Earl's Palace

Kirkwall, United Kingdom

The ruins of the Earl's Palace lie near St Magnus's Cathedral. Built by Patrick, Earl of Orkney, construction began in 1607 and was largely undertaken via forced labour. Earl Patrick is widely acknowledged to have been one of the most tyrannical noblemen in Scotland's history.

The palace was built after the Earl decided that the accommodation provided by the Bishop's Palace was inadequate for his needs. He decided to extend the complex by building a new 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 owner, trying him and having him executed. Upon his imprisonment at Edinburgh in 1609, his bastard son Robert began a rebellion on his behalf and seized the palace, along with nearby St Magnus's Cathedral and Kirkwall Castle. An army led by the Earl of Caithness laid siege, and the Castle was destroyed. Earl Patrick and his son were later executed for treason.

After the Earl's death the palace continued to be the residence of the Bishops of Orkney sporadically until 1688, when it became the property of the Crown, and fell into ruin in the 18th century. It is currently in the possession of Historic Scotland. The ruins, though roofless, still have much of their original French-influenced Renaissance elegance. Turrets and decorations carved in the sandy coloured stonework, give glimpses of the former splendour of this residence.

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Founded: 1607
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in United Kingdom

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4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Steve Beecroft (13 months ago)
What an absolutely magnificent example of early architecture. It's surreal to have been able to stand in a stone building that has been around for hundreds of years before my home nation was even formed. We were there prior to the pandemic (which changed everything tourism related it seems) - so though I can't speak to how your visit would go today; I can say that when my wife and I were here, there was only one other small group in the whole area. Most tourists seem to stick to the main street and not venture much further than the cathedral. Don't miss out on these gems.
Tobias Madigan (15 months ago)
Looks like a very cool place to visit in Kirkwall, but management needs to get it together. Posted hours say 9:30 am to 5:30 pm but when I went the guy had it “locked up for lunch” between 12:20 and 1:30. This makes it impossible to plan. Either update your sign and website or get staff to cover the lunch shift. Ridiculous.
Rahul Joseph (18 months ago)
Just amazing! Piece of history frozen in time. Being a non British person, witnessing all these wonderful structures was a feast to them eyes.
Steven Redmond (19 months ago)
Located by the St. Magnus Cathedral, this large but in ruins castle, is waiting for you to explore! You explore most areas of the castle, including climbing the winding steps of the partially standing tower. Parking is a bit limited on the road. There is an admission fee. Bathrooms are a couple of blocks down the street in City Hall.
Actovania (3 years ago)
Interesting, fun, and brought out the curiosity in me and my mates.
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