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Wasbister, mounds SSE of The Brecks is a prehistoric ceremonial or burial complex located in Orkney, Scotland. The monument comprises a series of earthen mounds positioned on Middle Old Red Sandstone bedrock of Middle Devonian age, which outcrops across this part of the island as conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone. This geological foundation would have presented significant challenges to Orcadian communities constructing substantial earthworks, requiring the importation or careful selection of suitable soil and stone materials from the surrounding landscape.
The mounds at Wasbister represent part of Orkney's rich prehistoric heritage, a period when communities invested considerable labour in monumental construction across the archipelago. Such mound complexes typically served functions connected to ritual, commemoration or social identity within their societies. The specific arrangement and form of these mounds reflect local building traditions and responses to the windswept Orcadian environment.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under designation SM7857, recognising its archaeological and heritage significance. The site remains an important element of understanding prehistoric settlement patterns and ceremonial practice in Orkney.
Wasbister, mounds SSE of The Brecks is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM7857. View the official record →
Wasbister, mounds SSE of The Brecks is a prehistoric ceremonial or burial complex located in Orkney, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM7857.
Wasbister, mounds SSE of The Brecks 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 SM7857.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Knowe of Onston,or Unstan,chambered cairn (2.6 km), Little Barnhouse, mound, 160m NE of (3.1 km), Cummi Howe, broch (3.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Wasbister, mounds SSE of The Brecks'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.
Wasbister, mounds SSE of The Brecks stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.