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No R Se Ca Stles in Orkney

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No R Se Ca Stles in Orkney N o r s e C a s t l e s in O r k n e y Sarah Jane Grieve, M.A (Hons.) This thesis is submitted in fulfilment for the degree of Master of Philosophy in the Department of Archaeology and the School of Scottish Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Glasgow, September 1999. © S. J. Grieve 1999 ProQuest Number: 13818935 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 13818935 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 G/ r SGOW JJBnARyui- v'ERSinrl n t k Co S J Grieve 1999 ABSTRACT The purpose of this thesis is to research Norse Castles in Orkney. The subject was first approached by the historian J. S. Clouston who published a paper entitled ‘Early Norse Castles’ in 1931, and this is the key starting point for the present study. A critical assessment of Clouston’s ‘castle’ research and his methodology revealed that there were certain weaknesses within his arguments and his classification system, and that the subject (virtually ignored for sixty years) was in need of re-evaluation and updating. The main themes addressed are the reconsideration of Clouston’s six castle sites, the identification of other possible castle sites, the classification of all sites found and the interpretation of these sites, including internal and external influencing factors on the development and demise of these forms of defence. The subject has been researched in a multi-disciplinary manner using the available linguistic, documentary and archaeological sources. From a survey detailing all the castle place-names in Orkney, nine possible Norse castle sites have been identified. A detailed study of the available sources, especially the Orkneyinga Saga has provided basic and text-specific definitions of three separate ON terms: kastali, borg and vigi. All kastali references within the Orkneyinga Saga have been thoroughly examined along with other high-status sites mentioned in the text. Certain relevant folklore traditions have also been examined as evidence for the location of possible castle sites. The research format of the archaeological evidence is three-fold; a survey of Clouston’s six sites, an examination of related defensive sites both secular and ecclesiastical, and a brief indication of related sites outwith Orkney. The allocation of two main groups of Norse built defensive sites has been postulated, from the data collected in the above-mentioned sources; small stone keep castles and defensive farmsteads. These groups have then been further examined and put into context. A detailed analysis of the political and social situation within twelfth century Orkney has provided reasons for the development and demise of these sites. Notice has also been given to the external influence of Scotland and Norway on the development of these defensive sites. Finally, a brief consideration of related topics of study is provided. 2 S J Grieve 1999 CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................................................... 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................................................................6 DEFINITIONS...........................................................................................................................................7 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................8 CHAPTER ONE : REVIEW OF CLOUSTON.................................................................................... 11 1.1 Clouston’s Group One Castles .................................................................................................. 13 1.1a Clouston Castle, Gemaness, Stenness ................................................................... 13 1.1b Cairston Castle, Stromness., ..................................................................................... 17 1.1c Damsay ............................................................................................................................. 19 1.2 Clouston’s Group Two C astles ..................................................................................................20 1.2a Cubbie Roo's Castle, Wyre ..........................................................................................20 1.2b The Wirk, Rousay..........................................................................................................22 1,2c Castlehowe, Paplay, Holm ........................................................................................... 23 1.3 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER TWO : PLACE-NAMES, DOCUMENTATION & FOLKLORE.................................... 26 2.1 Place-Name Analysis ....................................................................................................................26 2.2 Documentary Evidence ...............................................................................................................30 2.2a The Annals...................................................................................................................... 31 2.2b Later Scandinavian Sources ...................................................................................... 32 2.3 The Orkneyinga Saga .................................................................................................................. 34 2.3a Translations & Editions ............................................................................................... 35 2.3b Kastali References ........................................................................................................ 37 2.3c Borg References ............................................................................................................. 41 2.3d References to Clouston’s other ‘castle’ sites ..........................................................42 2.3e Conclusions ....................................................................................................................44 2.4 Folklore ...........................................................................................................................................45 2.4a Cubbie Roo Legends ..................................................................................................... 45 2.4b Tower Traditions ............................................................................................................47 2.4c Conclusions .....................................................................................................................50 2.5 Summary & Conclusions ...........................................................................................................50 CHAPTER THREE : ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE..................................................................53 3 S J Grieve 1999 3.1 Survey ................................................................................................ 53 3.1a Cubbie Roo’s Castle, Wyre .......................................................................................... 53 3.1b the Wirk, Westside, Rousay ........................................................................................58 3.1c Damsay .............................................................................................................................64 3. Id Castlehowe, Paplay, Holm .......................................................................................... 67 3.1e Clouston Castle, Gemaness, Stenness .................................................................... 70 3. If Cairston Castle, Stromness ...................................................................................... 75 3.2 Other Defensive Structures ....................................................................................................... 79 3.2a Defensive Farmsteads ..................................................................................................80 3.2b Defensive Churches......................................................................................................88 3.3 Other Relevant Sites ....................................................................................................................94 3.4 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 95 CHAPTER FOUR : CONTEXT & DISCUSSION...............................................................................96 4.1 Classification of Defensive sites ............................................................................................... 96 4.2 Political Context of Twelfth Century Orkney ........................................................................ 99 4.3 Local Organisation ......................................................................................................................104
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