At the same time as St Magnus Cathedral was being constructed, the Bishop’s Palace was built nearby for William the Old, with a large rectangular hall above vaulted storerooms.
The palace fell into ruins, but after 1540 was restored by Bishop Robert Reid who added a round tower, the “Moosie Toor”. He presided at St. Magnus from 1541 to 1558.
In this 'you may also like' section we attempt to answer what else can I do? Here you have a list by order of being the closest some more beaches, things to see and do, places to eat and upcoming events.
Waulkmill Bay is a remote beach within a tidal bay and Scottish Natural Heritage Site of Special Scientific Interest. The beach is located on the northern side of Scapa Flow. To the east of Waulkmill Bay is the RSPB Kirbister Preserve. Read more…
Dingieshowe Beach is a south-facing sandy beach backed by sand dunes. This stretch of beach is located in the southeastern corner of mainland Orkney and is actually made up of two bays Dingieshowe Bay and Taracliff Bay. You also have on the other side of the road Sandi Sand beach that looks out into the shallow bay of St Peter’s Read more…
The Sands of Evie is a sandy beach within Aikerness Bay, protected by the Point of Hellia headland. The beach is a sheltered, shallow shelving sandy beach, which is large at low tide. When the tide comes in provides excellent shallow water to play in. The beach overlooks the small island of Eynhallow and Rousay across Eynhallow Sound. Small car Read more…
Warebeth beach is located on the western side of mainland Orkney with the beach being named after the large amount of seaweed or “ware” that can be found washed up, which during the 18th and 19th centuries harvesting this seaweed was big business for the locals. Warebeth beach is a large curving sandy beach with stone slabs and the beach Read more…
Earl’s Palace is a ruined palace close to St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall, Orkney. Described as a fine example of French Renaissance architecture in Scotland, the palace was built by Patrick Stewart, the 2nd Earl of Orkney, in the early 1600s after he decided that the Bishop’s Palace accommodation wasn’t adequate for his needs. The palace fell into ruin in Read more…
St Magnus Cathedral is situated in the town of Kirkwall, the main town of the Orkney Islands. This magnificent cathedral, a fine example of Romanesque architecture, dominates the skyline of the town. Founded in 1137 by the Viking, Earl Rognvald, the cathedral was added to over the following 300 years and even has its own dungeon! It is known for Read more…
Mine Howe is a prehistoric subterranean man-made chamber dug 20 feet deep inside a large mound. It is not sure when it was built, some believe it to have been built roughly 2000 years ago during the Iron Age. Some researchers think that it could be as old as 5000 years, which would place it in the Neolithic period. There Read more…
