Jarlshof

After a very wet morning, when we went round Scalloway museum, we had a very wet afternoon. 

Jarlshof is a site, next to the Sumburgh hotel, managed by Historic Scotland. Discovered in the late nineteenth century when storms uncovered the ruins, it shows evidence (ruins) of settlement from the late Neolithic to the 1600s. The site is incredibly well preserved, initially by the sand that was subsequently removed by the storm, and also by the landowner who, when work began to preserve the site, ensured that it was kept as it was found, without reconstruction. 

Jarlshof.

An aerial view of the site....from the excellent interpretive centre.

Round Houses - built 4000 years ago.

Quern stones.

The double wall of the broch, 400 BC - 100AD

Wheel Houses...the first couple of centuries AD.

The wheelhouses were impressive...

..and gave somewhere to shelter from the rain.

Norse settlement (Viking) AD 850. At least 12 generations added to these buildings, over several centuries.

Medieval Farmhouse...13th century.