Stromness, Orkney Islands, Scotland

 

Italian Chapel

The Orkney Islands have 22000 inhabitants. The primary industry is agriculture, beef and sheep fed with lots of grass and barley. 400 million years ago the Orkneys were below sea level near the equator surrounded by mountains, resulting in an island of sandstone. We drove along the shore of Skapa Flow, one of the world’s largest national harbors. During World War I, the German fleet was captured here, while the armistice was negotiated. The day before the treaty was signed, the German fleet was scuttled rather than becoming a prize of war. The metal from these ships was salvaged well into the 1950s. The remaining wrecks make for a scuba divers paradise. In fact, one of our guides has dived here. Skapa Flow has one entrance. The British stationed 120 ships here and sunk old ships to close many of the entrances to discourage German U-boats from entering the harbor, but on October 14, 1939, a U-Boat entered and sank the HMS Royal Oak, a training vessel killing 834. Churchill came the next day and suggested that the Eastern channels should be barricaded, the Church Barriers. The work was slow, so Italian POWs were sent here to create 4 concrete barriers. While here the commandant of the camp, let some of the men build a chapel out of two Quonset huts. The Italian Chapel has a mural behind the altar which reads, “Mary, Queen of Peace, Pray for us”. We went on to Kirkwell and St Magnus Cathedral, built in 1100. Next door is the Bishop’s Palace from the same time and the Earl’s Palace from 1500. It is a Renaissance building, the finest example in Scotland. The Earl Patrick Stewart was considered Orkney’s worst leader, he was arrested for treason in 1610. Our visit is on a Sunday, so only a few businesses were open, but they opened the Orkney Museum for us. The first floor had many artifacts from the Neolithic age, introducing us to our afternoon’s sights.

Ring of Brodgar

In the afternoon, we visited the Standing Stones of Stenness from 3100 BC. Down the road is the Ring of Brodgar, 27 of an original 60 stones. Thought to be 4500 years old. Both of these suggest a place of ritual and community gathering. Then the highlight of the day the Neolithic village of Skara Brae an interconnected village of ten structures with rooftops made from sod and whale bone. 

Village of Skara Brae

Since the structures were built of stone, we can see their stone shelf, bedding areas with a fire pit in the center. This village was unique. It was occupied from 3180 BC to 2500 BC and is Europe’s most complete Neolithic village. It was discovered by the local landowner in 1850 by a local landowner after a severe storm who lived in nearby Skaill House.

Stone beds and storage area