Bishop's and Earl's Palaces, Kirkwall

The Bishop’s Palace was built around the same time as St Magnus Cathedral, in the early 1100s. The builder may well have been Bishop William the Old, crusader and friend of Earl Rognvald, St Magnus’s nephew and patron of the new cathedral.

The palace is a little difficult to work out at first sight. But behind all the later alterations and additions lies a simple, two-storey hall house.

Little of the first floor hall remains, but the ground level is largely intact. The west wall’s narrow windows, built of alternating red and yellow stones, are similar to those in the cathedral.

Haakon IV of Norway died in the Bishop’s Palace on 15 December 1263 – and the Saga of Haakon Haakonsson includes an invaluable description of the palace at the time of the king’s death. The king had just arrived from a failed expedition to the Firth of Clyde, which ended at the Battle of Largs when his forces were driven off.

After the king died in his bedchamber, his body lay in state in the palace’s hall. Haakon IV was the last Norwegian king to rule over the Sudreyjar – the ‘Southern Isles’ or Hebrides.

The Earl’s Palace was built around 1606 by Patrick, Earl of Orkney.

Known as ‘Black Patie’, the earl ruled the Northern Isles from 1592 until his execution 23 years later. It was alleged at the trial of the authoritarian ruler that he used slave labour to build his residences.

His Kirkwall palace is masterfully planned, spacious and extraordinarily refined. The palace comprises a first floor hall reached via an elaborate staircase along with the earl’s inner and outer chambers, guest rooms and accommodation for key staff. Outside, the eye is drawn to the frontal façade. Inside, the first floor hall with its two large fireplaces – one of which is 5 metres wide – makes the biggest impact.

Read our Statements of Significance for the Bishop's and Earl's Palace for facts, figures and further reading about their history:

Bishop's Palace  Earl's Palace

Born in 1566 or 1567, Earl Patrick Stewart was a nephew of Mary Queen of Scots. On his father’s death in 1593 he became Earl of Orkney and Lord of Shetland, and he soon earned a reputation as a brutish and oppressive ruler.

Patrick lead an incredibly lavish lifestyle, surrounding himself with hangers-on. He set about building the sophisticated Scalloway Castle near Lerwick and the ornate Earl’s Palace in Kirkwall to show off his status. Records and local tradition show that Patrick forced local people to work on these building projects for no wages. Despite saving money on constructing his noble residences in this way, Patrick’s excesses led to him being “drownit in debt” and he fell out of favour with James VI.

In 1606, a legal dispute is recorded that gives us further insight to the Earl’s character. It tells of how he summoned Andrew Vinfra to Scalloway Castle and attempted to bully him into signing a contract:

“laying his hand upon his whinger [a short stabbing sword], he threatened with execrable oaths to bereave this Vinfra of his life, and stick him presently through the head with his whinger, if he subscribed not”.

As Partick’s reputation for tyranny grew, attempts were made to curb his behaviour. A formidable bishop was appointed to Orkney, partially to try and control Patrick. But all efforts failed and the errant Earl was ultimately confined in Edinburgh Castle and Dumbarton Castle from 1609 until 1615. On 6 February 1615, Patrick was executed in Edinburgh using ‘The Maiden’, an early form of guillotine.