<< Our Photo Pages >> Knowe of Stenso - Broch or Nuraghe in Scotland in Orkney
Submitted by howar on Sunday, 09 December 2007 Page Views: 7227
Iron Age and Later PrehistorySite Name: Knowe of Stenso Alternative Name: Know of Stenso, How of StensoCountry: Scotland County: Orkney Type: Broch or Nuraghe
Nearest Town: Finstown Nearest Village: Evie
Map Ref: HY3639426747
Latitude: 59.122782N Longitude: 3.112811W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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SandyG has visited here
NMRS record HY32NE 11 is a 4m high broch with extensive structural remains showing as orthostats between the main broch and the outer bank to the south. Area covered is fifty by ten yards according to a 1916 report. At least as late as 1928 traces of a foot wide gallery were seen at the top of the mound, but I have not entered the field itself to check this. On the north side several courses of the broch wall, probably 12' thick, can be seen for distance of 20'. It is from this that a seal bone borer came. Other finds include two beads and numerous likely pot lids. In 1916 locals remembered Johnny Fea going inside far enough to hear otters at work !
This site sits on the midpoint of a line from the St.Nicholas site to the Knowe of Ryo/Grugar measuring a nautical mile. I went along the coast at a reasonably low tide after going down to the Sands of Evie and turning left. Not too dangerous. From all round a conical tip can be seen that is the top of the surviving broch tower. The fence being too taut to enter the field I contended myself with clambering up the cliff edge. By the inner edge of the fence several upright slabs can be seen to outline one or more rectangular structures. The mound by the outer fence edge appears to consist of rich dark earth with a very few small holes that are either rodent burrows or preferential storm damage. The site resembles Ingshowe broch in being built directly upon horizontal rock strata. Above this is a thick layer of grass and earth, so the only material you can see here are several projecting slabs at the south side beyondt he central mound.
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