The Stones of Stenness along with the Barnhouse settlement, Watchstone, Ring of Brodgar and Maeshowe, form part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site.
It was an ideal site surrounded by fertile farmland, with the seawater Loch of Stenness on one side and the freshwater Loch of Harray on the other.
Dating from around 3000BCB, this may be the earliest henge monument to be built in Britain. Now, only 4 of the original 12 stones survive. These stand up to 5m high and are thin slabs.
These originally formed circle about 30m diameter and surrounded by ditch and bank. It is estimated it would have taken around 50,000 man hours to complete and would have represented a considerable commitment of time and resources. The stones appear to have been brought from different places across Orkney (The current raised bank dates from 1984 when Historic Scotland decided to reinstate it.) Very tall - up to 5m high and thin slabs.
A single entrance gave access to the circle. The remains of a a hearth was found in the centre of the circle with the remains of cremated animal bones. Only certain parts of the animal were eaten, suggesting that feasting was planned and was probably linked to the Barnhouse settlement close by.
When Walter Scott visited in 1814, he used the site in his novel ‘The Pirate’ with a sacrificial altar within the circle. The popularity of the book encouraged people to visit encouraged other visitors and the tenant farmer began to dismantle the circle and pull down the stones claiming people were trampling his crops to access the stones, although he used the remains of the stones for new cattle byres. This caused a local outrage and he was stopped after destroying one stone and toppling another.
The site came into state care in 1906 and the large fallen stone was re-erected, along with a small misshapen stone found buried below the turf. The smaller standing stones were mistakenly ‘reconstructed’ to form an altar like dolmen in the centre of the circle.
This was knocked down in 1972, reportedly as a drunken prank. As excavation were inconclusive to its original form or use, two of the stones were left standing with large top stone was left where it fell.
The Watchstone Is a tall isolated standing stone close to causeway connecting the Stones of Stennes and Ring of Brodgar. The name probably comes from the Old Norse Vatnstein, meaning water/lake stone. There are the remains of a second stone nearby.
In a field at the other side of the henge was another standing stone known as the Odin Stone, which was pulled down by the tenant farmer in 1814. This had a hole in it and was used by local couples to plight their troth.
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It was an ideal site surrounded by fertile farmland, with the seawater Loch of Stenness on one side and the freshwater Loch of Harray on the other.
Dating from around 3000BCB, this may be the earliest henge monument to be built in Britain. Now, only 4 of the original 12 stones survive. These stand up to 5m high and are thin slabs.
These originally formed circle about 30m diameter and surrounded by ditch and bank. It is estimated it would have taken around 50,000 man hours to complete and would have represented a considerable commitment of time and resources. The stones appear to have been brought from different places across Orkney (The current raised bank dates from 1984 when Historic Scotland decided to reinstate it.) Very tall - up to 5m high and thin slabs.
A single entrance gave access to the circle. The remains of a a hearth was found in the centre of the circle with the remains of cremated animal bones. Only certain parts of the animal were eaten, suggesting that feasting was planned and was probably linked to the Barnhouse settlement close by.
When Walter Scott visited in 1814, he used the site in his novel ‘The Pirate’ with a sacrificial altar within the circle. The popularity of the book encouraged people to visit encouraged other visitors and the tenant farmer began to dismantle the circle and pull down the stones claiming people were trampling his crops to access the stones, although he used the remains of the stones for new cattle byres. This caused a local outrage and he was stopped after destroying one stone and toppling another.
The site came into state care in 1906 and the large fallen stone was re-erected, along with a small misshapen stone found buried below the turf. The smaller standing stones were mistakenly ‘reconstructed’ to form an altar like dolmen in the centre of the circle.
This was knocked down in 1972, reportedly as a drunken prank. As excavation were inconclusive to its original form or use, two of the stones were left standing with large top stone was left where it fell.
The Watchstone Is a tall isolated standing stone close to causeway connecting the Stones of Stennes and Ring of Brodgar. The name probably comes from the Old Norse Vatnstein, meaning water/lake stone. There are the remains of a second stone nearby.
In a field at the other side of the henge was another standing stone known as the Odin Stone, which was pulled down by the tenant farmer in 1814. This had a hole in it and was used by local couples to plight their troth.
Website