From the archives: Excavation of monument, 17 July, 1950

FROM our own reporter, Lerwick, Sunday: The first report of the excavation of a monument without parallel in the British Isles, believed to be a Neolithic temple similar to those found in Mediterranean lands, was given today at a session of the Viking Congress here by its discoverer, Mr Charles ST Calder of the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments, Edinburgh.

Speculation as to when the monument was built and what purposes it served 
was rendered more difficult by the extreme rarity of the plan, said Mr Calder, but in his opinion it would not be out of place to assign it to a date in a period of transition about 
3,200 to 3,400 years ago. The structure, which was formerly used as a sheep-fold, has 
hitherto been listed as of “indeterminate character”. It lies at Stanydale, in the parish of Sandsting, about 20 miles north-west of Lerwick.

• archive.scotsman.com