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Wideford Hill

Kirkwall, Orkney Islands

Large image (833x186 - 45k) A view of the outside of the tomb looking from the west towards the low entrance passage that can be seen at the centre
Large image (703x525 - 47k) The inside of the tomb looking south. The entrance passage is through the opening to the right of the picture. Present day access is through a hatch in the roof - hence the ladder
Large image (615x523 - 37k) Looking into the eastern side chamber
Large image (488x574 - 29k) Looking into the southern side chamber
Large image (701x505 - 46k) Looking down the entrance passage
Large image (617x541 - 29k) Looking north. The wet and bedragled yardstick (it was a horrible* midwinters day) is five feet nine inches tall*

Looking west on the western slope of Wideford Hill is a chambered tomb dug into the hillside.

The tomb was excavated in 1849 by G.Petrie. The tomb was intact, but had been filled from a hole in the roof with rubble including animal bones (horse, cow, sheep, deer and pig).

The outer cairn has a diameter of about 42 feet. The inner chamber is about five feet wide and ten feet long at floor level, but much narrower at head height. There are side chambers to the north, east and south, and a long low entrance passage to the west. (This was the original entrance - present access to the tomb is through a hatch in the roof).

The tomb site is on a slope that was artificially flattened before construction.

External Links:

Find Wideford Hill (or the nearest known site) at the Megalithic Portal