Bishop's Palace, Kirkwall
Bishop's Palace | |
---|---|
St Magnus Cathedral tower | |
General information | |
Status | in ruins |
Type | palace |
Architectural style | Romanesque, Gothic |
Town or city | Kirkwall |
Country | Scotland |
Owner | Historic Environment Scotland |
The Bishop's Palace, Kirkwall is a 12th-century palace built at the same time as the adjacent
History
Originally, it is thought to have been like a typical Royal Norwegian palace, with a large rectangular hall above store rooms and a
In 1468, Orkney and
Mary I of England sent a fleet to Scotland in 1557, commanded by William Woodhouse and John Clere. Clere's troops attacked the cathedral on 12 August. The force was overpowered on the next day while attempting to capture the Bishop's Palace. Many of the retreating English, including Clere, drowned trying to reach their ships.[3]
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 it into his Earl's Palace, Kirkwall, but debts forced him to return it to Bishop James Law. Earl Patrick's son Robert seized both palaces in 1614, and a siege followed, though it is not known if this caused damage to the structures, both of which are now ruins.[4]
Today
The palace is open to the public. It is administered by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument.[5]
The palace and the nearby Earl's Palace are closed to the public October 2023 - March 2024 during which time high level masonry inspections are being carried out as part of the building's conservation.[6]
References
- ^ "Castles and Buildings". Stewart Society. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ "Kirkwall, Palace Road, Bishop's Palace". Canmore. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ C. S. Knighton & David Loades, Navy of Edward VI and Mary I (Navy Records Society, 2011), pp. 342-5.
- ^ "Bishop's and Earl's Palace, Kirkwall". The Castles of Scotland. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Bishop's Palace, Kirkwall (SM90193)". Retrieved 22 February 2019.
- ^ "Inspections begin at Bishop's and Earl's Palaces". Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Historic Environment Scotland: Visitor guide
- Orkneyjar - The Bishop's Palace, Kirkwall