The Barnhouse stone stands about 700 metres to the south east of the Stones of Stenness. This stone is interesting because of its relationship with the Maes Howe chambered cairn. It is well known that the rays of the setting midwinter sun shine along the entrance passage and into the chamber of Maes Howe.  However the passage is also aligned with the Barnhouse stone so that when the midwinter sunset is observed from Maes Howe the sun sets directly over the top of the stone. If the Barnhouse Stone is considered to be an outlier of the Stenness circle it is interesting to speculate about the possible significance of the connection between Stenness and Maes Howe.

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