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Girnieclett is a mound located 300 metres east-south-east of Mell Head on the island of Stroma in Caithness, Scotland. The monument sits upon bedrock of Middle Devonian sandstone with interbeds of siltstone and marl, geology typical of this remote northern location. As a substantial earthwork, the mound represents a significant archaeological feature within Stroma's landscape, where such structures often mark settlement sites or burial places of Iron Age or medieval date, though local variants in construction and form reflect the particular resources and traditions of island communities.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under the designation SM9764, recognising its importance to understanding Caithness archaeology and settlement patterns. Stroma's archaeological record, scattered across this exposed island in the Pentland Firth, includes various earthworks and structures spanning several periods. Girnieclett contributes to the broader picture of how communities utilised this challenging landscape, where the underlying sandstone geology has shaped both the building materials available and the forms that local monuments took.
Girnieclett, mound 300m ESE of Mell Head, Stroma is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM9764. View the official record →
Girnieclett is a mound located 300 metres east-south-east of Mell Head on the island of Stroma in Caithness, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM9764.
Girnieclett, mound 300m ESE of Mell Head, Stroma 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 SM9764.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Castle Mestag, fortified sea-stack, Stroma (0.4 km), Cairn Hill, burnt mound near head of Castle Geo, Stroma (1.8 km), Stroma Lighthouse,chambered cairn SW of,Island of Stroma (3.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Girnieclett, mound 300m ESE of Mell Head, Stroma'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.
Girnieclett, mound 300m ESE of Mell Head, Stroma stands on Middle Devonian sandstone, bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is major:{sandstone}, Minor{siltstone,marl}.