Orphir

Rough pasture with farmland beyond

Scapa Flow Lodges

Self-catering accommodation overlooking Scapa Flow

Ruined buildings near Crya

Orphir - Earl's Bu - Foundations of Drinking Hall

It is thought that these earthworks and stones are the foundations of an ancient 'Drinking Hall' known as Earl's Bu. If this is correct, then in 1136 they witnessed the murder of Svenn Brestrope. During Earl Paul's Yule feasts at his Bu there was an exchange of insults between Sweyn Asleifsson and Sweyn Breastrope (Svenn Brestrope), a colleague of Asleifsson's father. This culminated in the hot-headed young Asleifsson killing Brestrope. The murderer fled to Egilsay and from thence was dispatched to Tiree by Bishop William the Old. He was given refuge there by a chieftain by the name of Holbodi. Somewhat later young Asleifsson returned to Orkney and managed to kidnap Earl Paul on the island of Rousay, "spiriting him away and leaving the Earldom open for Rognvald II to step in and assume control." According to other references in the Orkneyinga Saga, Earl Haraldr died at Orphir in 1127 and the Bu (or hall) subsequently belonged to Earl Paul II (1136-7) and Earl Rognvaldr II (1154) who commissioned HY4410 : Kirkwall - St Magnus Cathedral from the Bishop's Palace. Earl Haraldr Maddadson was said to be in hiding at the Bu of Orphir in 1154. (Information from nearby HES plaque and from an adapted translation of the Orkneyinga Saga online). See Canmore website: Link

HES Website: Link

See also HY3304 : Orphir - Earl's Bu - Stones and recesses This site is adjacent to HY3304 : Orphir - St Nicholas Round Kirk (remains)

Orphir - Earl's Bu - Stones and recesses

Part of the foundations of the C12th Earl's Bu at Orphir on Mainland, Orkney. See HY3304 : Orphir - Earl's Bu - Foundations of Drinking Hall for more information on the history of this former Drinking Hall. This site is adjacent to HY3304 : Orphir - St Nicholas Round Kirk (remains) See Canmore website for information on the site: Link

HES Website: Link

Orphir - St Nicholas Round Kirk (remains)

The apsidal eastern remains of the former round kirk of St Nicholas at Orphir. The ring of gravel marks its original footprint. From the Canmore website: "The remains of a Romanesque Church, dedicated to St Nicholas, which has been circular on plan with an E apse, stands at the E end of the now demolished parish church. It is unique in Scotland as having been built after the model of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, through Scandinavian prototypes, and it can be dated between AD 1090 and 1160. A reference under the year 1136 in the 'Orkneyinga Saga', mentions this church, although Wainwright argues that the writer may have been describing the church as he knew it about a century later. Wainwright would also place the erection of the church after 1100 on comparison with three, very similar, churches at Praha (Prague)." See also HY3304 : Orphir - St Nicholas Round Kirk apse from northeast The church is adjacent to HY3304 : Orphir - Earl's Bu - Foundations of Drinking Hall HES Website: Link

Canmore website: Link

Orphir - St Nicholas Round Kirk apse from northeast

From this angle the remains of the apse of the former circular kirk at Orphir looks more like a dovecote or perhaps the base of a windmill. To see how it attached to the original church, see HY3304 : Orphir - St Nicholas Round Kirk (remains) See also HES website: Link

Canmore website: Link

These remains are adjacent to HY3304 : Orphir - Earl's Bu - Foundations of Drinking Hall

Gyre Woods Orphir

Inside Gyre woodland. Passive management, mixed deciduous woodland with a fairly healthy streamway.

The road beside Gyre Wood

The road to the Breck. Rare in Orkney to have overhanging trees, but the Trows need these to get across roadways.

The invitation

Permissive access to private woodland; passively managed with short easy-going (but muddy) pathways. A picnic table, a clean stream-way with plenty of bryophytes, fungi and brambles. Wych elm, rowan and sycamore with an unusual patch of big Butterbur (Petasites hybridus)

Sycamore tree

Inside Gyre wood, many trees show their age and some show signs of long-ago coppicing. Some successful under-planting has taken place; the wood is being managed sensitively and fairly passively. Woodland is rare in Orkney.

Butterbur forest

Inside the woodland is a huge seasonal 'stand' of Butterbur (Petasites hybridus). This very large-leaved and tall plant hosts a great number of invertebrates and shelters specialised fungi. It is potentially sensitive, so trampling should not be encouraged. Recently the most northerly record of a specific and rare but very TINY beetle, was located here. See Link