Orkney Image Library

Many a time I used to nick through this close when I was wee, coming out in King Street, before it was all closed off.

I don't think I've ever noticed the wheel guides before... or certainly didn't know what they were.

In the late 1800's the old buildings up the lane facing the street were stables, the idea of the rails was that the wheels of the cart or carriage were guided staight by hitting the raised edge of the rail and the centre/hub of the wheel was kept away from the wall. The rails would have most likley been laid when the two shops with the house above (to the left in the picture) were built new about 1895 by the well known taylor, Peter Shearer (Clooty Peter) he was famous for inventing the British Warm, a 1st WW. greatcoat worn by naval and army officers.
The old stable before renovation into a house in 1986, had floor flags with grooves cut to run liquid into a central floor drain. The upstairs part of the building was used as stores and a coblers workshop by James Turfus owner of St Olafs Stores 1945-1970 and then by Tom MacGillivary, the upper floor access at one time was by an outside staircase though the now upper window.