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Bishop's Palace Kirkwall

Castles

Bishop's Palace Kirkwall

Highlight • Monument

Bishop's Palace Kirkwall

Name: Bishop's Palace Kirkwall
Rating: 2

Recommended by 21 hikers

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Location: Kirkwall And St Ola, Orkney islands, Scotland, United Kingdom

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Best Hikes to Bishop's Palace Kirkwall

4.2

(21)

hikers

1. The Crantit Trail – Kirkwall Town Centre loop from Kirkwall

9.90km

02:34

60m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.2

(29)

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2. St Magnus Cathedral – Kirkwall Town Centre loop from Kirkwall

17.8km

04:59

350m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

5.0

(2)

hikers

3. St Magnus Cathedral – Earl's Palace Kirkwall loop from Kirkwall

6.13km

01:37

50m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Easy

Tips

Timber 👣 & Shakespeare 🐾

August 10, 2019

Bishop's Palace is a ruined castle and former bishop's residence in the Scottish town of Kirkwall on Orkney's mainland Mainland. The plant is classified as a Scheduled Monument. [1] Bishop's Palace is located in the city center of Kirkwall.The castle was built simultaneously with the opposite St. Magnus Cathedral as the residence of the bishops of Orkney under Bishop William the Old in the 12th century. After the defeat at the Battle of Largs in 1263, the Norwegian King Håkon IV stayed in the castle and died there. Apparently Bishop's Palace was sporadically used in the following decades and the building fell into a ruinous condition until 1320. In 1526, the ruin briefly came into the possession of William Sinclair, 4th Lord Sinclair. King James V stationed 1540 troops in both Kirkwall Castle and Bishop's Palace.
Bishop Robert Reid took the castle in the 16th century. He had the substance obtained restored, supplemented and added additions. A good part of today's surviving structure comes from this construction phase. From 1568 Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney ruled the islands and also had Bishop's Palace. His son Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney built his residence near the Bishop's Palace with Earl's Palace and planned to integrate it into the building. Due to insufficient financial resources this could not be put into action. Patrick Stewart is considered a tyrannical, in the people extremely unpopular ruler. After being charged with high treason in 1614, Patrick's brother Robert tried to instigate a rebellion during which the castle was besieged. Whether the damage to the structure results from this siege is not clear. Today, the Bishop's Palace is only preserved as a ruin

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Wiro L.

July 11, 2019

An impressive, round tower stands in the center of Kirkwall on Orkney. It is the Moosie Toor, a part of the old Bishop Palace. The history of the palace itself goes back to the time when the Norwegians still ruled over the western islands of Scotland.
The Bishop's Palace is at first glance less impressive than the Earl's Palace next door. Only the tower, the "Moosie Toor", inspires awe. Otherwise one sees only a rectangular building.
Bishop's Palace was built in Kirkwall in the middle of the twelfth century by Bishop William the Old. However, it was only there that the rectangular hall was built. The most exciting thing that happened to the palace in the next few years was that the Norwegian King Haakon the Fourth died here in 1263. He had withdrawn here after being seized of control of the Scottish Hebrides in a battle.
After that, you do not know much about the Bishop's Palace, except that it slowly decayed.
It was not until around 1540 that Bishop Robert Reid again took care of the building, renovated it and added the large round tower, the Moosie Toor. The palace later came into the possession of the greedy Patrick Stewart. When the rule of Stewarts was broken, the building fell again.

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Bear S.

August 29, 2024

Was built around 1100, at the time of St. Magnus Cathedral.
There is an admission charge. The entrance fee also includes a visit to the Earl's Palace.

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Elevation 10 m

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Tuesday 9 December

11°C

4°C

97 %

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Max wind speed: 46.0 km/h

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Location: Kirkwall And St Ola, Orkney islands, Scotland, United Kingdom

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Bishop's Palace Kirkwall

1. The Crantit Trail – Kirkwall Town Centre loop from Kirkwall

2. St Magnus Cathedral – Kirkwall Town Centre loop from Kirkwall

3. St Magnus Cathedral – Earl's Palace Kirkwall loop from Kirkwall

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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