Information about Kirkwall
Coordinates:
Kirkwall is the largest town and capital of the Orkney Islands, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in the Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046. It was established as the settlement of Rögnvald II, Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his successor, Thorfinn. In 1486 King James III of Scotland elevated Kirkwall to the status of a royal burgh, as is shown by the road signs as you enter Kirkwall, 'The City and Royal Burgh of Kirkwall'.
The name Kirkwall is derived from the Norse name Kirkjuvagr (Church Bay). This was later corrupted to Kirkvoe and then Kirkwaa. English cartographers mistook the latter part waa as the Scots wa meaning wall, hence the town became Kirkwall.
Situated on the northern coast of Mainland Orkney, Kirkwall is a port with ferry services to Aberdeen and Lerwick, as well as the principal north islands in the group. By present-day Scottish standards, it is a small town, with a population of about 8,500. At the heart of the town stands St Magnus Cathedral, its tower and spire widely visible across both land and sea. It was founded in memory of Saint Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney 1108-1117 by Earl (later saint) Rögnvald Kali. Next to the Cathedral are the ruins of the former Bishop's Palace and Earl's Palace. The town has two museums: Tankerness House Museum, which is contained within one of Scotland's best-preserved sixteenth century town-houses, contains items of local historical interest. The prehistoric, Pictish and Viking collections are of international importance. The other museum is the small Wireless Museum, dealing with the history of radio and recorded sound.
Kirkwall is one of the most attractive and well-preserved small towns in Scotland. Apart from the main historical buildings, mentioned above, there are many 17th-18th century houses and other structures in the local vernacular style. The 'Kirk' of Kirkwall was not the Cathedral (which was originally at Birsay), but the 11th century church of St. Olaf of Norway. One late medieval doorway survives from this church. An aumbry from the original church survives within the late 19th Century structure of the present-day St. Olaf's Church (Episcopal) in the town's Dundas Crescent. Kirkwall also once had a medieval castle (destroyed in the 17th century).
On the west edge of the town, surrounded by Hatston Industrial Estate, is a prehistoric ancient monument, Grain Earth House (Historic Scotland), a short low stone-walled passage deep underground leading to a small pillared chamber. This is the form of earth house or souterrain characteristic of the Northern Isles (though Grain is unusually deep below ground). It was originally connected to a surface dwelling which has since disappeared. The original purpose of these Iron Age structures is unknown. Key for the monument from Ortak Visitor Centre and Factory.
One of the main annual events in the town is the Ba Game, held each Christmas Day and New Year's Day between the Uppies and the Doonies; each team representing one half of the town.
Kirkwall also has the most northerly of the English speaking worlds's Carnegie libraries, which was visited and opened by Andrew Carnegie and his wife in the early years of the 20th century. It has been replaced by a new, larger library and archive on Junction Road.
The constituency was a district of burghs known also as Tain Burghs until 1832, and then as Wick Burghs. It was represented by one Member of Parliament. In 1918 the constituency was abolished and the Kirkwall component was merged into the county constituency of Orkney and Shetland.
Postcode area KW
Postcode area name Kirkwall
Post towns 15
Postcode districts 16
Postcode sectors 19
Postcodes (live) 1,806
Postcodes (total) 1,972
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Orkney and Shetland is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
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Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament Building Debating Chamber
Established 1999
by the Scotland Act 1998
Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson MSP (Con)
Since May 14 2007
Deputy Presiding Officers Trish Godman MSP (Lab)
Alasdair Morgan MSP (SNP)
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Kirkwall is the largest town and capital of the Orkney Islands, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in the Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046. It was established as the settlement of Rögnvald II, Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his successor, Thorfinn. In 1486 King James III of Scotland elevated Kirkwall to the status of a royal burgh, as is shown by the road signs as you enter Kirkwall, 'The City and Royal Burgh of Kirkwall'.
The name Kirkwall is derived from the Norse name Kirkjuvagr (Church Bay). This was later corrupted to Kirkvoe and then Kirkwaa. English cartographers mistook the latter part waa as the Scots wa meaning wall, hence the town became Kirkwall.
)
Kirkwall Town Hall Exterior
Situated on the northern coast of Mainland Orkney, Kirkwall is a port with ferry services to Aberdeen and Lerwick, as well as the principal north islands in the group. By present-day Scottish standards, it is a small town, with a population of about 8,500. At the heart of the town stands St Magnus Cathedral, its tower and spire widely visible across both land and sea. It was founded in memory of Saint Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney 1108-1117 by Earl (later saint) Rögnvald Kali. Next to the Cathedral are the ruins of the former Bishop's Palace and Earl's Palace. The town has two museums: Tankerness House Museum, which is contained within one of Scotland's best-preserved sixteenth century town-houses, contains items of local historical interest. The prehistoric, Pictish and Viking collections are of international importance. The other museum is the small Wireless Museum, dealing with the history of radio and recorded sound.
Kirkwall is one of the most attractive and well-preserved small towns in Scotland. Apart from the main historical buildings, mentioned above, there are many 17th-18th century houses and other structures in the local vernacular style. The 'Kirk' of Kirkwall was not the Cathedral (which was originally at Birsay), but the 11th century church of St. Olaf of Norway. One late medieval doorway survives from this church. An aumbry from the original church survives within the late 19th Century structure of the present-day St. Olaf's Church (Episcopal) in the town's Dundas Crescent. Kirkwall also once had a medieval castle (destroyed in the 17th century).
On the west edge of the town, surrounded by Hatston Industrial Estate, is a prehistoric ancient monument, Grain Earth House (Historic Scotland), a short low stone-walled passage deep underground leading to a small pillared chamber. This is the form of earth house or souterrain characteristic of the Northern Isles (though Grain is unusually deep below ground). It was originally connected to a surface dwelling which has since disappeared. The original purpose of these Iron Age structures is unknown. Key for the monument from Ortak Visitor Centre and Factory.
One of the main annual events in the town is the Ba Game, held each Christmas Day and New Year's Day between the Uppies and the Doonies; each team representing one half of the town.
Kirkwall also has the most northerly of the English speaking worlds's Carnegie libraries, which was visited and opened by Andrew Carnegie and his wife in the early years of the 20th century. It has been replaced by a new, larger library and archive on Junction Road.
)
St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall
Parliamentary burgh
Kirkwall was a parliamentary burgh, combined with Dingwall, Dornoch, Tain and Wick in the Northern Burghs constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. Cromarty was added to the list in 1832.The constituency was a district of burghs known also as Tain Burghs until 1832, and then as Wick Burghs. It was represented by one Member of Parliament. In 1918 the constituency was abolished and the Kirkwall component was merged into the county constituency of Orkney and Shetland.
External links
- Orkneyjar - The Royal Burgh of Kirkwall
- Kirkwall pictures from www.orkneycommunities.co.uk
- Information about Port of Kirkwall
- Undiscovered Scotland illustrated feature on Kirkwall
- Listen to recordings of a speaker of Kirkwall Scots
| Orkney Islands |
|---|
| Inhabited Islands |
| Mainland | Auskerry | Burray | Eday | Egilsay | Flotta | Gairsay | Graemsay | Hoy | North Ronaldsay |Papa Stronsay | Papa Westray | Rousay | Sanday | Shapinsay | South Ronaldsay | South Walls | Stronsay | Westray | Wyre |
| Uninhabited Islands |
| Calf of Eday | Calf of Flotta | Cava | Copinsay | Corn Holm | Damsay | Eynhallow | Fara |Faray | Glims Holm | Helliar Holm | Holm of Faray | Holm of Huip | Holm of Papa | Holm of Scockness | Hunda | Kili Holm | Lamb Holm | Linga Holm | Muckle Green Holm | Rusk Holm | Rysa Little | Sweyn Holm | Switha | Swona |
| List of Orkney islands |
| Towns and Villages |
| Kirkwall | Balfour | Houton | Longhope | Lyness | Stromness | Whitehall |
Scots refers to the Anglic varieties derived from early northern Middle English spoken in parts of Scotland. In Scotland it is sometimes called Lowland Scots or its contraction Lallans
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population is the collection of people or organisms of a particular species living in a given geographic area or mortality, and migration, though the field encompasses many dimensions of population change including the family (marriage and divorce), public health, work and the
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The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude.
The Ordnance Survey (OS) devised the national grid reference system, and it is heavily used in their survey data,
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The Ordnance Survey (OS) devised the national grid reference system, and it is heavily used in their survey data,
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Scotland
This article is part of the series:
Politics of Scotland
Scottish Parliament
Scottish Executive
Presiding Officer
First Minister
Lord Advocate
Solicitor General
Members of Parliament (MSPs)
Local government
Elections
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This article is part of the series:
Politics of Scotland
Scottish Parliament
Scottish Executive
Presiding Officer
First Minister
Lord Advocate
Solicitor General
Members of Parliament (MSPs)
Local government
Elections
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Orkney
Àrcaibh
Flag of Orkney Coat of arms
Location
Geography
Area Ranked 16th
- Total 990 km²
- % Water ?
Admin HQ Kirkwall
GB-ORK
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Àrcaibh
Flag of Orkney Coat of arms
Location
Geography
Area Ranked 16th
- Total 990 km²
- % Water ?
Admin HQ Kirkwall
GB-ORK
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The Lieutenancy areas of Scotland are the areas used for the ceremonial lords-lieutenant, the monarch's representatives, in Scotland. They are different from the local government council areas, the committee areas, the sheriffdoms, the registration counties, the former regions and
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Orkney
Àrcaibh
Flag of Orkney Coat of arms
Location
Geography
Area Ranked 16th
- Total 990 km²
- % Water ?
Admin HQ Kirkwall
GB-ORK
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Àrcaibh
Flag of Orkney Coat of arms
Location
Geography
Area Ranked 16th
- Total 990 km²
- % Water ?
Admin HQ Kirkwall
GB-ORK
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Constituent countries is a phrase used, often by official institutions, in contexts in which a number of countries make up a larger entity or grouping, concerning these countries; thus the OECD has used the phrase in reference to the parts of former Yugoslavia[1]
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Motto
Nemo me impune lacessit (Latin)
"No one provokes me with impunity"
"Cha togar m'fhearg gun dioladh"
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Nemo me impune lacessit (Latin)
"No one provokes me with impunity"
"Cha togar m'fhearg gun dioladh"
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country, state, and nation can have various meanings. Therefore, diverse lists of these entities are possible. Wikipedia offers the following lists:
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Motto
"Dieu et mon droit" [2] (French)
"God and my right"
Anthem
"God Save the Queen" [3]
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"Dieu et mon droit" [2] (French)
"God and my right"
Anthem
"God Save the Queen" [3]
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A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system.[1] Including the correct post town in the address increases the chances of a letter or parcel being delivered on time.
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The London postal district is the area in England, currently of 241 square miles,[1] to which mail addressed to the LONDON post town is delivered. The area was initially devised in 1856[2]
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UK postal codes are known as postcodes.
UK postcodes are alphanumeric. These codes were introduced by the Royal Mail over a 15-year period from 1959 to 1974 — the full list is now available electronically from the Royal Mail as the Postcode Address File.
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UK postcodes are alphanumeric. These codes were introduced by the Royal Mail over a 15-year period from 1959 to 1974 — the full list is now available electronically from the Royal Mail as the Postcode Address File.
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Kirkwall postcode area
Postcode area KW
Postcode area name Kirkwall
Post towns 15
Postcode districts 16
Postcode sectors 19
Postcodes (live) 1,806
Postcodes (total) 1,972
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UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Numbering Plan, is regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which replaced the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) in 2003.
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British car number plates have existed in the United Kingdom since 1904. All motor-powered road vehicles, including cars but excepting the official cars of the reigning monarch, are required by law to display them.
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British car number plate identifiers are letters used to pinpoint where a car has been registered in Great Britain. They have been used on British vehicle number plates since 2001. A separate (and older) system is used in Northern Ireland.
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- Royal Botanic Gardens Constabulary)
- Royal Parks Constabulary
- On 1 April 2004, following a review of the Royal Parks Constabulary by Anthony Speed, the Metropolitan Police took on the responsibility of policing the Royal Parks in Greater London and the RPC was
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Southend-on-Sea is a seaside resort and unitary authority in the East of England. The borough of Southend-on-Sea is part of the ceremonial county of Essex and is located on the north side of the Thames estuary roughly 40 miles (65 km) east of central London.
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fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational procedures in the light of terrorism attacks and
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Highlands and Islands Fire And Rescue Service
Highlands and Islands Fire And Rescue Service area
Coverage
Area Highland, Scotland
Size 31,186 square kilometres
Population 280,000
Operations
Formed 2005
HQ
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Highlands and Islands Fire And Rescue Service area
Coverage
Area Highland, Scotland
Size 31,186 square kilometres
Population 280,000
Operations
Formed 2005
HQ
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Emergency medical services in the United Kingdom are almost all provided by one of the four National Health Services through local ambulance services, known in England and Wales as trusts.
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Scottish Ambulance Service is part of the National Health Service in Scotland, and serves all of Scotland. It is a Special Health Board funded directly by the Scottish Executive Health Department.
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England]]
1.1 East Midlands Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire
1.2 East of England Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk
1.3 Greater London North East, North West, South East, South West
1.
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1.1 East Midlands Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire
1.2 East of England Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk
1.3 Greater London North East, North West, South East, South West
1.
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- For the archipelago, see the Northern Isles.
Orkney and Shetland is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
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Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament Building Debating Chamber
Established 1999
by the Scotland Act 1998
Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson MSP (Con)
Since May 14 2007
Deputy Presiding Officers Trish Godman MSP (Lab)
Alasdair Morgan MSP (SNP)
..... Click the link for more information.
Orkney is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. Also, however, it is one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region, which elects seven
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This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name.
See European Parliament Election, 2004 (UK) for a list ordered by constituency.
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See European Parliament Election, 2004 (UK) for a list ordered by constituency.
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Scotland
This article is part of the series:
Politics of Scotland
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This article is part of the series:
Politics of Scotland
- Scots law
- Scottish Parliament
- Acts
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