Scheduled MonumentsScotlandSandhill, burnt mound 200m SE of
Burnt mound

Sandhill, burnt mound 200m SE of

Scotland
HES SM1375
Site type
Burnt mound
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Sandhill is a burnt mound situated approximately 200 metres south-east of Sandhill in Orkney. Burnt mounds are archaeological features of Bronze Age and Iron Age date, formed from accumulated heaps of fire-cracked stone resulting from repeated heating and cooling cycles. They typically represent the remains of activities such as cooking, brewing or bathing, where heated stones were dropped into water-filled troughs to raise temperatures.

The site lies upon Middle Old Red Sandstone bedrock of Devonian age, comprising conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone. This underlying geology would have provided the floodplain location characteristic of many burnt mound sites, where water was readily accessible for the activities they served. The stone materials visible at Sandhill would reflect both the local geology and intentional accumulation of fire-cracked stone from successive episodes of use.

Sandhill burnt mound is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument under reference SM1375, recognising its archaeological importance as evidence of prehistoric domestic and subsistence practices in Orkney. The monument contributes to understanding Bronze and Iron Age settlement patterns and economic activity across the Northern Isles.

Sandhill, burnt mound 200m SE of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1375. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Sandhill, burnt mound 200m SE of?

Sandhill is a burnt mound situated approximately 200 metres south-east of Sandhill in Orkney. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM1375.

Who is responsible for protecting Sandhill, burnt mound 200m SE of?

Sandhill, burnt mound 200m SE of 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 SM1375.

What other scheduled monuments are near Sandhill, burnt mound 200m SE of?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Sandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday (0.5 km), Eday Church Hall, chambered cairn 260m WNW of (0.8 km), The Manse, chambered cairn and church 330m WNW of, Eday (0.8 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Sandhill, burnt mound 200m SE of

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Sandhill, burnt mound 200m SE of's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Sandhill, burnt mound 200m SE of

Sandhill, burnt mound 200m SE of stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.