<< Our Photo Pages >> Maes Howe - Chambered Cairn in Scotland in Orkney
Submitted by Andy B on Wednesday, 07 September 2016 Page Views: 38115
Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Maes Howe Alternative Name: MaeshoweCountry: Scotland County: Orkney Type: Chambered Cairn
Nearest Town: Stromness Nearest Village: Finstown
Map Ref: HY31821277 Landranger Map Number: 6
Latitude: 58.996582N Longitude: 3.188347W
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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External Links:
I have visited· I would like to visit
SteveC whese001 would like to visit
rachelh visited on 14th Apr 2025 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4
drolaf visited on 3rd Jul 2023 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4 I visited the mound in 2022 and inside 2023. you aren't allowed to take photos inside.
The tour guide was up to date and covered the neolithic and much later norse visitors and runes. There is a very good article on the passage alignment in the 2023 issue of the Orkney Archaeology review £10.
https://shop.orkneyarchaeologysociety.org.uk/product-category/books/
Their website has lots more info on Maes and Orkney and it is only £15 to join, £10 for pensioners (you get sent the annual review)
Catrinm visited on 28th Aug 2019 Great architectural skills
bishop_pam visited on 18th Apr 2018 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4
RockHugger visited on 23rd Sep 2016 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4
wildtalents visited on 16th Jul 2015 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Make sure to book early as the limited numbers allowed in the Howe at one time might mean it's several days before you can find a slot. Our guide was blind, but clearly knew every inch of the site and it was only when she told us this that it became apparent she was using muscle memory and perhaps a very hazy tunnel vision to navigate. The twenty-ish minutes passed in an instant.
The craftsmanship of Maes Howe is breathtaking.
SandyG visited on 11th Jun 2015 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 5
Jansold visited on 3rd Jun 2013 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4
freedomandpeace visited on 3rd May 2013 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5 I was very disappointed in my visit here. This tomb is way too restricted in my opinion. I don't know why they don't let people just go in on their own and explore like they do in most other places in Scotland (except Skara Brae). There are places to explore in there but they are off limits. The tour is boring and only goes just inside the first part of the tomb. I feel like I didn't even really see the tomb even though I went on the tour, because we were not allowed to explore. Maeshowe is so hyped up and therefore I was so excited to see it. However, I found the tour boring and repressive. I would rather go someplace I can explore freely.
43559959 visited on 28th Oct 2011 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4
crystalskull84 visited on 13th Aug 2011 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4
megalithicmatt visited on 22nd Jun 2011 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Second visit - better tour guide this time!
jeffrep visited on 29th Jun 2010 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 First visit: August 15, 2007.
JCBH visited on 27th Apr 2010 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Maes Howe
Richard13 visited on 1st Jul 1999 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4
DocRock visited on 1st Mar 1999 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Excellent site. Great inscriptions.
DocRock visited on 1st Mar 1999 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Excellent site. Great inscriptions.
ladydi45 visited on 3rd Jun 1998 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4
Andy B: would like to visit Shown first from the air in Episode Three of BBC's History of Ancient Britain
smparry123 visited - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4
Chappers60 visited - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 5
Tonnox rrmoser rldixon AngieLake DrewParsons TimPrevett davidmorgan MegalithJunkie HaggisAction NickyD Redfun Pallando have visited here
Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4.42 Ambience: 4.89 Access: 4.16
It was looted by Vikings (Earl Harald Maddadarson and Ragnvald, Earl of Moer[1]) in c. 11th century CE, who left, in their passing, a series of runic graffiti on the stone walls of the chamber while they sheltered. There are over thirty individual inscriptions, the largest collection in the world. The corbelled roof was shattered in 1861 by overenthusiastic archaeologists. Luckily, they did relatively little structural damage and the site still represents a standard of exacting design and construction not found anywhere else in the British Isles.
It gives its name to the Maeshowe type of chambered cairn, which bears no similarities to any other known chambered cairn design, either in Orkney or elsewhere.
The monuments around Maeshowe, including Skara Brae, were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
More on this site at Orkneyjar
Below the first mention of Maes Howe in History from about 1040 CE: "Earl Harald set out for Orkney at Christmas with 4 ships and 100 men. He lay for 2 days off Graemsay, then put in at Hamna Voe on mainland, and on the 13th day of the storm they took shelter in Maeshowe and there 2 of them went insane, which slowed them down badly, so that by the time they reached Firth it was night-time." (The Orkneying Saga - The History Of The earls Of Orkney, Penguin Classics, translated by Hermann Palsson and Paul Edwards, 1978-1981.)
Text by Vicky Morgan
Note: Speculatively reconstructed Viking music: Ice and Longboats: Ancient Music of Scandinavia. Also Maeshowe to close 26th september for undetermined period due to traffic safety concerns. More on both of these in the comments on our page.
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