Scheduled MonumentsScotlandSandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday
Neolithic · Chambered cairn 300m w of, eday

Sandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday

Scotland
HES SM3535
Period
Neolithic
Site type
Chambered cairn 300m w of, eday
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

Sandhill is a Neolithic chambered cairn located on the Orkney island of Eday, some 300 metres west of the settlement. The monument sits upon bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, formed during the Middle Devonian period, which comprises conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone deposits. This local geology would have provided accessible stone for the cairn's construction and may have influenced the monument's initial siting.

The cairn belongs to the distinctive tradition of Orkney's chambered tombs, which date to the Neolithic period and represent some of Scotland's earliest monumental architecture. These monuments typically consist of a mound of stone covering one or more burial chambers, constructed to serve as communal repositories for the dead. The Orkney examples are particularly well-preserved due to the islands' sparse tree cover and the durability of local stone.

Sandhill is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3535, ensuring its preservation for future study and public access. The monument forms part of Orkney's rich archaeological heritage, contributing to understanding of Neolithic settlement patterns, burial practices and monumental construction techniques in the northern islands during the fourth and third millennia before the present day.

Sandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3535. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Sandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday?

Sandhill is a Neolithic chambered cairn located on the Orkney island of Eday, some 300 metres west of the settlement. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM3535.

What period does Sandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday date from?

Sandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday dates from the neolithic period, and is classified as a chambered cairn 300m w of, eday. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Sandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday?

Sandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, 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 SM3535.

What other scheduled monuments are near Sandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Burn of Mussetter,standing stone on E side of (0.5 km), Sandhill, burnt mound 200m SE of (0.5 km), Eday Church Hall, chambered cairn 260m WNW of (0.5 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Sandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Sandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday'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, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday

Sandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.

The wider landscape

Around Sandhill, chambered cairn 300m W of, Eday

Ring of BrodgarArchaeological site · ~20.6 milesSkara BraeArchaeological site · ~22.3 miles