Description

The monument consists of an ancient field boundary, known locally as the Green Gairsty dyke, which is located some 740m E of Langskaill and runs down a steep slope from the modern road (the B9064) to the cliff edge.

The dyke comprises a low, broad, grass-covered bank, aligned approximately N to S. The bank is mainly built of earth, but a number of earthfast slabs are exposed on its surface. Its lower end coincides with the land edge above the low sea cliffs. Its upper end coincides with the N edge of the modern road, the B9064, at c.60m OD. Between these two points, the bank comprises a series of contiguous segments that differ slightly in alignment and profile to form a sinuous meandering ground plan. The dyke is approximately 220m in length, 4m to 5m in width and stands 0.75m to 1m high.

For most of its northern length, the slightly curving bank has a reasonably conical profile and its line is accentuated by two poorly defined gullies which run parallel with and either side of the bank. The southernmost 60m length of the dyke comprises three shorter segments, with slightly more rounded profiles and less distinct adjacent gullies. A break in the dyke between the last two segments may represent an entrance or the line of a route pre-dating the present road.

Until the mid 20th century, this area was undisturbed rough pasture. The dyke is not recorded on 19th or 20th century maps and its antiquity is also suggested by the name recorded in the 1920s and still in use by local people, the 'Gairsty'. This name occurs elsewhere in Orkney and is derived from an Old Norse word (gard-stadr), associated with ancient dykes. In form, the dyke resembles the treb dykes on North Ronaldsay.

The area to be scheduled is a rectangle measuring c.207m long by c.37m wide, centred on the line of the dyke, to include the dyke and an area around in which evidence relating to its use and construction may survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract. The fence at the edge of the modern road and all other modern structures, such as other fences, are excluded from the scheduling.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance as the remains of a major ancient land boundary. The dyke retains the potential to provide important information on its construction, period of use, function and contemporary landscape context.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as HY 43 SW 32.

References:

Lamb, R. G. (1982) 'The archaeological monuments of Scotland, 16, Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre', RCAHMS, 24.

Marwick, H. (1924) 'Antiquarian notes on Rousay', Proc Orkney Antiq Soc, vol. 2, 15-21.

RCAHMS (1982) The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. The archaeological sites and monuments of Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre, Orkney Islands Area, The archaeological sites and monuments of Scotland series no. 16, Edinburgh, 24, No. 91.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland