Houton

Human settlement in Scotland

Orphir

Council area

Orkney Islands

Orkney Islands

CountryScotlandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townORKNEYPostcode districtKW17Dialling code01856PoliceScotlandFire Scottish AmbulanceScottish UK Parliament

Orkney and Shetland

Scottish Parliament

Orkney

List of places: UK; Scotland

58°55′05″N 3°11′10″W / 58.918°N 3.186°W / 58.918; -3.186

Houton is a settlement 5 miles (8.0 km) southeast of Stromness on the island of Mainland, Orkney, Scotland. The settlement is within the parish of Orphir,^[1] and is situated on a minor road off the A964.^[2]

From here, a ferry sails to Lyness on Hoy, Longhope on South Walls, and the island of Flotta, as well as a smaller ferry for workers of the Flotta oil terminal. Nearby are the remains of the Orphir Round Church, dedicated to St Nicholas (the only medieval round church in Scotland) and the Earl's Bu, the ruins of a former manor house of the Earldom of Orkney. These sites are in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.

The Holm of Houton is nearby.

RAF Houton

RAF Houton was situated nearby and was home to the following units:

No. 306 (Flying Boat) Flight.^[3]
No. 430 (Seaplane) Flight.^[4]
'F' Boat Seaplane Training Flight was formed on 15 August 1918 and operated the Felixstowe F.3 and the Curtiss H.16 before being disbanded on 25 November 1918.^[5]
Orkney Wing.^[6]

References

^ "Details of Houton". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
^ "A964". Sabre. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
^ Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. p. 72. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
^ Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. p. 76. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
^ Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. p. 66. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
^ "Houton Bay (also Kite Balloon Base)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 29 October 2013.