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Bay of London is a prehistoric mound located on the island of Eday in Orkney, Scotland, situated 290 metres south-east of the Youth Hostel. The monument stands on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a formation of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone that dates to the Middle Devonian period. This underlying geology of mixed sedimentary deposits has shaped the landscape and would have influenced how communities used and perceived the site in antiquity.
The mound's position on Eday places it within one of Orkney's most archaeologically significant islands, an area rich in prehistoric settlement evidence. The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1241, recognising its importance to Scotland's archaeological heritage. The specific topography of this location, set against Eday's distinctive coastal landscape, would have made it a notable landmark in the prehistoric environment.
Though the mound's exact date and original purpose remain to be fully established, its survival as a discrete earthwork demonstrates the enduring character of Orkney's prehistoric monuments. Such mounds are characteristic features of northern Scotland's early settlement patterns, and Bay of London represents an important archaeological resource for understanding prehistoric occupation and land use in the islands.
Bay of London, mound 290m SE of Youth Hostel, Eday is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1241. View the official record →
Bay of London is a prehistoric mound located on the island of Eday in Orkney, Scotland, situated 290 metres south-east of the Youth Hostel. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1241.
Bay of London, mound 290m SE of Youth Hostel, Eday is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM1241.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Mill Hill, chambered cairn, Millbounds (1 km), Eday Church Hall, chambered cairn 260m WNW of (1.1 km), Sandhill, burnt mound 200m SE of (1.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Bay of London, mound 290m SE of Youth Hostel, Eday's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Bay of London, mound 290m SE of Youth Hostel, Eday stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.