Earl's Palace, Kirkwall
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Kirkwall
Kirkwall is the biggest town and capital of Orkney, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. 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...
, Orkney
Orkney Islands
Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Built by Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney
Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney
Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney and Lord of Shetland was the son of Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney.On the death of his uncle, Lord Robert Stewart, junior, in 1581 Patrick was given the gift of the Priory of Whithorn...
. It was begun
Begun
For Begun farmer's movement see Begun movement Begun is a city and a municipality in Chittaurgarh district in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is also one of the historical town of Chittorgarh district. One of Mewar's important rivers, Brahmani, fllows through Begun...
in 1607 and built largely by forced labour. Lord Orkney and his father, Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney
Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney
Robert Stewart, Knt., 1st Earl of Orkney and Lord of Zetland was a recognized illegitimate son of James V, King of Scotland, and his mistress Eupheme Elphinstone....
, are acknowledged to have been among the most tyrannical noblemen in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
's history.
The Earl's Palace was built after Lord Orkney decided that the accommodation provided by the Bishop's Palace
Bishop's Palace, Kirkwall
The Bishop's Palace, Kirkwall was built at the same time as the adjacent St Magnus Cathedral in the centre of Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland, was being constructed, and housed the cathedral's first bishop, William the Old of the Norwegian Catholic church who took his authority from the Archbishop of...
was inadequate for his needs. He decided to extend the complex by building a new Earl's Palace on the adjoining land. This was complicated by the fact he did not actually own this property. He quickly acquired it by fabricating charges of theft against the unfortunate current owner, trying him and having him executed. However, Orkney did not hold on to the property for long. Whilst in prison, Orkney's son, Robert Stewart, Lord Stewart, rose in rebellion and seized the palace, nearby St. Magnus' Cathedral
St. Magnus' Cathedral, Kirkwall
St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall dominates the skyline of Kirkwall, the main town of Orkney, a group of islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland. It is the most northerly cathedral in the British Isles, a fine example of Romanesque architecture built for the bishops of Orkney when the...
and Kirkwall Castle
Kirkwall Castle
Kirkwall Castle, also known as King's Castle, was located in Kirkwall, the main settlement in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. Built in the 14th century, it was deliberately destroyed in 1614. The last ruins were cleared in the 19th century...
. An army laid siege and the Castle was destroyed. Lord Orkney and his son were later executed.
After Lord Orkney's death the palaces continued to be the residence of the Bishops of Orkney
Bishop of Orkney
The Bishop of Orkney was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Orkney, one of thirteen medieval bishoprics within the territory of modern Scotland. It included both Orkney and Shetland. It was based for almost all of its history at St...
sporadically until 1688, when they became the property of the Crown, and fell into ruin in the 18th century. The ruins, though roofless, still have much of their original French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-influenced Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
elegance (Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
; entrance charge). Turrets and decorations carved in the sandy coloured stonework, give glimpses of the former splendour of this residence.