Birsay
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Brough_of_Birsay.jpg/300px-Brough_of_Birsay.jpg)
Birsay(/ˈbʌrsiː/) (Old Norse:Birgisherað)[1]is aparishin the north west corner ofThe MainlandofOrkney,Scotland.Almost all the land in the parish is devoted to agriculture: chieflygrasslandused to rear beef cattle. There are various ancient monuments in the parish.
Ancient monuments
[edit]Two important ancient monuments are maintained byHistoric Scotlandand bring many visitors to the area in summer. These are theprehistoricandNorsesettlements on thetidal islandofBrough of Birsayand theruinsof theEarl's Palaceon the Mainland opposite, at the northern end of the village.
On the western part of Mainland Orkney's north shore there is other evidence ofprehistoricman, including the well preservedruinsof theBroch of Gurness.
Earl's Palace
[edit]The late 16th-century palace was built byRobert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney(1533–93). Though extensively ruined, it can be seen to have consisted of four ranges round an open courtyard, with small towers at the corners, an unusual form of building inScotlandat this date, and unprecedented in the north of the country. The date 1574 was formerly carved above the main (south-facing) entrance. The building has been uninhabited since the late 17th century. It was originally adjoined by walled garden enclosures, an archery range and a bowling green. This building, along with theEarl's Palace, KirkwallandScalloway CastleinShetland(allHistoric Scotland), were the main residences of the Stewart Earls of Orkney in the Northern Isles.
St Magnus Church
[edit]Near the palace is theSt Magnus Churchof the parish of Birsay andHarray(Church of Scotland;open in summer). Architectural fragments in the walls, and archaeological investigation of the foundations, suggest that this was the site of the first cathedral of Orkney in the 11th-12th centuries, known asChristchurch,founded by EarlThorfinn the Mighty(d.c. 1065) after his return from apilgrimagetoRome.The seat of the diocese was transferred toSt Magnus Cathedral,Kirkwall,in the later 12th century, though theBishops of Orkneycontinued to have a residence in Birsay (known by theLatinnameMons Bellus) into late medieval times.
The nearby bridge may also be medieval in origin.
Notable people
[edit]- Samuel Trailwas minister of the parish 1844 to 1868. He wasModerator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotlandin 1874.[2]
- Harald Leslie, Lord Birsay
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Anderson, Joseph (Ed.) (1893)Orkneyinga Saga.Translated by Jón A. Hjaltalin & Gilbert Goudie. Edinburgh. James Thin and Mercat Press (1990 reprint).ISBN0-901824-25-9
- ^"Arbuthnott Parish, Kincardineshire: Records for genealogists".
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Wikivoyage-Logo-v3-icon.svg/40px-Wikivoyage-Logo-v3-icon.svg.png)
- Photographs