Kirkwall
| Kirkwall | |
| Scots: Kirkwaa or Kirkwal[1] | |
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  Kirkwall |
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| Population | 9,293 [2] |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | HY449109 |
| Council area | Orkney |
| Lieutenancy area | Orkney |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Kirkwall |
| Postcode district | KW15 |
| Dialling code | 01856 |
| Police | Scottish |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | Orkney and Shetland |
| Scottish Parliament | Orkney |
Coordinates: 58°58′52″N 2°57′36″W / 58.981°N 2.960°W
Kirkwall is the largest town and capital of the Orkney Islands, off the north coast of Great Britain. The town is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046 when it is 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 the status of a royal burgh; modern roadsigns still indicate "The City and Royal Burgh of Kirkwall".
The name Kirkwall comes from the Norse name Kirkjuvagr (Church Bay), which later changed to Kirkvoe, Kirkwaa and Kirkwall.
Overview
Situated on the northern coast of Mainland Orkney and with a population of about 9,000, Kirkwall is a port with ferry services to Aberdeen and Lerwick, as well as the principal north islands in the group. At 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 town has two museums, the larger being Tankerness House Museum, which contains items of local historical interest within one of Scotland's best-preserved sixteenth century town-houses. 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.
Apart from the main historical buildings mentioned above, Kirkwall has many 17th–18th-century houses and other structures in the local vernacular style. 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. Kirkwall also once had a medieval castle, which was destroyed in the 17th century.
On the west edge of the town, surrounded by Hatston Industrial Estate, is a prehistoric ancient monument, Grain Earth House (Historic Scotland), a short low stone-walled passage deep underground leading to a small pillared chamber. This is the form of earth house or souterrain characteristic of the Northern Isles (although Grain is unusually deep below ground). It was originally connected to a surface dwelling, which has since disappeared, and the original purpose of these Iron Age structures remains unknown. Further west towards Grimbister is the similar Rennibister Earth House.
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 the Doonies, each team representing one half of the town. 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 itself has since moved to a larger building on Junction Road.
Climate
As with the rest of Scotland, Kirkwall experiences a maritime climate with cool summers, mild winters, often strong winds, plentiful rainfall, frequently overcast skies and sparse amounts of sunshine.
| Climate data for Kirkwall, 26m asl, 1981–2010, Extremes 1951– | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12.2 (54) |
12.8 (55) |
18.9 (66) |
18.3 (64.9) |
22.0 (71.6) |
22.8 (73) |
25.6 (78.1) |
24.8 (76.6) |
22.8 (73) |
19.4 (66.9) |
14.5 (58.1) |
12.8 (55) |
25.6 (78.1) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 6.4 (43.5) |
6.4 (43.5) |
7.6 (45.7) |
9.5 (49.1) |
12.0 (53.6) |
14.0 (57.2) |
15.9 (60.6) |
16.0 (60.8) |
14.1 (57.4) |
11.4 (52.5) |
8.6 (47.5) |
6.8 (44.2) |
10.7 (51.3) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 1.9 (35.4) |
1.7 (35.1) |
2.4 (36.3) |
3.8 (38.8) |
5.6 (42.1) |
8.1 (46.6) |
10.2 (50.4) |
10.3 (50.5) |
8.8 (47.8) |
6.7 (44.1) |
4.2 (39.6) |
2.3 (36.1) |
5.5 (41.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −7.8 (18) |
−7 (19) |
−6.8 (19.8) |
−4.9 (23.2) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
1.0 (33.8) |
3.4 (38.1) |
3.7 (38.7) |
0.5 (32.9) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
−7.6 (18.3) |
−7.8 (18) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 109.7 (4.319) |
93.3 (3.673) |
95.7 (3.768) |
60.3 (2.374) |
48.0 (1.89) |
52.7 (2.075) |
57.4 (2.26) |
66.3 (2.61) |
95.3 (3.752) |
126.0 (4.961) |
126.0 (4.961) |
107.8 (4.244) |
1,038.5 (40.886) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 20.1 | 16.8 | 17.9 | 13.4 | 10.6 | 10.7 | 11.6 | 12.5 | 16.2 | 19.6 | 20.8 | 18.5 | 188.7 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 32.2 | 59.3 | 98.2 | 136.8 | 190.0 | 148.6 | 132.2 | 129.7 | 105.3 | 75.8 | 40.1 | 24.5 | 1,172.4 |
| Source #1: Met Office[3] | |||||||||||||
| Source #2: Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute/KMNI[4] | |||||||||||||
Parliamentary burgh
Kirkwall was a parliamentary burgh, combined with Dingwall, Dornoch, Tain and Wick in the Northern Burghs constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. Cromarty was added to the list in 1832. The constituency was a district of burghs known also as the Tain Burghs until 1832, and then as the Wick Burghs. It was represented by one Member of Parliament until 1918, when the constituency was abolished and the Kirkwall component was merged into the county constituency of Orkney and Shetland.
Education and culture
The Orkney Library and Archive is located in Kirkwall.
Media and the arts
The composer Peter Maxwell Davies was among a group which founded the annual St Magnus International Festival which is centred on Kirkwall each midsummer.[5]
Kirkwall Harbour can be seen in The Highlands and Islands – A Royal Tour, a 1973 documentary about Prince Charles' visit to the Highlands and Islands, directed by Oscar Marzaroli.[6] Scottish film-maker Margaret Tait was born in Kirkwall, and many of her films (in particular the Aspects Of Kirkwall series) are set there.
The Simpsons character Groundskeeper Willie is said to be from Kirkwall.[7]
References
- ↑ Scots Language Centre: Scottish Place Names in Scots
- ↑ http://www.hie.co.uk/common/handlers/download-document.ashx?id=8d4c910f-ade9-44e1-86d3-7387f3fd8709
- ↑ "Kirkwall 1981–2010 averages". UKMO. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
- ↑ "Kirkwall Extremes". KNMI.
- ↑ "St Magnus International Festival Website"
- ↑ "Full record for 'Highlands and Islands – A Royal Tour'" Scottish Screen Archive. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQHpCBEIFMA
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kirkwall. |
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Kirkwall. |
- Orkneyjar – The Royal Burgh of Kirkwall
- Listen to recordings of a speaker of Kirkwall Scots
- Virtual Orkney: A directory of Orkney
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