Historic churches · Scottish Islands
Round Kirk, Orphir
In or near Stromness.
Round Kirk, Orphir — church on Mainland, Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
Round Kirk in Orphir is located in the Orkney Islands, with the postcode KW17 2RD. Entry is free. The nearest railway station is not specified, so please plan accordingly for travel.
About
Round Kirk, Orphir is a historic church in the United Kingdom. Heritage designation: part of a Scheduled Monument. Named after Saint Nicholas. Part of St Nicholas' Church, settlement and mill, Orphir. Wikidata describes it as: "church on Mainland, Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK". Coordinates: 58.9219°, -3.1567°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
The remains of the Orphir Round Church (or Round Kirk), also St Nicholas's Church, are located in Orphir Parish on the Mainland, Orkney, Scotland. It has been part of a scheduled monument since 2014.
From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
The remains of the Orphir Round Church (or Round Kirk), also St Nicholas's Church, are located in Orphir Parish on the Mainland, Orkney, Scotland. It has been part of a scheduled monument since 2014.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
It is thought to have been built by jarl (earl) Haakon Paulsson (Earl of Orkney from 1103 to 1123) as penance for murdering his cousin and co-ruler Magnus Erlendsson (later Saint Magnus) in the late 11th or early 12th century. According to the Orkneyinga saga, earl Haakon took sole power in 1117 after the killing of Magnus, and the round kirk was later rededicated to St Magnus. The saga refers to a "large drinking-hall" with a "magnificent church" nearby. The remains of the drinking hall, known as the 'Earl's Bu', can still be seen, as well as an 11th-century Norse horizontal watermill. The building's design was inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the circular…
Description
The church, dedicated to Saint Nicholas, consisted of a barrel-vaulted apse on the eastern side of its 6 m circular nave. It consisted of a circular nave about six metres in diameter and a semicircular apse with a central window. The walls are one metre thick.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 58.9219, -3.1567
- District
- Orkney Islands
- Postcode
- KW17 2RD
- Parliamentary constituency
- Orkney and Shetland
Sources
- wikidata: Q1440963 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Orphir Round Church (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Orphir - round church - geograph.org.uk - 400899.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
St Nicholas's Church (ruins) aka Orkney Round Church C12
Historic churches · 0.0 km
Earl's Bu - Horizontal Mill (Norse), Settlement (Norse)
Archaeological sites · 0.0 km
Norse Water Mill
Watermills · 0.1 km
Orkneyinga Saga Centre
Museums · 0.1 km
Site of tumulus (Lavacroon)
Burial mounds & barrows · 0.3 km
Orphir Bay
Natural landmarks · 0.4 km
Bay of Myre
Natural landmarks · 0.8 km
Orphir
Islands · 1.3 km
Hill of Midland
Mountains & hills · 1.5 km
Hill of Midland
Mountains & hills · 1.5 km
Hill of Dale
Mountains & hills · 1.5 km
Bay of Houton
Natural landmarks · 1.6 km
Nearby
📷 3Historic churches · Scottish Islands
St Nicholas's Church (ruins) aka Orkney Round Church C12
St Nicholas's Church (ruins) aka Orkney Round Church C12 — a church in scotland-islands, United Kingdom.
📷 3Archaeological sites · Scottish Islands
Earl's Bu - Horizontal Mill (Norse), Settlement (Norse)
Earl's Bu - Horizontal Mill (Norse), Settlement (Norse) — a archaeological in scotland-islands, United Kingdom.
📷 3Watermills · Scottish Islands
Norse Water Mill
Norse Water Mill — a watermill in scotland-islands, United Kingdom.
📷 3Museums · Scottish Islands
Orkneyinga Saga Centre
Orkneyinga Saga Centre — a museum in scotland-islands, United Kingdom.
📷 3Burial mounds & barrows · Scottish Islands
Site of tumulus (Lavacroon)
Site of tumulus (Lavacroon) — a burial mound in scotland-islands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Where to eat & stay near Round Kirk, Orphir
Places to stay
📷 5Campsites · Scottish Islands
Point of Ness Campsite
Point of Ness Campsite — a campsite in scotland islands.
📷 5
📷 5
📷 7Hotels · Scottish Islands
The Stromness Hotel
The Stromness Hotel — a hotel in scotland islands.
📷 5Hostels · Scottish Islands
Kirkwall Youth Hostel
Kirkwall Youth Hostel — a hostel in scotland islands. Brand: Hostelling Scotland.
📷 5Hostels · Scottish Islands
Orcades Hostel
Orcades Hostel — a hostel in scotland islands.
Places to eat & drink
📷 4More places in this region
📷 3Historic churches · Scottish Islands
Bracadale Free Presbyterian Church
Bracadale Free Presbyterian Church — church in Highland, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Historic churches · Scottish Islands
Church of our Lady, Star of the Sea, Barra
Church of our Lady, Star of the Sea, Barra — church in Castlebay, UK.
📷 3
📷 3Historic churches · Scottish Islands
Nunton Church
Nunton Church — church in Nunton, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Round Kirk, Orphir?
- Round Kirk, Orphir is in the Scottish Islands, United Kingdom (postcode KW17 2RD).
- What is Round Kirk, Orphir?
- Round Kirk, Orphir — church on Mainland, Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK.
- How do I get to Round Kirk, Orphir?
- Drivers can use postcode KW17 2RD.
- Is Round Kirk, Orphir a listed building?
- Round Kirk, Orphir is officially recognised as part of a Scheduled Monument listed.
- Is Round Kirk, Orphir free to visit?
- Yes, Round Kirk, Orphir is free to enter.
- How do I get to Round Kirk, Orphir?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode KW17 2RD. It sits within the Orkney and Shetland parliamentary constituency.