© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland
Upper Sower coastal battery north of Clestrain is a Second World War defensive installation on the Orkney Mainland, positioned to command the northern approaches to Scapa Flow. The battery consists of gun emplacements and associated structures built to protect against potential naval and aerial attack during the conflict. Its location on the exposed northern coast reflects the strategic importance of Orkney's naval anchorage, which required comprehensive fortification against Axis threats.
The site rests on bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a conglomerate and sandstone formation dating from the Devonian period. This geology provided a relatively stable foundation for construction, though the exposed coastal position meant structures had to withstand both the elements and potential enemy action. The surrounding landscape, characteristic of Orkney's windswept northern coast, remains largely open moorland.
The battery is protected as a scheduled monument under Historic Environment Scotland's designation SM13449. It represents an important element of Orkney's extensive Second World War fortification programme, when the islands hosted major naval and air forces. Such installations are valuable records of wartime engineering and strategic planning, documenting Britain's coastal defence infrastructure during a critical period of national defence.
Upper Sower, coastal battery N of, Clestrain is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM13449. View the official record →
Upper Sower coastal battery north of Clestrain is a Second World War defensive installation on the Orkney Mainland, positioned to command the northern approaches to Scapa Flow. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM13449.
Upper Sower, coastal battery N of, Clestrain 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 SM13449.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Houton Head, battery 325m W of Sunnybraes (2.9 km), Houton, chapel 60m E of Sunnybraes (3.1 km), Bu of Orphir, burnt mound and mill dam 250m NW of Bu Farm (4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Upper Sower, coastal battery N of, Clestrain'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.
Upper Sower, coastal battery N of, Clestrain stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.