KIRKWALL - C APITAL of ORKNEY KIRKJUVAGR - T HE KIRK on the BAY T H
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KIRKWALL - C APITAL OF ORKNEY KIRKJUVAGR - T HE KIRK ON THE BAY t h g settlers also, but so far no evi - i r y p dence of their presence has o c n been found, probably because w o r they picked the best sites, C which have since been built on multiple times. Iron Age Although there is little to see today, there were at several brochs in the area. The large mound, upon which Spence’s Paper Shop now sits, at the south end of Broad Sketch map of Kirkwall from 1766 Street, is almost certainly the site of one of Kirkwall’s the mouth of the Papdale brochs , while another other is Burn. There was a round - said to have been situated at house at Grain, of which only the cellar, or Earth House KIRKWALL (ON Kirkjuvagr , Orkneyinga Saga states that for a settlement to form, being Kirk Bay) is first mentioned in Thorfinn’s base was in Birsay , central in the islands, and the Orkneyinga Saga when and Rognvald was the first having the Oyce, or Peerie Earl Rognvald Brusison built Earl named as living at Sea, which sheltered by the a church here and dedicated to Kirkwall and thus may have Ayre but was accessible by his foster father, King Olaf of been the builder of the first boats until the 19 th century, Norway, who was killed at a large drinking hall here as making it a perfectly safe har - battle at Stiklastad in 1030. well. He was killed on Papa bour. It is also only 2km from Rognvald returned to Orkney Stronsay by Earl Thorfinn , Scapa Bay , the head of the Coat of arms from The Bridge about 1035, after being in with the help of Thorkell Norse referred to as KIRKWALL - PLACES Sweden and Holmgard Fostri, in about 1046, while Knarrarstadir , now called OF INTEREST (Novgorod) in Russia, to collecting malt to make ale for Knarstone, a landing place for St Magnus Cathedral share the Earldom with Earl Yule. merchant ships. The fertile Orkney Museum Thorfinn the Mighty for land of St Ola must have Earl’s & Bishop’s Palaces about eight years. Kirkwall was the natural place attracted the first Neolithic The Earl’s Palace and St Magnus from Brandyquoy in 1815 St Magnus Centre Kirkwall Harbour Basin on a summer evening, the Girnel is on the right Kirkwall Roads in 1815 by William Daniell Town Hall The Reel (Wrigley Sisters) The Street Harbour and Basin area Orkney Library & Archives Old St Olaf’s Kirk Wireless Museum Fusion Nightclub Pickaquoy Centre Skateboard Park Swimming Pool Bowling Green Golf Course Highland Park Distillery Ortak Visitor Centre 216 217 KIRKJUVAGR - T HE KIRK ON THE BAY Aerial view of Kirkwall from the south remains, as well as a large Street, a hog-backed grave- By the time of the grant of the broch and settlement at slab in the Orkney Museum Scottish Royal Charter in Lingro, as well as smaller and an aumbrie, a stone cup - 1486, there were two clear brochs or roundhouses at board, in the vestry of the parts, the Laverock, or Berstane, Tofts and Saverock. present St Olaf’s Church on Episcopal part, and the Earl’s Dundas Crescent. All date or King's part. Celtic priests (Papae) had a from a later rebuilding. settlement between the The division is thought to be Papdale Burn and the sea, and The Street The seat of the about the line of St Magnus it is likely that the first Norse Bishop was transferred from Lane off Broad Street. By tra - church was built here in 1035. Birsay to Kirkwall under dition the Ba’ Games held at This would have been timber- Bishop William in 1136. Christmas and New Year orig - built. The remains of St With the building of the inate in rivalry between the Olaf's Kirk visible today Cathedral and Bishop’s Palace, men of the Burgh, the Up the include an attractive archway and construction of the Earl's Gates , and those from the in St Olaf's Wynd off Bridge Castle, Kirkwall rapidly grew. Laverock, the Doon the Gates . Bridge Street looking north from The Bridge St Olaf’s archway 219 KIRKWALL - C APITAL OF ORKNEY KIRKJUVAGR - T HE KIRK ON THE BAY Kirkwall Harbour Basin in 1924 Kirkwall from below The mount or Cromwell’s Fort with the marina and pier on the right Bridge Street The original A devastating fire destroyed David Traill who built the Electric shop and offices, pre - carved stones visible along the has largely gone and much has form of the town, the narrow all the old buildings here in Groatie Hoose in the garden, viously the Commercial Bank. street. The town faced onto changed, but there is still winding street, with many 1938, including the oldest incorporating some of the bal - In Norse times this was the the Peedie Sea, and the street much to remind us of the past. lanes, and houses often gable- part, a house called The last from Pirate Gow ’s ship. It site of the main Orkney Ting owes its shape to the shore - on to the street, has not Gallery , which consisted of was the first Kirkwall Hotel, or Parliament. After the cen - line. In 1829 the first bridge Harbour Harbour Street and changed much over the cen - two wings, gable-on to Bridge before being bought by Robert tre of the Earldom had moved was built between the Ayre Shore Street were once called turies. Originally the settle - Street joined by a block paral - Garden, an itinerant salesman in from Birsay , Kirkwall was and the Grainshore. This was the Ramparts , no doubt partly ment followed the shore of the lel to the street with, so as to who became a very successful the obvious place to hold this a lifting bridge to allow the defences against the sea, and Peerie Sea and this shape is form a courtyard which was merchant. The Groatie Hoose assembly, next to St Olaf’s passage of boats , but by 1858 partly cannon-armed precau - still retained by Bridge Street separated from the street by a has now been moved to Church. This central location a stone-built bridge had tions against the Common and Albert Street today. wall with a balcony. Tankerness House gardens. beside the Papdale Burn was blocked it off. Enemy . By the late 1400s, probably a meeting place long houses had started to appear, In Rognvald Brusison’s time Although the first record of The Ting and Parliament before the Vikings . In 1859, the Harbour Act was and the first was on the site of the town consisted of two this house is from 1433, when Close The lane on the west passed, and in 1865 the old the present St Ola Hotel. Not rows of houses along what are it was owned by John Law, it side of Stevenson s paper shop During the visit of James V in town's appearance was trans - long afterwards The Girnel, now Shore Street and Bridge seems that this is the site of at the Bridge is of historic 1540, the Scottish Parliament formed by the building of now Orkney Sailing Club, was Street. The Earl’s Castle or Earl Rognvald Brusison ’s skali , interest. A group of three met at Parliament Close. In Junction Road. Changes and built to hold the oats, bere, Hall was to the South, on the or drinking hall, and later of houses, of which the ruin of these days parliament met developments have continued malt and meal. These were edge of the Peerie Sea in the Earl Rognvald Kolson ’s much one remains, formed three once per month, and since the piecemeal to this day, with paid in lieu of cash for rental area formerly occupied by more prestigious house. sides of a square called King and Court often moved rapid expansion of the town and skat, due to the Earldom Robert Garden’s business. Later still it was the town Parliament Square. The site is about it had to as well. All between, and after, the two Estate. The nearby Corn Slip house of the Traills and it was now occupied by the Hydro that remains today is an inter - World Wars. The Peedie Sea was used to land the goods. The “ Groatie Hoose ”, now relocated to Tankerness House Gardens Doorway in Parliament Square esting old sandstone doorway Shore Street before demolition for replacement with BP oil tanks and carved lintel. The Common Land of the Ting has long since been appropri - ated, and under Scots, but not Udal Law , is no longer Common Land. Peedie Sea Many houses date from the 16 th to 18 th centuries and there are interesting putt stones,at the bottom of crow- stepped gables, lintels and 220 221 KIRKWALL - C APITAL OF ORKNEY KIRKJUVAGR - T HE KIRK ON THE BAY pier. In 1809 the new pier was the opening of the new pier begun, opening in 1811. The west of the town near West Pier was built in 1813, Crowness to serve the ferries and the face of the Rampart to Aberdeen and Lerwick, was built in the same year. Kirkwall Pier now handles The builders felt a direct much less traffic. Nowadays injustice on the part of the many cruise ships call at Government, as no public Kirkwall in summer, ranging assistance was forthcoming. from small vessels to the Perhaps the Government and largest in the world. Many “Earl Sigurd” served the North Isles for over 30 years, here at Eday Pier EU aid given in support of the can now dock at the new pier.