52-557: St Magnus Cathedral dominates the skyline of Kirkwall , the main town of Orkney , a group of islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland . Originally Roman Catholic , it is the oldest cathedral in Scotland and the most northerly cathedral in the United Kingdom - a fine example of Romanesque architecture built when the islands were ruled by the Norse Earls of Orkney . Today it
104-462: A column was found, containing a box with bones including a skull showing a wound consistent with a blow from an axe. In the late 12th and early 13th century, the building was extended to the east with vaulting throughout, and, in the late 14th century, the present lower front was joined to the rest of the building. These later elements introduced the Gothic style with pointed arches. In 1468, when Orkney
156-494: A fleet to Orkney, but the islanders resisted and Earl Paul who had succeeded Håkon would not give up control without a fight. Then, Earl Rögnvald Kolsson was advised by his father Kol to promise the islanders to "build a stone minster at Kirkwall more magnificent than any in Orkney, that you'll have [it] dedicated to your uncle the holy Earl Magnus and provide it with all the funds it will need to flourish. In addition, his holy relics and
208-480: A rope applied so as by a lateral traction to make the tongue strike the side. One end of a short rope is fastened to the tongue and the other to the wall; a second rope is fastened to the middle of the first and the lower end of it pulled by the ringer, which of course pulls the tongue to one side. The notes produced by the bells are not at diatonic intervals, being about five quarter tones apart. They are about G ¼ tone sharp, A ½ tone sharp, С ¼ tone sharp. The second bell
260-593: A share of the earldom of Orkney held by his cousin Håkon , and they ruled amicably as joint Earls of Orkney from 1105 to 1114. Their followers fell out, and the two sides met at a thing (assembly) on Orkney Mainland, ready to do battle. Peace was negotiated and the Earls arranged to meet each other on the small island of Egilsay , each bringing only two ships. Magnus arrived on 16 April 1116 (or 1117) with his two ships, but then Håkon treacherously turned up with eight ships. Magnus
312-544: A single Church of Scotland ecclesiastical parish. The Orkneyinga saga tells how bloodthirsty intrigue and saintly piety led to the cathedral's foundation. Other accounts tell a similar, though slightly less saintly, tale. St Magnus had a reputation for piety and gentleness. On a raid led by the King of Norway on Anglesey , Wales , Magnus refused to fight and stayed on board singing psalms . King Eystein II of Norway granted him
364-590: 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
416-516: 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
468-518: 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
520-444: 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
572-489: Is owned not by any church, but by the burgh of Kirkwall as a result of an act of King James III of Scotland following Orkney's annexation by the Scottish Crown in 1468. The cathedral has its own dungeon . People accused of witchcraft in Orkney from 1594-1708 were usually incarcerated in the church, with their trials also held here. Construction began in 1137 and it was added to over the next 300 years. The first bishop
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#1732848098945624-404: Is used for the clock and is struck by the clock hammer on the outside, giving, when so struck, a note lower than that given when struck by the tongue." The third bell is described as "tenor G ¼ tone sharp" and has a diameter of 41.5 inches (105 cm) and height of 33 inches (84 cm). Dryden notes that the third bell bears an inscription in plain capitals raised in two lines, rendered here in
676-757: The Bishop's Palace was built nearby for William the Old, with a large rectangular hall above vaulted store rooms. King Haakon IV of Norway , overwintering after his defeat at the Battle of Largs , died here in December 1263, marking the end of Norse rule over the Outer Hebrides . The King was buried in St Magnus Cathedral until the weather was good enough to return his remains to Bergen . The palace fell into ruins, then after 1540
728-624: 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 ")
780-665: 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 the Norse in the 11th century. As late as 1525
832-407: The 12th century, the original cathedral had three aisled bays to the chancel with the bay at the east end shorter, and apsed in a similar way to the original apse at Durham , a transept with single east chapel, and eight bays to the nave as at Durham and Dunfermline Abbey . When the cathedral was ready for consecration the relics of St Magnus were enshrined in it. In 1919, a hidden cavity in
884-469: The Catholic church is now therefore less clear. The old graves are still considered consecrated grounds however the altar and building would need to be reconsecrated if the cathedral were to become Catholic once again. Nevertheless, occasional Catholic services do take place within the cathedral where necessary. As of 2024, the congregation of St Magnus Cathedral is part of Orkney Islands Church of Scotland -
936-466: The Old , Bishop of Orkney, warned that it was "heresy to go about with such tales", then was struck blind in his Birsay cathedral and subsequently had his sight restored after praying at the grave of Magnus, not long after visiting Norway (and perhaps meeting Earl Rögnvald Kolsson). Gunhild, sister of Magnus, had married Kol, and the king of Norway granted their son Rögnvald Kolsson the right to his uncle's earldom in 1129. Earl Rögnvald eventually took
988-743: 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
1040-556: The area in summer. These are the prehistoric and Norse settlements on the tidal island of Brough of Birsay and the ruins of the Earl's Palace on the Mainland opposite, at the northern end of the village. On the western part of Mainland Orkney's north shore there is other evidence of prehistoric man, including the well preserved ruins of the Broch of Gurness . The late 16th-century palace
1092-405: The building in the 19th century. The Romanesque cathedral begun in 1137 has fine examples of Norman architecture , attributed to English masons who may have worked on Durham Cathedral . The masonry uses red sandstone quarried near Kirkwall and yellow sandstone from the island of Eday , often in alternating courses or in a chequerboard pattern to give a polychrome effect. As completed during
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#17328480989451144-406: The cathedral began in 1137, under the direction of Kol. When funds ran short, Kol advised Rögnvald to restore odal rights for cash payment. In 1158, while work was still under way, Rögnvald was killed by a Scottish chieftain. His bones were brought to the cathedral and he was canonised in 1192, though the records of his sainthood are missing. Rögnvald's bones were found and re-interred during work on
1196-641: The cathedral on 12 August. The force was overpowered on the next day and many of the retreating English drowned as they attempted to reach their ships. The Protestant Reformation in 1560 had a less dramatic effect on St Magnus Cathedral than in some other parts of Scotland, but the church had a narrow escape in 1614. Government forces suppressing the rebellion of Robert, the son of Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney , had besieged and destroyed Kirkwall Castle and intended to destroy St Magnus Cathedral after rebels had hidden inside. The bishop James Law intervened to prevent them from carrying out this plan. Major work
1248-412: The church. One of the first people tried and executed for the crime of witchcraft in Orkney was Alison Balfour in 1594. Alison Balfour was accused of having been hired by Patrick Stewart, the second earl of Orkney , to poison his brother - while Patrick Stewart was acquitted in this instance, Alison was executed. The dungeon located between the choir and the south transept, also known as Marwick's Hole,
1300-461: The episcopal seat must be moved there [from Birsay ]". Meanwhile, Rögnvald secretly had Paul kidnapped and shipped away, later to be murdered in Caithness . Rögnvald duly became Earl of Orkney. In 1135, Magnus was canonised, with 16 April becoming St Magnus' day. His remains were moved east to St Olaf's Kirk in the small settlement known as Kirkjuvágr , meaning "church bay", now Kirkwall . Work on
1352-500: The largest bell did suffer a rift. Therefore, in July 1682, the church authorities contracted with Alexander Geddes, merchant in Kirkwall, to deliver the bell to Amsterdam, where it was recast by Claudius Fremy. On arrival in Amsterdam, the bell was weighed and was found to be 1,500 pounds (680 kg). It lost 65 pounds (29 kg) in casting, but 193 pounds (88 kg) pounds of "new metal"
1404-470: The late 16th and early 17th centuries; they too are open to the public. There are four bells in St Magnus, donated in 1528 by Bishop Robert Maxwell. The smallest bell bears no inscription or date and was not hung. According to the antiquary Sir Henry Edward Leigh Dryden, fourth and seventh Dryden baronet (1818–1899), "They are not and probably never have been rung by the common processes of wheel or crank but by
1456-686: The late 17th century. It was originally adjoined by walled garden enclosures, an archery range and a bowling green. This building, along with the Earl's Palace, Kirkwall and Scalloway Castle in Shetland (all Historic Scotland ), were the main residences of the Stewart Earls of Orkney in the Northern Isles. Near the palace is the St Magnus Church of the parish of Birsay and Harray ( Church of Scotland ; open in summer). Architectural fragments in
1508-559: 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
1560-423: 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,' the ll at first being silent?" The town
1612-546: 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
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1664-435: The original spelling: "Made by master Robbert Maxwell, Bischop of Orkney, the year of God MDXXVIII. the year of the reign of King James the V. Robert Borthwik made me in the castel of Edinburgh." In 1671, when the tower of the church was struck by lightning and burned, the bells fell into the church. It is said that townspeople hurried soft material into the church to catch the bells, should they fall, but despite their efforts,
1716-400: 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
1768-468: The public. Kirkwall is twinned with: Birsay Birsay ( / ˈ b ʌ r s iː / ) ( Old Norse : Birgisherað ) is a parish in the north west corner of The Mainland of Orkney , Scotland . Almost all the land in the parish is devoted to agriculture: chiefly grassland used to rear beef cattle. There are various ancient monuments in the parish. Two important ancient monuments are maintained by Historic Scotland and bring many visitors to
1820-587: The same firm ever since. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register . Footnotes Citations 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 the headquarters of
1872-477: 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
1924-405: 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
1976-403: 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
2028-452: The walls, and archaeological investigation of the foundations, suggest that this was the site of the first cathedral of Orkney in the 11th-12th centuries, known as Christchurch , founded by Earl Thorfinn the Mighty (d. c. 1065 ) after his return from a pilgrimage to Rome . The seat of the diocese was transferred to St Magnus Cathedral , Kirkwall , in the later 12th century, though
2080-673: Was William the Old , and the diocese was under the authority of the Archbishop of Nidaros in Norway . It was for Bishop William that the nearby Bishop's Palace was built. Before the Reformation , the cathedral was presided over by the Bishop of Orkney , whose seat was in Kirkwall . Today, it is a parish church of the Church of Scotland (with a Presbyterian system of Church governance). Its status within
2132-472: Was added, resulting in a finished weight of 1,528 pounds (693 kg). The new tongue in the bell weighed 46 pounds (21 kg). Geddes returned the bell to Kirkwall on 23 August of the same year. The original turret clock was built in 1761 by an Aberdeen clockmaker named Hugh Gordon. The clock was refurbished with an automatic mechanism by James Ritchie & Son in 2018. The organ was installed in 1925 and built by Henry Willis . It has been maintained by
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2184-550: Was annexed for Scotland by King James III , St Magnus Cathedral came under the control of the Archbishop of St Andrews ; the Bishops of Aberdeen and Orkney were subsequently of Scots rather than Scandinavian origin. Most notable amongst them was Bishop Robert Reid , who presided at St Magnus from 1541 to 1558. Mary I of England sent a fleet to Scotland in 1557, commanded by William Woodhouse and John Clere . Clere's troops attacked
2236-468: 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
2288-461: Was built by Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney (1533–93). Though extensively ruined, it can be seen to have consisted of four ranges round an open courtyard, with small towers at the corners, an unusual form of building in Scotland at this date, and unprecedented in the north of the country. The date 1574 was formerly carved above the main (south-facing) entrance. The building has been uninhabited since
2340-515: Was captured and offered to go into exile or prison, but an assembly of chieftains insisted that one earl must die. Håkon's standard bearer refused to execute Magnus, and an angry Håkon made his cook Lifolf kill Magnus by striking him on the head with an axe. Magnus was buried in the Christchurch at Birsay . The rocky area around his grave miraculously became a green field, and there were numerous reports of miraculous happenings and healings. William
2392-909: Was discovered in the 1970s that the west end of the cathedral was in danger of collapsing away from the remainder of the structure. Other work has progressed further, and to celebrate its 850th anniversary in 1987 Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a magnificent new west window. St Magnus is the only wholly mediaeval Scottish cathedral, and one of the best-preserved buildings of the era in Britain. The cathedral contains memorials to prominent Orcadians including explorers William Balfour Baikie and Dr John Rae , writers Eric Linklater , George Mackay Brown and Edwin Muir , film-maker Margaret Tait , artist Stanley Cursiter and psychiatrist Sir Thomas Clouston . People accused of witchcraft in Orkney from 1594-1708 were usually incarcerated in St Magnus Cathedral with trials also held in
2444-500: 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
2496-429: 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
2548-399: 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
2600-563: Was restored by Bishop Robert Reid who added a round tower, the "Moosie Toor". He presided at St Magnus from 1541 to 1558 and, incidentally, also founded the University of Edinburgh . The ruins of the Bishop's Palace are open to the public (see Historic Scotland ). Opposite the Bishop's Palace, the ruins of the Earl's Palace give a reminder of the cruel reign of the Stewart Earls of Orkney during
2652-415: Was undertaken on the cathedral in 1908 by the architect George Mackie Watson : this included replacing the dumpy slated pyramid atop the tower with a taller spire clothed in copper sheeting. As a result, today's cathedral looks much more as it did until its original spire was struck by lightning in the late 17th century. Restoration and renovation work on the building continues, with increased urgency since it
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#17328480989452704-409: Was used as a prison until as late as the eighteenth century and those accused of witchcraft would have been held here before their trial and execution. The opening to the dungeon that is visible today was originally a window. It is known as a bottle dungeon because of the way the floor arches upward, like the inside of a champagne bottle. At the same time as the original cathedral was being constructed,
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