Hill forts · Scottish Islands
Maes Howe
In or near Finstown.
Maes Howe — Neolithic chambered cairn and passage grave situated on Mainland Orkney, Scotland.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2 h
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Maes Howe, you can use the postcode KW16 3HH for sat-nav directions. Entry is free, but please note that the site is not wheelchair accessible.
About
Maes Howe is a hill fort in the United Kingdom. It covers approximately 1 km². Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Part of Heart of Neolithic Orkney. Wikidata describes it as: "Neolithic chambered cairn and passage grave situated on Mainland Orkney, Scotland". Coordinates: 58.9966°, -3.1882°.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
Maeshowe (or Maes Howe; Old Norse: Orkahaugr) is a Neolithic chambered cairn and passage grave situated on Mainland Orkney, Scotland. It was probably built around 2800 BC. In the archaeology of Scotland, it gives its name to the Maeshowe type of chambered cairn, which is limited to Orkney. Maeshowe is a significant example of Neolithic craftsmanship and is, in the words of the archaeologist Stuart Piggott, "a superlative monument that by its originality of execution is lifted out of its class into a unique position". Maeshowe is designated a scheduled monument and part of the "Heart of Neolithic Orkney", a group of sites including Skara Brae designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Architecture
Maeshowe is one of the largest chambered cairns in Orkney. The grass-covered mound that encloses the tomb measures about 35 m in diameter and rises to a height of 7.3 m. Around the base of the mound runs a ditch located roughly 15 to away and up to 14 m wide. Beneath the mound lies a carefully constructed stone monument composed of a passage and central chamber built from large slabs of local flagstone. Some of these slabs weigh as much as 30 tons. A similar solar effect occurs at Newgrange, another Neolithic passage tomb where midwinter sunlight illuminates the interior. The entrance passage is about 11 m long and leads to a central chamber that is almost square, measuring about 4.6 m on…
Visiting
The Maeshowe Heart of Neolithic Orkney Visitor Centre is located in the village of Stenness on Mainland, Orkney. Access to the cairn is by guided tour only. Visitors begin at the Stenness centre before travelling to the monument as part of scheduled tours organised by Historic Environment Scotland.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 58.9966, -3.1882
- District
- Orkney Islands
- Postcode
- KW16 3HH
- Parliamentary constituency
- Orkney and Shetland
Sources
- wikidata: Q507076 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Maeshowe (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Maeshowe.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Heart of Neolithic Orkney
UNESCO World Heritage · 0.1 km
Maeshowe
Memorials & monuments · 0.1 km
Tormiston Mill
Watermills · 0.2 km
Tormiston Mill - watermill, early C19, iron overshot wheel, lade, grain
Watermills · 0.2 km
Stenness Parish War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.8 km
Barnhouse Stone, standing stone
Windmills · 0.8 km
Stenness Church
Historic churches · 0.8 km
Barnhouse Stone
Archaeological sites · 0.8 km
Big Howe, Broch
Archaeological sites · 1.0 km
House 5
Historic houses · 1.1 km
Structure 8
Historic houses · 1.1 km
House 3
Historic houses · 1.1 km
Nearby
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Heart of Neolithic Orkney — World Heritage site in Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 5📷 3Watermills · Scottish Islands
Tormiston Mill
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Where to eat & stay near Maes Howe
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Places to eat & drink
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Maes Howe?
- Maes Howe is in the Scottish Islands, United Kingdom (postcode KW16 3HH).
- What is Maes Howe?
- Maes Howe — Neolithic chambered cairn and passage grave situated on Mainland Orkney, Scotland.
- How do I get to Maes Howe?
- Drivers can use postcode KW16 3HH.
- Who owns Maes Howe?
- Maes Howe is owned by Historic Scotland.
- Is Maes Howe a listed building?
- Maes Howe is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Is Maes Howe free to visit?
- Yes, Maes Howe is free to enter.
- How do I get to Maes Howe?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode KW16 3HH. It sits within the Orkney and Shetland parliamentary constituency.