94-399: The Mainland , also known as Hrossey and Pomona , is the main island of Orkney , Scotland . Both of Orkney's burghs , Kirkwall and Stromness , lie on the island, which is also the heart of Orkney's ferry and air connections. Seventy-five per cent of Orkney's population live on the island, which is more densely populated than the other islands of the archipelago. The lengthy history of
188-577: A 1973 documentary about Prince Charles ' visit to the Highlands and Islands, directed by Oscar Marzaroli . Scottish film-maker Margaret Tait 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
282-740: A decision on its future. The German sailors opened the seacocks and scuttled all the ships . Most ships were salvaged, but the remaining wrecks are now a favoured haunt of recreational divers. One month into World War II, a German U-boat sank the Royal Navy battleship HMS Royal Oak in Scapa Flow. As a result, barriers were built to close most of the access channels; these had the additional advantage of creating causeways enabling travellers to go from island to island by road instead of being obliged to rely on ferries. The causeways were constructed by Italian prisoners of war, who also constructed
376-545: A distinctive dialect of the Scots language and have a rich body of folklore. Orkney contains some of the oldest and best-preserved Neolithic sites in Europe; the " Heart of Neolithic Orkney " is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site . Orkney also has an abundance of marine and avian wildlife. Pytheas of Massalia visited Britain – probably sometime between 322 and 285 BC – and described it as triangular in shape, with
470-693: A graphic depiction of life in the north of Scotland some 5,000 years ago. Nearby is the Barnhouse Settlement , a smaller cluster of prehistoric buildings. Other sites of interest include St. Magnus Cathedral and the ruin of the Bishop's Palace in Kirkwall, the Earl's Palace , a ruined 16th-century castle in Birsay parish, and Skaill House , a manor house and museum near Skara Brae. Viking settlers comprehensively occupied Orkney, and Mainland became
564-562: A local café in the capital of Kirkwall also known as the Pomona. The island is relatively densely populated and has much fertile farmland . The bulk of the Mainland is west of Kirkwall and is low-lying, with coastal cliffs to the north and west and two sizeable bodies of freshwater, the lochs of Stenness and Harray . The eastern part of the Mainland is shaped like the letter "W", the easternmost peninsula being known as Deerness . To
658-484: A name that stems from a 16th-century mis-translation by George Buchanan . The term eventually fell out of widespread use by the early 1800s, yet has aided in differentiating the "Isle of Pomona" from "Mainland Scotland" by emigrants to Canada, England, and other regions, so clings on tenaciously and can still be rarely found locally, retained in the name of the Pomona Inn at Finstown in the parish of Firth, as well as
752-554: A name that stems from a 16th-century mistranslation by George Buchanan , which has rarely been used locally. Usage of the plural "Orkneys" dates from the 18th century or earlier and was used by for example Sir Walter Scott . From the mid-19th century onwards this plural form has fallen out of use in the local area although it is still often used, particularly by publications based outside Scotland. A charred hazelnut shell, recovered in 2007 during excavations in Tankerness on
846-598: A northern tip called Orcas . This may have referred to Dunnet Head , from which Orkney is visible. Writing in the 1st century AD, the Roman geographers Ptolemy and Pomponius Mela called the islands Orcades (Ancient Greek: Όρκάδες), as did Tacitus in AD 98, claiming that his father-in-law Agricola had "discovered and subjugated the Orcades hitherto unknown" (although both Mela and Pliny had previously referred to
940-512: A possession of Norway until being given to Scotland during the 15th century as part of a dowry settlement. Evidence of the Viking presence is widespread, and includes the site of a settlement at the Brough of Birsay , the vast majority of place names , and runic inscriptions at Maeshowe and other ancient sites. Stromness is of relatively recent origin, being first recorded as the site of an inn in
1034-415: A purpose-built building that opened in 2000. The ' Kirk ' of Kirkwall 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
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#17327647535711128-607: A raiding base before being killed in 954. Thorfinn's death and presumed burial at the broch of Hoxa , on South Ronaldsay , led to a long period of dynastic strife. Initially a pagan culture, detailed information about the turn to the Christian religion in the islands of Scotland during the Norse era is elusive. The Orkneyinga Saga suggests the islands were Christianised by Olaf Tryggvasson in 995 when he stopped at South Walls on his way from Ireland to Norway. The King summoned
1222-594: 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 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
1316-706: 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 ") 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
1410-904: Is a sandy loam or a strong but friable clay, and very fertile. Large quantities of seaweed as well as lime and marl are available for manure. There are numerous smaller Orkney islands surrounding the mainland, some which are islets only separated at higher stages of the tide, or skerries which are only exposed at lower stages of the tide. These include Barrel of Butter , Bo Skerry, Bow Skerries, Braga, Brough of Bigging, Brough of Birsay , Damsay , Holm of Houton , Holm of Grimbister , Holm of Rendall, Iceland Skerry, Inner Holm, Kirk Rocks, Little Skerry, Mirkady Point, Nevi Skerry, Outer Holm, Oyster Skerries, Puldrite Skerry, Quanterness Skerry, Scare Gun, Seal Skerry, Skaill Skerries, Skerries of Clestrain, Skerries of Coubister, Skerries of Lakequoy, Skerry of Work, Skerry of Yinstay, Smoogro Skerry, Thieves Holm , Whyabatten, and Yesnaby Castle. The other islands in
1504-420: Is a similar structure, known as Rennibister Earth House . Kirkwall is the administrative centre of Orkney, and 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
1598-482: Is almost entirely Old Red Sandstone , mostly of Middle Devonian age. As in the neighbouring mainland county of Caithness , this sandstone rests upon the metamorphic and igneous rocks of the Moine series, as may be seen on the Mainland, where a narrow strip is exposed between Stromness and Inganess, and again in the small island of Graemsay ; they are represented by grey gneiss and granite . The Middle Devonian
1692-781: Is also abundant and moraines cover substantial areas. Orkney has a cool temperate climate that is remarkably mild and steady for such a northerly latitude , due to the influence of the warm waters of the Norwegian Current , a north-easterly extension of the North Atlantic Drift which is itself an extension of the Gulf Stream . The average temperature for the year is 8 °C (46 °F); for winter 4 °C (39 °F) and for summer 12 °C (54 °F). Kirkwall Kirkwall ( Scots : Kirkwa , Kirkwaa , or Kirkwal ; Norn : Kirkavå )
1786-516: Is an endemic sub-species of the common vole , the Orkney vole or cuttick, ( Microtus arvalis orcadensis ) found only in the Orkney archipelago. It may have been introduced by early settlers about 4,000 years ago. Brown hares and rabbits can be found and there are frogs, but no toads. There are six hundred recorded species of plant on the Orkney Mainland. Two rarities to be found here are
1880-621: Is certainly significant with over 190,000 visits to the islands, many on cruise ships, in 2019. Tourism was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 and into 2021. A September 2020 report stated that "The Highlands and Islands region has been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to date, when compared to Scotland and the UK as a whole". The industry required short-term support for "business survival and recovery" and that
1974-512: Is divided into three main groups. The lower part of the sequence, mostly Eifelian in age, is dominated by lacustrine beds of the lower and upper Stromness Flagstones that were deposited in Lake Orcadie . The later Rousay flagstone formation is found throughout much of the North and South Isles and East Mainland. The Old Man of Hoy is formed from sandstone of the uppermost Eday Group that
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#17327647535712068-446: 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 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
2162-515: 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 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
2256-627: Is part of the Hoy and West Mainland National Scenic Area , one of 40 in Scotland. The population in 2011 was recorded as 17,162, an increase of just over 12% on the 2001 population of 15,315. There are 13 parishes on the island. Sandwick , Birsay and Stromness lie on the west coast, Rendall and Evie to the north west. Holm , Deerness and St Andrews are located to the east of central St Ola , which contains Kirkwall city. Firth , Orphir , Stenness and Harray lie west of Kirkwall and east of
2350-411: Is situated on the northern coast of Mainland, Orkney , with its harbours in the bay of Kirkwall to 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
2444-627: 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 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
2538-623: Is up to 800 metres (870 yd) thick in places. It lies unconformably upon steeply inclined flagstones, the interpretation of which is a matter of continuing debate. The Devonian and older rocks of Orkney are cut by a series of WSW–ENE to N–S trending faults, many of which were active during deposition of the Devonian sequences. A strong synclinal fold traverses Eday and Shapinsay, the axis trending north-south. Middle Devonian basaltic volcanic rocks are found on western Hoy, on Deerness in eastern Mainland and on Shapinsay. Correlation between
2632-698: The -aibh representing a fossilized prepositional case ending. Some earlier sources alternatively hypothesise that Orkney comes from the Latin orca , whale. The Anglo-Saxon monk Bede refers to the islands as Orcades insulae in Ecclesiastical History of the English People . Norwegian settlers arriving from the late ninth century reinterpreted orc as the Old Norse orkn " seal " and added eyjar "islands" to
2726-617: The jarl Sigurd the Stout and said, "I order you and all your subjects to be baptised. If you refuse, I'll have you killed on the spot and I swear I will ravage every island with fire and steel." Unsurprisingly, Sigurd agreed and the islands became Christian at a stroke, receiving their own bishop in the early 11th century. Thorfinn the Mighty was a son of Sigurd and a grandson of King Malcolm II of Scotland ( Máel Coluim mac Cináeda ). Along with Sigurd's other sons he ruled Orkney during
2820-645: The Broch of Burroughston and Broch of Gurness . The nature and origin of these buildings is a subject of debate. Other structures from this period include underground storehouses and aisled roundhouses , the latter usually in association with earlier broch sites. During the Roman invasion of Britain the "King of Orkney" was one of 11 British leaders who is said to have submitted to the Emperor Claudius in AD 43 at Camulodunum (modern Colchester). After
2914-633: The Fair Isle Channel . The islands are mainly low-lying except for some sharply rising sandstone hills on Mainland, Rousay and Hoy (where the tallest point in Orkney, Ward Hill , can be found) and rugged cliffs on some western coasts. Nearly all of the islands have lochs , but the watercourses are merely streams draining the high land. The coastlines are indented, and the islands themselves are divided from each other by straits generally called "sounds" or "firths". The tidal currents , or "roosts" as some of them are called locally, off many of
Mainland, Orkney - Misplaced Pages Continue
3008-489: The Northern Isles , comprising Orkney and Shetland, in 875 (it is clear that this story, which appears in the Orkneyinga Saga , is based on the later voyages of Magnus Barelegs and some scholars believe it to be apocryphal). Rognvald Eysteinsson received Orkney and Shetland from Harald as an earldom as reparation for the death of his son in battle in Scotland, and then passed the earldom on to his brother Sigurd
3102-612: The Orkney Islands , is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland . The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but is now considered incorrect. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland , Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north of Caithness and has about 70 islands, of which 20 are inhabited. The largest island, the Mainland , has an area of 523 square kilometres (202 sq mi), making it
3196-704: The Picts . Orkney was colonised and later annexed by the Kingdom of Norway in 875 and settled by the Norsemen . In 1472, the Parliament of Scotland absorbed the Earldom of Orkney into the Kingdom of Scotland , following failure to pay a dowry promised to James III of Scotland by the family of his bride, Margaret of Denmark . In addition to the Mainland, most of the remaining islands are divided into two groups:
3290-692: The Standing Stones of Stenness , the Maeshowe passage grave , the Ring of Brodgar and other standing stones. Many of the Neolithic settlements were abandoned around 2500 BC, possibly due to changes in the climate. In September 2021, archaeologists announced the discovery of two polished stone balls in a 5500-year-old Neolithic burial tomb in Sanday . According to Dr Hugo Anderson, the second object
3384-414: 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 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
3478-642: The sixth-largest Scottish island and the tenth-largest island in the British Isles . Orkney's largest settlement, and also its administrative centre, is Kirkwall . Orkney is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a constituency of the Scottish Parliament , a lieutenancy area , and an historic county . The local council is Orkney Islands Council . The islands have been inhabited for at least 8,500 years, originally occupied by Mesolithic and Neolithic tribes and then by
3572-408: The " Heart of Neolithic Orkney ", a UNESCO World Heritage Site . This comprises the large chambered tomb of Maes Howe , the ceremonial stone circles the Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar and the Neolithic village of Skara Brae , together with a number of unexcavated burial, ceremonial and settlement sites. The group constitutes a major prehistoric cultural landscape which gives
3666-517: The 16th century, although the name is of Norse origin. Stromness became important during the late 17th century, when England was at war with France and shipping was forced to avoid the English Channel . Ships of the Hudson's Bay Company were regular visitors, as were whaling fleets. The Churchill Barriers are a series of four causeways with a total length of 1.5 miles (2.4 km). They link
3760-482: The 16th century, boats from mainland Scotland and the Netherlands dominated the local herring fishery. There is little evidence of an Orcadian fleet until the 19th century, but it grew rapidly, and 700 boats were involved by the 1840s with Stronsay and later Stromness becoming leading centres of development. White fish never became as dominant as in other Scottish ports. Agricultural improvements beginning in
3854-639: The 17th century resulted in the enclosure of the commons and ultimately in the Victorian era the emergence of large and well-managed farms using a five-shift rotation system and producing high-quality beef cattle. In the 17th century, Orcadians formed the overwhelming majority of employees of the Hudson's Bay Company in Canada. The harsh winter weather of Orkney and the Orcadian reputation for sobriety and their boat handling skills made them ideal candidates for
Mainland, Orkney - Misplaced Pages Continue
3948-453: The 1970s. They used the brand names Norsaga and Jarltex. The Orkney Library and Archive is in Kirkwall. Kirkwall also has 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,
4042-634: The Agricolan fleet had come and gone, possibly anchoring at Shapinsay , direct Roman influence seems to have been limited to trade rather than conquest. Polemius Silvius wrote a list of Late Roman provinces, which Seeck appended to his edition of the Notitia Dignitatum . The list names six provinces in Roman Britannia: the sixth is the dubious "Orcades provincia", the possible existence of which recent researches re-evaluate. By
4136-795: The British Isles that held out for the Jacobites and was not retaken by the British Government until 24 May 1746, over a month after the defeat of the main Jacobite army at Culloden . Orkney was the site of a Royal Navy base at Scapa Flow , which played a major role in World War I and World War II . After the Armistice in 1918, the German High Seas Fleet was transferred in its entirety to Scapa Flow to await
4230-609: The Churchill Barriers, but would make landfall on South Ronaldsay, if constructed. The main airport in Orkney is Kirkwall Airport , operated by Highland and Islands Airports . Loganair provides services to the Scottish Mainland ( Aberdeen , Edinburgh , Glasgow and Inverness ), as well as to Sumburgh Airport in Shetland. Most of the scheduled flights within Orkney depart/arrive at Kirkwall from one of
4324-496: The Coronavirus Business Support Fund. The three main settlements on Mainland, in order of magnitude are Kirkwall and Stromness , both of which are burghs, and Finstown . Kirkwall, the capital of the islands, is on the isthmus between west Mainland and east Mainland, which historically enabled it to have highly active harbours facing in two directions for the southern and northern Orkney Islands;
4418-818: 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 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 ,
4512-515: The Hoy volcanics and the other two exposures has been proposed, but differences in chemistry mean this remains uncertain. Lamprophyre dykes of Late Permian age are found throughout Orkney. Glacial striation and the presence of chalk and flint erratics that originated from the bed of the North Sea demonstrate the influence of ice action on the geomorphology of the islands. Boulder clay
4606-412: The Mainland, has been dated to 6820–6660 BC, indicating the presence of Mesolithic nomadic tribes. The earliest known permanent settlement is at Knap of Howar , a Neolithic farmstead on the island of Papa Westray , which dates from 3500 BC. The village of Skara Brae , Europe's best-preserved Neolithic settlement, is believed to have been inhabited from around 3100 BC. Other remains from that era include
4700-460: The Mighty . Sigurd went on to conquer northern parts of mainland Britain in the late 9th century, including Caithness and Sutherland . However, Sigurd's line barely survived him and it was Torf-Einarr , Rognvald's son by a slave, who founded a dynasty that controlled the islands for centuries after his death. He was succeeded by his son Thorfinn Skull-splitter and during this time the deposed Norwegian King Eric Bloodaxe often used Orkney as
4794-651: The North Isles and the South Isles. The local climate is relatively mild and the soils are extremely fertile; most of the land is farmed, and agriculture is the most important sector of the economy. The significant wind and marine energy resources are of growing importance; the amount of electricity that Orkney generates annually from renewable energy sources exceeds its demand. Temperatures average 4 °C (39 °F) in winter and 12 °C (54 °F) in summer. The local people are known as Orcadians; they speak
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#17327647535714888-456: The Orkney Islands are generally classified as north or south of the Mainland. The exceptions are the remote islets of Sule Skerry and Sule Stack , which lie 37 miles (60 km) west of the archipelago, but form part of Orkney for local government purposes. The western section of the island contains numerous Neolithic and Pictish constructions. Most of the best known Neoloithic ancient monuments are located in west Mainland, which includes
4982-470: The Ring of Brodgar, and various island sites such as Tofts Ness on Sanday and the remains of two houses on Holm of Faray . Excavations at Quanterness on the Mainland have revealed an Atlantic roundhouse built about 700 BC and similar finds have been made at Bu on the Mainland and Pierowall Quarry on Westray. The most impressive Iron Age structures of Orkney are the ruins of later round towers called " brochs " and their associated settlements such as
5076-412: The Viking presence is widespread and includes the settlement at the Brough of Birsay , the vast majority of place names , and the runic inscriptions at Maeshowe. In 1468 Orkney was pledged by Christian I , in his capacity as King of Norway, as security against the payment of the dowry of his daughter Margaret , betrothed to James III of Scotland . However, the money was never paid, and Orkney
5170-445: The area in 1811. It is on the direct Stromness to Kirkwall road. In common with most of the Orkney isles, Mainland rests almost entirely on a bedrock of Old Red Sandstone , which is about 400 million years old and was laid down in the Devonian period. These thick deposits accumulated as earlier Silurian rocks, uplifted by the formation of Pangaea , eroded and then deposited into river deltas. The freshwater Lake Orcadie existed on
5264-419: The best place to live in the UK, according to the Halifax Quality of Life survey. In the modern era, the population peaked in the mid-19th century at just over 32,000 and declined for a century thereafter to a low of fewer than 18,000 in the 1970s. Declines were particularly significant in the outlying islands, some of which remain vulnerable to ongoing losses. Although Orkney is in many ways very distinct from
5358-419: The building of St Magnus Cathedral , still today a dominating feature of Kirkwall. The Scottish crown claimed the overlordship of the Caithness and Sutherland area from Norway in 1098. The jarls thereafter owed allegiance to the Scottish crown for their territory on mainland Britain, which they held as the Mormaer of Caithness , but owed allegiance to the Norwegian crown for Orkney and Shetland. In 1195,
5452-661: The construction of permanent barriers. They now serve as road links, carrying the A961. Work began in May 1940 and the barriers were completed in September 1944, but were not officially opened until 12 May 1945, four days after the end of World War II in Europe. The climate is remarkably temperate and steady for such a northerly latitude. The average temperature for the year is 8 °C (46 °F), for winter 4 °C (39 °F) and for summer 12 °C (54 °F). The average annual rainfall varies from 850 to 940 mm (33 to 37 in). Fogs occur during summer and early autumn, and furious gales may be expected four or five times in
5546-412: The edges of these eroding mountains, stretching from Shetland to the southern Moray Firth . As in nearby Caithness, these rocks rest upon the metamorphic rocks of the eastern schists , and in Mainland where a narrow strip is exposed between Stromness and Inganess , they are represented by grey gneiss and granite . The Lower Old Red Sandstone is represented by well-bedded flagstones over most of
5640-406: The end, so the name became Orkneyjar "Seal Islands". The plural suffix -jar was later removed in English leaving the modern name Orkney . According to the Historia Norwegiæ , Orkney was named after an earl called Orkan. The Norse knew Mainland, Orkney as Megenland "Mainland" or as Hrossey "Horse Island". The island is sometimes referred to as Pomona (or Pomonia ),
5734-424: The epithet "Papa" in commemoration of these preachers. Before the Gaelic presence could establish itself the Picts were gradually dispossessed by the North Germanic peoples from the late 8th century onwards. The nature of this transition is controversial, and theories range from peaceful integration to enslavement and genocide . It has been suggested that an assault by forces from Fortriu in 681 in which Orkney
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#17327647535715828-459: The first half of the 11th century and extended his authority over a small maritime empire stretching from Dublin to Shetland . Thorfinn died around 1065 and his sons Paul and Erlend succeeded him, fighting at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066. Paul and Erlend quarrelled as adults and this dispute carried on to the next generation. The martyrdom of Magnus Erlendsson , who was killed in April 1116 by his cousin Haakon Paulsson , resulted in
5922-487: The heart of the town stands St Magnus Cathedral , which 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
6016-472: 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 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
6110-619: The inhabited islands to Orkney Mainland, and are operated by Orkney Ferries , a company owned by Orkney Islands Council . Mainland has a great deal of marine life surrounding it, especially seabirds. Corncrakes can also be found in some parts. The Loch of Harray can host up to 10,000 wintering duck and is important for pochard . Some 4,000 ha of Mainland’s moorland has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of red-throated loons , short-eared owls , hen harriers and merlins . There are few wild land mammals although there
6204-411: The island of South Ronaldsay and Duncansby Head in Caithness . Orkney lies between 58°41′ and 59°24′ north, and 2°22′ and 3°26′ west, measuring 80 kilometres (50 mi) from northeast to southwest and 47 kilometres (29 mi) from east to west, and covers 975 square kilometres (376 sq mi). Orkney is separated from the Shetland Islands , a group further out, by a body of water called
6298-414: The island's occupation has provided numerous important archaeological sites and the sandstone bedrock provides a platform for fertile farmland. There is an abundance of wildlife, especially seabirds. The name Mainland is a corruption of the Old Norse Meginland . Formerly the island was also known as Hrossey meaning 'horse island'. The island is sometimes referred to as Pomona (or Pomonia ),
6392-451: The island's roads, and is also connected to those on the main south east islands, such as South Ronaldsay and Burray thanks to the Churchill Barriers. There are ideas being discussed to build the Orkney Tunnel , an undersea tunnel between Orkney and the Scottish Mainland, at a length of about 9–10 miles (14–16 km) or (more likely) one connecting Orkney Mainland to Shapinsay . The Orkney-Caithness route would be connected to Mainland, via
6486-430: The islands ). The Byzantine John Tzetzes in his work Chiliades called the islands Orcades. Etymologists usually interpret the element orc- as a Pictish tribal name meaning "young pig" or "young boar ". Speakers of Old Irish referred to the islands as Insi Orc "islands of the young pigs". The archipelago is known as Ynysoedd Erch in modern Welsh and Arcaibh in modern Scottish Gaelic ,
6580-418: The islands; in the south of Mainland these are faulted against an overlying series of massive red sandstones. Many indications of glacial action exist in the form of striated surfaces in Kirkwall Bay, with boulder clay with marine shells, and many boulders of rocks foreign to the islands made of chalk , oolitic limestone , flint , &c. Local moraines are found in some of the valleys. The soil generally
6674-462: The isles are swift, with frequent whirlpools. The islands are notable for the absence of trees, which is partly accounted for by the strong winds. Only three settlements have a population of over 500; the towns of Kirkwall and Stromness and the village of Finstown . 7,500 1,790 500 Other villages include Balfour , Dounby , Houton , Longhope , Lyness , Pierowall , St Margaret's Hope , and Whitehall . The superficial rock of Orkney
6768-488: The jarls lost control of Shetland when it became a separate lordship. In 1231 the line of Norse earls, unbroken since Rognvald, ended with Jon Haraldsson 's murder in Thurso . The Earldom of Caithness was granted to Magnus , second son of the Earl of Angus , whom Haakon IV of Norway confirmed as Earl of Orkney in 1236. Around the same time, the earldom lost the southern part of its territory on mainland Britain when it
6862-559: 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 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
6956-598: The late Iron Age, Orkney was part of the Pictish kingdom, and although the archaeological remains from this period are less impressive, the fertile soils and rich seas of Orkney probably provided the Picts with a comfortable living. The Dalriadic Gaels began to influence the islands towards the close of the Pictish era, perhaps principally through the role of Celtic missionaries , as evidenced by several islands bearing
7050-468: 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 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 ,
7144-417: The main airport for Orkney , is 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 mi (4 km) southeast of 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
7238-562: The main street, flanked with houses and shops built from local stone, with narrow lanes and alleys branching off it. There is a ferry link to Scrabster in Caithness on the Scottish mainland as well as the Isle of Hoy . Finstown is the third largest settlement, and used to be known as the "Toon o' Firth". The origin of its name is thought to be from an Irishman named David Phin who came to
7332-443: The ornate Italian Chapel . The navy base became run down after the war, eventually closing in 1957. The problem of a declining population was significant in the post-war years, though in the last decades of the 20th century, there was a recovery and life in Orkney focused on growing prosperity and the emergence of a relatively classless society. Orkney was rated as the best place to live in Scotland in both 2013 and 2014, and in 2019
7426-495: The other islands and archipelagos of Scotland these trends are very similar to those experienced elsewhere. The archipelago's population grew by 11% in the decade to 2011 as recorded by the census . During the same period Scottish island populations as a whole grew by 4% to 103,702. Orkney is separated from the mainland of Scotland by the Pentland Firth , a ten-kilometre-wide (6 mi) seaway between Brough Ness on
7520-405: The other islands. Ferries serve both to link Orkney to the rest of Scotland, and also to link together the various islands of the Orkney archipelago. Ferry services operate between Orkney and the Scottish Mainland and Shetland on the following routes: Two services also connect Caithness, with South Ronaldsay, which is in turn connected to Mainland by road. Inter-island ferry services connect all
7614-550: The oyster plant ( Mertensia maritima ) and the Scottish primrose ( Primula scotica ). The latter is endemic to the north coast of Scotland, including Orkney and nearby Caithness. It is closely related to the Arctic species Primula stricta and Primula scandinavica . 58°59′N 3°06′W / 58.983°N 3.100°W / 58.983; -3.100 Orkney Orkney ( / ˈ ɔːr k n i / ), also known as
7708-493: The rigours of the Canadian north. During this period, burning kelp briefly became a mainstay of the islands' economy. For example, on Shapinsay over 3,000 long tons (3,048 t ) of burned seaweed were produced per annum to make soda ash , bringing in £20,000 to the local economy. The industry collapsed suddenly in 1830 after the removal of tariffs on imported alkali . During the 18th century Jacobite risings , Orkney
7802-558: The south of Mainland in the north to the island of South Ronaldsay via Burray and the two smaller islands of Lamb Holm and Glimps Holm. On 14 October 1939, the Royal Navy battleship HMS Royal Oak was sunk at her moorings within the natural harbour of Scapa Flow, by the German U-boat U-47 under the command of Günther Prien . U-47 had entered Scapa Flow through Holm Sound, one of several eastern entrances to Scapa Flow. To prevent further attacks, Winston Churchill ordered
7896-471: The south, causeways called Churchill Barriers connect the island to Burray and South Ronaldsay via Lamb Holm and Glimps Holm . Mainland effectively provides the core of the Orkney Islands, linking the northern members of the archipelago with the southern ones. At the east, and west ends, islands proceed to the north and south, somewhat in the shape of an "X". The western part of the island
7990-405: The southern one, Scapa Flow , is a large, calm and immediately ocean-accessible natural harbour. Kirkwall has the seat of the Bishop of Orkney , and St. Magnus Cathedral is to be found there. It is also one of the island's ferry ports. A long-established seaport that grew with the expansion of whaling , Stromness has a population of approximately 2,200 residents. The old town is clustered along
8084-543: 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 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
8178-520: The westernmost parishes. Harray has the unique distinction of being the only landlocked parish in Orkney, although it too has a significant coast along the Loch of Harray, albeit a freshwater one. The economic sectors include agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture as well as oil and gas. A 2020 report states that "over the last 20 years there has been a growth in ... manufacturing, tourism, food and drink processing and, more recently, renewable energy". Tourism
8272-400: The year. To tourists, one of the fascinations of the islands is their nightless summers. On the longest day , the sun rises at 03:00 and sets at 21:29 GMT and darkness is unknown . It is possible to read at midnight and very few stars can be seen in the night sky. Winter, however, is long. On the shortest day the sun rises at 09:05 and sets at 15:16. Mainland contains the vast majority of
8366-442: Was "annihilated" may have led to a weakening of the local power base and helped the Norse come to prominence. Both Orkney and Shetland saw a significant influx of Norwegian settlers during the late 8th and early 9th centuries. Vikings made the islands the headquarters of their pirate expeditions carried out against Norway and the coasts of mainland Scotland. In response, Norwegian king Harald Fairhair (Harald Hårfagre) annexed
8460-500: Was absorbed by the Kingdom of Scotland in 1472. The history of Orkney prior to this time is largely the history of the ruling aristocracy. From then on ordinary people emerge with greater clarity. An influx of Scottish entrepreneurs helped to create a diverse and independent community that included farmers, fishermen and merchants that called themselves comunitas Orcadie and who proved themselves increasingly able to defend their rights against their feudal overlords. From at least
8554-468: Was as the "size of a cricket ball, perfectly spherical and beautifully finished". During the Bronze Age , fewer large stone structures were built (although the great ceremonial circles continued in use ) as metalworking was slowly introduced to Britain from Europe over a lengthy period. There are relatively few Orcadian sites dating from this era although there is the impressive Plumcake Mound near
8648-509: Was expected to continue as the sector was "severely impacted for as long as physical distancing and travel restrictions". A scheme called A Support for businesses - Island Equivalent was introduced by the Scottish government in early 2021 to financially assist hospitality and retail businesses "affected by Level 3 coronavirus restrictions". Previous schemes in 2020 included the Strategic Framework Business Fund and
8742-456: Was largely Jacobite in its sympathies. At the end of the 1715 rebellion, a large number of Jacobites who had fled north from mainland Scotland sought refuge in Orkney and were helped on to safety in Sweden. In 1745, the Jacobite lairds on the islands ensured that Orkney remained pro-Jacobite in outlook and was a safe place to land supplies from Spain to aid their cause. Orkney was the last place in
8836-593: Was made the separate earldom of Sutherland. In 1290, the death of the child princess Margaret, Maid of Norway in Orkney, en route to mainland Scotland, created a disputed succession that led to the Wars of Scottish Independence . In the 14th century the earls of Orkney also lost Caithness, after which the earldom just covered the islands of Orkney itself. In 1379 the earldom passed to the Sinclair family, who were also barons of Roslin near Edinburgh . Evidence of
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