Grain Earth House

The Grain Earth House is located in an industrial area to the west of Kirkwall Bay. The earth house was discovered by a farmer ploughing in 1827. The chamber remained sealed and intact until 1857 when antiquarians decided to explore the interior.

The subterranean chamber is one of 25 prehistoric souterrains on Orkney. Above ground, only a small, green mound can be seen, characterised by a modern entrance built above it. About two metres below the surface lies an example of an Iron Age souterrain, built and used in the first millennium BC. It consists of a gently sloping, curved corridor that ends in an oval chamber. The chamber and the corridor are covered with flat stone slabs. Inside the chamber, four massive, approximately 1.5 m high stone columns stand close to the edge and support the weight of the roof of the 4.9 m long chamber. The roof is 2.0 metres below the floor.

The purpose of the souterrains is unknown. Today, a cultic function is most likely, but a use as a storage room cannot be completely ruled out.