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Knap of Howar is a Neolithic settlement located on the island of Papa Westray in Orkney, Scotland, consisting of two conjoined stone houses that represent some of the oldest surviving domestic architecture in northern Europe. The site dates to approximately 3500 to 3100 BCE, placing it among the earliest known farmsteads in Britain. The two structures were built of stone with internal divisions and hearths, and were partially subterranean, with substantial drystone walls that remain substantially preserved. Excavations have revealed evidence of Neolithic occupation including pottery, tools, and domestic refuse, establishing Knap of Howar as a significant archaeological site for understanding early agricultural settlement patterns and domestic life in Orkney during the fourth millennium BCE.
Knap of Howar,houses is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90195. View the official record →
Knap of Howar is a Neolithic settlement located on the island of Papa Westray in Orkney, Scotland, consisting of two conjoined stone houses that represent some of the oldest surviving domestic architecture in northern Europe. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90195.
Knap of Howar,houses 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 SM90195.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including St Tredwell's Chapel, chapel and settlement mound, Papa Westray (1.6 km), Holm of Papa Westray South, chambered cairn (2.6 km), Trenabie Farm,standing stones, mound and bank 300m W of (4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Knap of Howar,houses'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.
Knap of Howar,houses stands on Middle Devonian sandstone, bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is major:{sandstone}, Minor{siltstone,marl}.