Scotland Bishop’s and Earl’s Palaces, Kirkwall, Orkney

With St Magnus Cathedral, these two palacces were statements of the power and influence of the Bishops of Orkney and later the Earls of Orkney. They originally formed a complete complex around a central courtyard.

However in the late C19th, the central gatehouse tower was demolished and a road built dividing the two palaces. The two separate buildings are now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland and the ticket gives entry to both. Now ruined, they still remain impressive buildings.


Bishop’s Palace

The Bishop’s Palace was built in the early 1100 at around the same time as St Magnus Cathedral by Bishop William the Old. It is the oldest surviving domestic building in Kirkwall. The bones of St Magnus were transferred from Birsay, the original seat of power to the new cathedral.

It began as a simple, two-storey hall house with tower and entrance gateway.

The square tower and gateway have now gone. Only the wall of the great hall survives along Watergate. Little of the first-floor hall remains, the ground level is largely intact.

The Bishop was an important figure and required a suitably impressive home. It had to be near his Cathedral and able to accommodate Royal visitors. The high-roofed hall on the first floor where the bishop conducted his business and presided over lavish feasting and entertainment. His private quarters were in the square tower in the NE corner

King Hakon of Norway died here after an indecisive battle with the Scots at Largs in 1263.

In 1290, the Maid of Norway, Margaret, the daughter of The King of Noway and granddaughter of Alexander III of Scotland was travelling to Scotland for her coronation as Queen of Scotland. She died on the voyage and was brought to the Bishop’s Palace before being returned to be buried alongside her mother.

When King James V visited Orkney in 1540 he found Church affairs to be in a poor state and decided that a strong new Bishop was required. He appointed his trusted ally, Robert Reid, Abbot of Kinloss as Bishop. He began renovating and remodelling the Palace in 1541. He constructed a stone vault over the ground floor and heightened the walls with a new hall above it with two fireplaces and guest lodgings above. External buttresses were added to the west wall to prevent it from sagging.

He added the splendid round tower known locally as the Moosie Toor.

This had four floors with a garret at the top and was his private apartments. In the base was a vaulted cellar with three gun holes. His private hall was on the first floor and had a fireplace, wall cupboards and a latrine. A spiral stair led to his private suite including his bedchamber. The wall walk at the top with splendid views of Kirkwall was originally covered by a lean-to roof.

Following the Reformation of 1560, the role and importance of the bishop declined. Ownership passed to Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney, in 1568, then to his son Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney who planned to incorporate the building into his Earl's Palace to provide quarters for his 50 strong body guard.

Only the external walls survive of the hall. The entrance leads down a few steps into the small C17th extension.

Beyond is the great hall with storage cupboards set in the walls.

The base of the tower has a vaulted cellar.

A modern wood staircase leads to the now roofless first floor and above.

cont....

 

[Eleanor]

Earl's Palace

In 1593, Patrick Stewart (the illegitimate cousin of King James VI of Scotland) became the Earl of Orkney and in 1601 began to construct the Earl’s Palace next to the Bishop’s Palace, having decided the accommodation in the Bishop’s Palace was inadequate for his needs.

It was enclosed by a perimeter wall, incorporated an earlier well, had formal gardens, a courtyard, a kitchen garden for growing produce, large storerooms, a massive kitchen, large vaulted windows, corbelled turrets, splendid stairways and impressive entrances. The building is said to be one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in Scotland.

Known as ‘Black Patie’, Patrick was irresponsible, arrogant, and ambitious with a reputation for cruelty and violence. His desire for luxury was not matched by his finances. Even though he used forced labour to build the palace , by the time it was finished, he was ‘drownit in debt’.

By 1609, Earl Patrick Stewart was a prisoner, charged with theft of lands and funds, oppression of local people, kidnapping, torture, and murder and later this was extended to treason. Patrick and his son Robert were both executed in 1615.

After his death, the palace continued to be used by the Bishops of Orkney, until 1688 when it became the property of the crown. By 1705 the Earl’s Palace was uninhabitable, and the roof was stripped off and sold in 1745.

There was a brief suggestion in 1849 to turn the buildings into a courthouse and jail but nothing happened. In 1920 both the Earl’s Palace and Bishops’ Palace were taken into state care.

Inside the palace

The Palace surrounded by grass and mature trees, has been described as one of the finest Renaissance buildings in Scotland, with its oriel windows supported on corbelled bases.

The main entrance 
is in the angle between the two ranges. The now much eroded panel had the coat of arms of Earl Patrick with those of James VI above centre panel.

The ground floor corridor had the service rooms and cellars. The main rooms with the great hall and private apartments were on the first floor, but are now roofless.

Just inside the main door at the junction of the two wings is the well. This predates the Earl’s Palace and would have been the well for the Bishop’s Palace. Being inside the palace ensured access to a water supply in times of siege.

A long corridor runs along the east range giving access to four vaulted cellars and another storage area beneath the private apartments. Some of the windows alcoves had gun holes for muskets.

Going the other way, the corridor goes past a small strong room with two two small internal windows and no access to the outside. It was the most secure room in the castle and would have been used to store documents and other valuables.

At the far end of the corridor is the kitchen with a massive fireplace, but no oven. There would have been a separate brew and bake house.

Just inside the main entrance is the stone staircase that leads to the upper floor apartments, and was the latest statement of fashion having replaced spiral stairs.

At the top of the stairs is the Steward’s room. He had good views of the approach to the castle, the courtyard and anyone coming up the stairs. It had its own latrine, fireplace and two tiered storage space.

The room opposite served as an anteroom for people seeking an audience with the Earl. It had a large window overlooking the back of the palace.

At the far end of the corridor is the main guest chamber which had its own latrine. Being above the kitchen this would have always been warm.

The great hall was designed to impress with large windows overlooking the formal gardens and two fireplaces. Not only were lavish banquets held here, the hall was where the Earl conducted his public business and was also served as the law court.

Beyond the Great Hall are the Earl’s private apartments used by the family and privileged guests. The outer room was probably a private dining room and where the earl could hold business meetings. It has a large oriel window, but the gun holes below are a reminder of the defensive needs of the palace.

Beyond is the Earl’s bedchamber which would have been dominated by a large bed, although the Earl may have slept in one of the smaller turret rooms off. This was where the Earl would have entertained his really close friends.

The outside of both Palaces can be viewed from the street without paying. If time allows it is worth paying to see the inside.

website