Map courtesy of National Library of Scotland

Lenswick and Torness

Lenswick and Torness, North Ronaldsay.
Fig 1: The tangle dykes at Lenswick, North Ronaldsay. The seaward end of many of the dykes is now obscured by the stones of the storm beach. (📷 ORCA)
Fig 1: The tangle dykes at Lenswick, North Ronaldsay. The seaward end of many of the dykes is now obscured by the stones of the storm beach. (📷 ORCA)

Lenswick

Fig 2: One of the tangle dykes at Lenswick built perpendicular to the shoreline. (📷 ORCA)
Fig 2: One of the tangle dykes at Lenswick built perpendicular to the shoreline. (📷 ORCA)

A group of features associated with the kelp industry and the tangle trade is recorded at Lenswick (Canmore ID 313986) (NGR HY 76146 55582) (Fig 1). These consisted of tangle dykes, usually referred to as “steethes” in North Ronaldsay, and a small number of possible kelp drying-platforms.

The site was first visited during April 2024 with subsequent recording by the ORCA team and local volunteers in September 2024.

A total of 13 features were identified, which relate to the drying of seaweed tangles. Nine of these were tangle dykes built as linear coursed masonry features (Fig 2) varying in length from 2.78m to 6.67m. They were generally up to 1m wide but varied in height from 0.18m to 0.73m.

The variation in length and height can generally be attributed to truncation through erosion, stone robbing and the movement of sand altering ground levels and partially obscuring the structures.

Fig 3: One of the suspected tangle drying platforms at Lenswick. (📷 ORCA)
Fig 3: One of the suspected tangle drying platforms at Lenswick. (📷 ORCA)

The remaining four features were possibly used for the drying of tangles and comprised large, stone slabs supported by smaller beach stones (Fig 3) varying in length from 0.64m to 2.59m.

These features appeared to be unique to this site with no similar structure being identified on any other of the surveys across the North Isles.

Torness

Fig 4: The former quarry at Torness, North Ronaldsay. Much of the quarry is now infilled but some of the working faces are still visible above the modern ground surface. (📷 ORCA)
Fig 4: The former quarry at Torness, North Ronaldsay. Much of the quarry is now infilled but some of the working faces are still visible above the modern ground surface. (📷 ORCA)

The kelp workings at Torness, comprising a small number of kelp-burning pits, are located near a disused quarry (Canmore ID 340166) on the north-west point of North Ronaldsay (NGR HY 75715 55625) (Fig 4).

The site was visited as part of the project launch in North Ronaldsay in April 2024, with recording undertaken by the ORCA team and local volunteers in September 2024.

Fig 5: A former kelp pit to the south of the Torness quarry, North Ronaldsay. (📷 ORCA)
Fig 5: A former kelp pit to the south of the Torness quarry, North Ronaldsay. (📷 ORCA)

The pits were visible as circular depressions in the otherwise fairly flat landscape, often with he grass-covering having a stronger green colour (Fig 5). It is possible that the number of kelp pits in this area was originally higher, with those pits lying closer to the shore being subsequently lost to quarrying.

The pits varied from 1.8m to 2.5m in diameter and about 0.17m deep.