Stanydale Temple

Stanydale ‘Temple’ is the only truly megalithic structure surviving from prehistoric Shetland. It comprises a wall of large boulders enclosing a wide oval area, which would have originally been enclosed by a great timber roof.

It isn't clear what purpose Stanydale served. The archaeologist who excavated the site called it a ‘temple’, as the structure is similar to known Neolithic temples in Malta. However, it could just as easily have acted as a village hall, courtroom or Chieftan’s hall. Whatever its purpose, it’s a significant building in a landscape rich in prehistoric structures.