. This earlier site makes its presence most felt at the sides and back of the mound, where the width is least, leading me to think that the Iron Age [? Bronze Age if a crannog first] structure occupied a site more at the northern end of the islet. Behind the mound at the back what looks to be a broch age chamber still stands about a metre high (nettles prevented close inspection. On top of the mound at the back, atop a smaller mound, is the conical modern cairn. From this an older wall runs down to the chamber, to all intents and purposes a radial [not that I'm suggesting a wheelhouse for this site].
I tried unsuccessfully to find the cist in the hind part of the mound, but towards the back, to the side of the moundlet, there is a cuboid arrangement of stones covering one long one (there being an overhang my photos may not show this).
There are the lower courses of one (? two) presumably early/middle mediaeval structures to one side of the later entrance. It struck me that the later folk hoicked out the front of the earlier structure and brought it 'forward' to form their own more rectilnear site. As the causeway is some distance in front of the main earlier stuff does it really go with it ?
Despite the present state of the whole islet it could once have supported a more megalithic (broch age) set of walls - there are some great stonking stones used below the farm as a shoreline field boundary or summat that might be originally monumental.
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Re: Wasdale (Orkney) by howar on Tuesday, 22 July 2008
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A site at the northern end of the loch (at HY34221517) has gone through the same vicissitudes as this, being shown as an island on the 1882 O.S. but now a circular promontory. Having crossed over to this at a very low water level "Countrywoman" ["The Orcadian" Aug 15th 1985] recalls that a graveyard to go with the 'chapel' lay on an island at the opposite side of the loch [but look at the huge difference in size] and recollects wading across once to find an artificial/modified island with edgeset stones at the lochward side.
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Re: Wasdale (Orkney) by howar on Thursday, 18 August 2005
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Dryden's 1871 plan and sketches of the Loch of Wasdale in the Orkney Archives proved useful. The plan is quite detailed for the island and shows a short cist (1'11" x 1'7" x 1'6" deep) at the right back of this as seen from the causeway but within the encircling wall. This site looks more like a dun than a promontory fort, and more like that than a broch. At the time the water level lay 7'6" below the highest point of the island, and as a consequence it is shown connected to land by a neck 45' across. Perhaps this explains why he does not appear to show the present causeway.
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Re: Wasdale (Orkney) by howar on Thursday, 04 August 2005
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The waters of the lochan being lower than on any of my previous visits there were several areas of ground just about breaking the surface and I could see the tops of at least one side of the short causeway to the artificial islet (though later I see a poor photograph in an hardbacked thesis shewing its entirety laid bare in a drought year). Mostly what you are aware of is the 'modern' cairn atop this creation. Like the Holm of Groundwater on the Loch of Kirbister in Orphir used to there are the traces of a wall round it at the (winter) water-level. Here, though, there is a causeway from the southern tip behind which are the remains of a massive stone rampart. Of the suspects it does sound more like a dun than a broch or any kind of roundhouse.
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