29-567: Orkney Library and Archive is a Scottish public library service based in Kirkwall , Orkney . Founded in 1683, Orkney Library is the oldest public library in Scotland. Its rules date from 1815. It has become known for its popular, humorous Twitter account. The Orkney Library and Archive was founded in 1683 with a bequest of 150 books from William Baikie . The collection was kept at the local manse before being transferred to St Magnus Cathedral . In 1740
58-515: A hospitality section, which makes some properties available for wedding receptions and other functions. Membership in Historic Scotland was promoted by the organisation, with benefits such as free entry to all their properties and over 400 events for the duration of the annual membership, as well as half-price entry to properties in England (under the care of English Heritage ), Wales (under
87-508: A good-natured and well publicised Twitter feud with Shetland Library . J.K. Rowling paid a surprise trip to the library book group in 2016. Kirkwall Kirkwall ( Scots : Kirkwa , Kirkwaa , or Kirkwal ; Norn : Kirkavå ) is the largest town in Orkney , an archipelago to the north of mainland Scotland . First mentioned in the Orkneyinga saga , it is today the location of
116-402: A quarter of which are staffed and charge admission. These properties have additional features such as guidebooks, books, and other resources. Historic Scotland sought to increase the number of events run at its sites, most frequently designed to engage young people with history. Similarly, new museums and visitor centres were opened, notably at Arbroath Abbey and Urquhart Castle . There was also
145-503: A ruin. This position was supported in an extensive local Public Inquiry at which the arguments for both sides were heard. It has been implied that this dispute has led to a review of the operations of the organisation. After widespread consultation, Historic Scotland published a comprehensive series of Scottish Historic Environment Policy papers, consolidated into a single volume, in October 2008. The agency's Framework Document sets out
174-590: Is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboat station. One of the major annual events in the town is the Ba Game , held each Christmas Day and New Year's Day between the Uppies and the Doonies, each team representing one half of the town. The composer Peter Maxwell Davies was among a group which founded the annual St Magnus International Festival which is centred on Kirkwall each midsummer. Notable music acts such as
203-516: Is a Category A listed building Scotland . The prehistoric , Pictish and Viking collections are of international importance. The other museum is the Orkney Wireless Museum , dealing with the history of radio and recorded sound. It is located in a Category C listed building, possibly the former harbour master 's office, on Junction Road. Orkney Tourist Board is located in an 18th-century Category B listed building on Broad Street. There
232-518: Is characteristic of the Northern Isles (although the Grain Earth House is unusually deep below ground). It was originally connected to a surface dwelling, which has since disappeared. The purpose of these Iron Age structures remains unknown. Further west, towards Grimbister, there is a similar structure, known as Rennibister Earth House . Kirkwall is the administrative centre of Orkney, and
261-444: Is continuously on the rise. The population rose from 6,205 in 2001 to 9,293 in 2011 to reach an estimated 10,020 in 2020. Kirkwall harbour with nearly 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) of quay edge is the second commercial hub for Orkney after Hatston. There is a Marina, and support for fishing and dive vessels. After extensive work on harbour facilities, the town has become a popular cruise ship stop, with several ships arriving each week in
290-624: The Northern Burghs , sending a single MP to Parliament . In 1918, the Parliamentary Burgh of Kirkwall merged into Orkney and Shetland . On the western edge of the town, surrounded by Hatston Industrial Estate, there is a prehistoric monument, known as the "Grain Earth House" (see Historic Scotland ). It is a short, low, stone-walled passage, deep underground, leading to a small pillared chamber. This kind of earth house (or " souterrain ")
319-642: The ll at first being silent?" The town was first mentioned in the Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046, when it was recorded as the residence of Rögnvald Brusason , the Earl of Orkney , who was killed by his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty . In 1486, King James III of Scotland elevated Kirkwall to the status of a royal burgh , and in time it would return a Burgh commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland . After Union with England it combined with other towns to form
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#1732863202644348-472: The Norse in the 11th century. As late as 1525 the name is recorded as Kirkevaag. This became in time "Kirkwaa" and then eventually Kirkwall - but how the second syllable came to be spelled "wall" is not certain. MacBain quotes F. W. L. Thomas : "How, I ask, could vágr come to be represented by wall? Whence came the ll ? Was it that Scottish immigrants finding the sound of vá represented it in writing by 'wall,'
377-743: The Wrigley Sisters and Bryttania formed in Kirkwall. Orkney Theatre, a 384-seat venue, was opened in 2014 next to Kirkwall Grammar School in The Meadows. It has an orchestra pit which can be made available for use by removing two rows of seats. Kirkwall Harbour can be seen in The Highlands and Islands – A Royal Tour , a 1973 documentary about Prince Charles ' visit to the Highlands and Islands, directed by Oscar Marzaroli . Scottish film-maker Margaret Tait
406-619: The collection was moved to the Old Tollboth. In 1815 a number of subscribers to the collection founded The Orkney Library. The library was a subscription-only service until 1890 when a donation from Andrew Carnegie allowed the library to adopt the 1850 Public Libraries Act . A further donation was made by Carnegie in 1903 for a dedicated building. The new Carnegie Library opened on Laing Street in Kirkwall in 1909. The current library building on Junction Road, Kirkwall opened in August 2003. The Archive
435-589: The headquarters of the Orkney Islands Council and a transport hub with ferries to many locations. It is the centre of the St Magnus International Festival and is also a popular stopping off point for cruise ships. St Magnus Cathedral stands at the heart of the town. The name Kirkwall comes from the Norse name Kirkjuvágr meaning "church bay", the settlement having been established by
464-510: The most northerly of the world's Carnegie libraries , which was opened by Andrew Carnegie and his wife in 1909. The building survives, although the library has since moved to a larger building on Junction Road which opened in August 2003. The town has two museums, the larger being The Orkney Museum in Tankerness House, which contains items of local historical interest within one of Scotland's best-preserved 16th-century town-houses . It
493-546: The north, and with Scapa Flow 1.4 mi (2.3 km) to the south. Its parish, St Ola , forms the isthmus between Firth and Holm . It is the most populous island settlement in Scotland. Kirkwall has an oceanic climate ( Cfb ), with a strong maritime influence on its temperature. As a result, it is generally cooler than the rest of the UK in the summer. The exception is that Kirkwall tends to be warmer than Shetland , being closer to mainland Scotland. The population of Kirkwall
522-400: The principal north islands in the group. Hatson pier, the main ferry terminal, is some 2 mi (3 km) outside the town centre. The Aberdeen, Leith, Clyde & Tay Shipping Company operated steamer services to Kirkwall from 1836, with successor companies operating until 2002. Kirkwall Airport , the main airport for Orkney , is 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 mi (4 km) southeast of
551-617: The public. Kirkwall is twinned with: Historic Scotland Historic Scotland ( Scottish Gaelic : Alba Aosmhor ) was an executive agency of the Scottish Office and later the Scottish Government from 1991 to 2015, responsible for safeguarding Scotland's built heritage and promoting its understanding and enjoyment. Under the terms of a Bill of the Scottish Parliament published on 3 March 2014, Historic Scotland
580-725: The responsibilities of the Scottish Ministers and the agency's Chief Executive. Its Corporate Plan sets out its targets and performance against them. Historic Scotland and the Glasgow School of Art 's Digital Design Studio formed the Centre for Digital Documentation and Visualization to promote the documentation and 3D representation of heritage objects, architecture, and environments with laser scanning and 3D visualization software. Historic Scotland had direct responsibility for maintaining and running over 360 monuments in its care, about
609-526: The season. This has added to the prosperity of the town and allowed a thriving sector of independently owned shops. Each year now, 140 cruise ships visit Kirkwall and Stromness. Weaving in Orkney took place from Viking times, with John Sclater & Co involved in Tweed production in Kirkwall in the 1970s. They used the brand names Norsaga and Jarltex. The Orkney Library and Archive is in Kirkwall. Kirkwall also has
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#1732863202644638-405: The site of the headquarters of both Orkney Islands Council and NHS Orkney . Although sometimes referred to as "The City and Royal Burgh of Kirkwall" Kirkwall is not technically a city. Kirkwall is 130 miles (210 kilometres) north of Aberdeen and 528 mi (850 km) north of London. It is situated on the northern coast of Mainland, Orkney , with its harbours in the bay of Kirkwall to
667-403: The town. There are no passenger rail services in Kirkwall, the nearby railways having been industrial or military. The oldest school in Kirkwall, Kirkwall Grammar School , has been established since circa 1200. The current school building was opened in 2014. The Orkney College main campus is situated in Kirkwall, in a purpose-built building that opened in 2000. The ' Kirk ' of Kirkwall
696-706: Was attached to the Scottish Executive Education Department , which embraces all aspects of the cultural heritage, in May 1999. As part of the Scottish Government, Historic Scotland was directly accountable to the Scottish Ministers . In 2002, proposals to restore Castle Tioram in the West Highlands by putting a roof back on were blocked by Historic Scotland, which favoured stabilising it as
725-468: Was born in Kirkwall, and many of her films (in particular the Aspects of Kirkwall series) are set there. Long-running The Simpsons character Groundskeeper Willie was born in Kirkwall. Kirkwall has many 17th–18th-century houses and other structures in the local vernacular style . Kirkwall Town Hall was completed in 1884. Kirkwall is a port with ferry services to Aberdeen and Lerwick , as well as
754-716: Was dissolved and its functions were transferred to Historic Environment Scotland (HES) on 1 October 2015. HES also took over the functions of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland . Historic Scotland was a successor organisation to the Ancient Monuments Division of the Ministry of Works and the Scottish Development Department . It was created as an agency in 1991 and
783-484: Was established in 1973. The collection includes local history and genealogical records, photographs, sound recordings, and film. The collection also includes letters from William Galloway to Sir Henry Dryden. The Archive service was awarded accreditation in November 2017. The Library offers access to over 145,000 items, including fiction and non-fiction titles, audiobooks, maps, eBooks, music CDs and DVDs. The Library enjoys
812-429: Was founded in memory of Saint Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney 1108–1117 by Earl (later Saint) Rögnvald Kali . Next to the cathedral are the ruins of the former Bishop's Palace and Earl's Palace . The Pickaquoy Centre , Orkney's largest leisure centre, is located in Kirkwall, which opened in 1999. Kirkwall Grammar School Sports Centre has indoor sports facilities, and grass and synthetic pitches, available to
841-399: Was not the cathedral (which was originally at Birsay ), but the 11th-century church of Saint Olaf of Norway. One late medieval doorway survives from this church, and an aumbry from the original church survives within the late 19th-century structure of the present-day Saint Olaf's Church ( Episcopal ) in the town's Dundas Crescent. At the heart of the town stands St Magnus Cathedral , which
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