BIRSAY the BROUGH of BIRSAY T
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ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 20:21 Page 290 WEST MAINLAND - BIRSAY THE BROUGH OF BIRSAY t h verted to solar power in g i r y 2001 and stands above low p o c cliffs on the seaward side. n w o Puffins breed in rabbit bur- r C rows along the top of these cliffs, one of the very few places on the Mainland where they can be seen. Brough Head is a good place for sea watching dur- ing bird migration times. Killer, Minke and Pilot Whales are occasionally seen from here, possibly attracted by the rich feeding where tides meet. Aerial view of the Norse settlement and church on the Brough of Birsay BIRSAY The Vikings called described in the Orkneyinga The island is only accessible Pictish leader in the 7th or 8th glass were found around the the whole area of Birsay and Saga), he built Orkney's first when the tide is out via a century. well, suggesting that it may Harray "Byrgisherad" (ON cathedral, Christchurch, at concrete path which leads have been used to quench Byrgisey, island of the Birsay for his new Bishop, across the rocks of Brough The only Pictish structure work. On some moulds the enclosure or rampart and in about 1057. Most of the Sounds. This path can be visible is the small well east design of the piece to be cast Herad, district). Birsay was north of Birsay became slidy and should not be of the church wall. However, could be seen, confirming important in Viking times known as “The Barony” crossed if it is covered, as excavations have revealed that the designs were and was a favourite resi- and was Bishopric land from the strong tide can be dan- many Pictish artefacts. Pictish. Bone pins and dence of the Earls as well as about 1060 until 1595. gerous. There is also fre- Bronze casting was an combs of Pictish type were the first seat of the Bishop, quently a big surge when the important activity and many found, as well as a possibly who only moved to Kirkwall The Brough of Birsay seas are high. In early sum- moulds, crucibles, pieces of 5th century penannular broch during the building of St (HY235285), is a very mer the turf takes on a pink Pictish well on the Brough of Birsay bronze and fragments of and a lead disc with an Magnus Cathedral. attractive grassy island off and then a blue tinge as it in m Plan of St Peter’s Kirk and the “monastery” u e s the northwest corner of the turn becomes covered in a S u M M Earl Thorfinn the Mighty Mainland. This tidal island sea of flowering Thrift and H y A e C (ruled 1014-1064) lived here has a lighthouse, which was then Spring Squill. n k R r and in the latter part of his built in 1925, as a gas-pow- O colourful time as Earl (as ered automatic. It was con- The Brough was inhabited long before the Vikings Aerial view of the Brough of Birsay from the west arrived, the earliest evidence being from the late 6th centu- ry of Celtic people who may Mould for casting a pin have been Christians. A bro- Moulds for casting jewellry pieces ken symbol stone with the m u e figures of three warriors and s u other Pictish symbols was M y found here, as well as a e n k smaller stone with an incised r O cross. A replica of the large stone is on the site and it seems that the Brough was the home of an important 290 291 ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 20:21 Page 292 WEST MAINLAND - BIRSAY THE BROUGH OF BIRSAY AND THE POINT OF BUCKQUOY perhaps of an earlier chapel. Thorfinn's Palace", com- plete with a bath-house or Farther up the slope are the sauna with an underfloor foundations of several Norse central heating system. It longhouses, which are up to seems more likely that his 20m long as well as smaller residence was on the outhouses and various other Mainland side, perhaps walls. Some of these may under the site of the present well have been byres, but Palace. presumably most cattle would have been kept on the The earlier levels contained Mainland. These buildings both Norse and Pictish arte- The Knowe of Buckquoy may possibly be a chambered cairn date from the 9th to the 11th facts and lie beneath the By analogy they may thus be Point of Buckquoy (ON centuries, but some were later structures now seen. the Bishop's residence in Bygg-kvi, Bere Field, constructed on top of earlier The first Norse buildings Birsay. The top part of what HY247284) This headland houses. also seem to be better built may be a Viking slipway for is being steadily eroded by than the later ones, but since hauling boats lies at the edge the sea to reveal rock strata There are further ruins of no detailed report exists, it is of the cliff. This has been which demonstrate the Norse houses near the cliffs hard to understand the considerably eroded in the effects of variation in the St Peter’s Kirk and surrounding structures from the entrance to the site to the northeast of the main sequence of the site. To the 20th century, clearly showing level of Lake Orcadie during site which mostly date from north of the church are ruins inscribed trumpet-pattern has taken place and thus how quickly this process can Devonian times when the the 10th century. On the east which are very similar to the spiral. Together with the many structures may have occur. This structure has Sandwick Fish Beds were side of the church lie exten- ruins of the Bishop's Palace impressive symbol stone, been destroyed. In addition also been interpreted as a formed. The Knowe of sive domestic buildings, part at Gardar in Greenland. the artefacts suggest that several excavations have grand entrance to the monas- Buckquoy contains wall- of which may be "Earl skilled Pictish craftsmen been done over the years and tic site. faces, peat-ash and burnt were at work on the Brough not published, further con- m u for several centuries before fusing interpretation of the e s u the Vikings arrived. site. The small Romanesque M y church dates from the early e n th k Most of the structures visi- 12 century and is surround- r ble on the Brough today are ed by the remains of other O Viking and date from 9th to buildings, which have been the 13th centuries when this interpreted as being monas- Bone spoon from Buckquoy was the site of an important tic. Foundations and m u e Norse settlement. walling beneath this church s u Considerable coastal erosion may be of Pictish origin, M y e n k Rock strata on Point of Buckquoy Large Norse house on the slope above the kirkyard St Peter’s Kirk from the east end looking down the nave from the apse r O Paved area with drains leading to Norse slipway The sauna or bath-house with underfloor heating Pictish-style comb from Buckquoy Carved pin from Buckquoy m u e s u M y e n k r O 292 293 ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 20:21 Page 294 WEST MAINLAND - BIRSAY THE PALACE VILLAGE Pictish house at Gurness, Christchurch Controversy while the later, more rectan- exists over the site of Earl gular ones were early Norse. Thorfinn's Christchurch. Excavations at Beachview, While it may be the small Saevar Howe (HY247270) church on the Brough, and near St Magnus Church which is dedicated to St have revealed more Pictish Peter, local tradition sug- and Norse burials, buildings gests that it was in Birsay and artefacts as well as evi- Village, possibly on the dence of Neolithic habita- same site as today's church, tion, further emphasising the St Magnus. importance of the area over a long period. This church was built in Aerial view of the Earl’s Palace, built in the 1500s for Robert Stewart Boardhouse Mill interior 1760, but replaced a cruci- animal bones, but it has not whorl with an Ogam inscrip- The Earl's Palace form church built in 1664. Thorfinn might have been and is said to go down to the been fully excavated. It may tion, a white stone with (HY247278), built by the In turn the latter most proba- somewhere in the vicinity. Loch of Boardhouse for a well be a small stalled cairn. brown spots, which may notorious Earl Robert bly was a replacement or The church is maintained by drink every Hogmanay. One originally have been red (a Stewart in the late 16th centu- refurbishment of an earlier the St Magnus Church local worthy who went to Along the tops of the banks magic stone?), pins and ry, though now a gaunt ruin, church. During recent Birsay Trust and the key can investigate the treasure said on the south side stonework combs. was described in 1633 as "a repairs, evidence of a previ- be obtained from the shop. to lie under the stone was and midden can be seen sumptuous and stately ous structure was found in crushed when it returned which is slowly being erod- The Ogam inscription was dwelling". Consisting of the foundations and the sug- Neolithic No chambered with him still in the hole, ed away. Several Pictish and originally assumed to be in four wings around a court- gestion is that the 11th centu- cairns have so far been exca- and is said to still be there.