The Earl's Palace, built around 1606, is one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in Scotland. The ruins of the Earl's Palace lie near St Magnus's Cathedral in the centre of Kirkwall. Built by Patrick, Earl of Orkney, it was largely undertaken via forced labour. Earl Patrick is widely acknowledged to have been one of the most tyrannical noblemen in Scotland's history, yet he had such refined tastes.
His Kirkwall residence is a spacious and masterful building of extraordinary elegance, still impressive to this day. The Palace has a magnificent hall on the first floor reached via an elaborate staircase. The 5m-wide fireplace is impressive and is complemented by a second smaller fireplace. Perfect comfort for those cold Orcadian winters. The building also reflects the owner’s obsession with privacy and security, for his own apartment lay beyond the top end of the great hall, well away from those occupied by his household officials and guests.
Opening Hours: 1 April to 30 September:
Monday to Sunday, 9.30am to 5.30pm
N.B Entrance prices are for Bishop's Palace & Earl's Palace
The magnificent St Magnus Cathedral, build from an unusual combination of red and yellow sandstone, dominates the Kirkwall skyline. The 'Light of the North' as the cathedral is known had its foundations laid down in 1137 by the Viking, Earl Rognvald, in honour of his...
The Bishop’s Palace was built around the same time as St Magnus Cathedral, in the early 1100s when Orkney & Shetland were still part of Sudreyjar – the ‘Southern Isles’, under the rule of Norway. The builder may well have been Bishop William the Old,...
Highland Park is made today with the same enduring belief, integrity and exacting standards as it has been since 1798. The established attitude at Highland Park is one of custodianship and tradition.
The tours have a 7 minute film in English, followed by a tour and...
"Maeshowe" Chambered Cairn, built about 5,000 years ago, is prehistoric architecture at its most impressive. It is one of Europe's finest chambered cairns. Stand within its confines and be mesmerised at how this awesome structure was so well built to such a grand scale...