Vinquoy chambered cairn facts for kids
Vinquoy chambered cairn
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 Location in Orkney Islands
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| Location | Eday |
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| Coordinates | 59°13′38″N 2°46′21″W / 59.227299°N 2.772502°W |
| Type | Chambered cairn |
| History | |
| Periods | Neolithic |
| Site notes | |
| Ownership | Historic Scotland |
| Public access | Yes |
Vinquoy chambered cairn (grid reference HY56013809) is an ancient burial place found on the island of Eday in Orkney, Scotland. It's a special type of tomb called a chambered cairn and was built a very long time ago, during the Neolithic period (also known as the New Stone Age). This means it's thousands of years old! It looks a lot like another famous ancient tomb called Maeshowe, which is also in Orkney. Because it's so important, Historic Environment Scotland made it a protected site in 1936.
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What is Vinquoy Chambered Cairn?
Vinquoy chambered cairn is a very old tomb from the New Stone Age. It has been carefully restored and is similar to the famous Maeshowe tomb. This ancient monument was built on the highest point of Eday island. It sits on Vinquoy Hill, looking out over a narrow stretch of water called Calf Sound.
How Was the Cairn Built?
The tomb is about 18 meters (nearly 60 feet) wide. It stands about 3 meters (10 feet) tall. The builders used red sandstone to create this impressive structure. There's a 5-meter (16-foot) long passage that leads inside. This passage opens into a main room.
Inside the main room, you'll find four smaller rooms on the sides. Part of the tomb is actually built into the hill itself. The main room used to have a special ceiling. It was built with stones that stuck out, one over the other, to form a dome shape. This is called a corbelled roof.
Visiting the Site
Today, Vinquoy chambered cairn is open for people to visit. It's a part of the Eday Heritage Trail. This trail helps visitors explore the island's history.
Discovering the Cairn's History
The Vinquoy chambered cairn was first explored in 1857. Two men, James Farrer and Robert Fraser Hebden, dug into the tomb. They entered the main room by digging through the top of the mound.
Early Discoveries
Robert Fraser Hebden bought his land on Eday in 1850. He spent his own money to search for ancient things on the island. Even though there were many old mounds (called tumuli), he didn't find much. He found a few small pieces of flint stone. He also found some human skulls. One special carved stone he found was given to the National Museum of Scotland.
When Was the Tomb Built?
Experts believe the tomb was built around 3,000 BC. This is because its design is very much like the Maeshowe tomb. Maeshowe was built around 2800 BC. Vinquoy chambered cairn was officially protected by Historic Scotland in 1936.
