20 Days of Orkney Trees #2

Yesterday, we wrote about Kirkwall's Big Tree and today we shall tell you about another important Kirkwall tree.


Every year, a tree is cut down in Bringsværd Forest, near Grimstad in Norway, and is brought to Kirkwall Cathedral as a symbol of friendship between the two towns.






This tradition began in 1987:

Orcadian 12th November 1987





Saint Magnus Cathedral was founded by Kali Kalason, later to become Rognvald, nephew of St Magnus. Young Kali grew up in Norway and perhaps played in the woods which would later provide Kirkwall with our Christmas 'big tree'.

I want you to make a vow... you'll build a stone minster at Kirkwall more magnificent than any in Orkney, that you'll have it dedicated to your Uncle the holy Earl Magnus and provide it with all the funds it will need to flourish.

St Rognvald's father, Kol Kalasan to his son in the Orkneyinga Saga

More information can be found here: https://www.orcadian.co.uk/a-christmas-gift-from-grimstad/

and you can see Orkney Islands Council convener Harvey Johnston cutting down this year's tree here: https://theorkneynews.scot/2019/11/12/orkney-norway-friendship-marked-with-2019-christmas-tree-cutting-in-bringsvaerd-forest/ (Mr Johnston does somewhat undermine the whole thrust of our advent theme by saying 'Orkney has no trees' in the article. Grrrrrrrr.)

Information taken from Orkney-An Illustrated Architectural Guide and an article in edition #73 of Living Orkney, both by Leslie Burgher.

Palaeography Group

We have started a new group in the Orkney Archive. It is an informal group for folk who wish to practice their skills reading Secretary Script, Scottish handwriting from the 16th and 17th centuries. There are various online sources that are useful, particularly Scottish Handwriting.com where you can begin your studies of this fascinating script. Once you have learnt the basics the only way to become proficient is to practice.

Our group is meeting on Monday nights in the Archive Searchroom from 5.45pm - 6.45pm. Please contact Lucy Gibbon, Assistant Archivist in the first instance if you would like to book a place. Her contact details are 01856 873166 or email archives@orkney.gov.uk

Each week Lucy picks one piece of writing, makes copies of it and the group sit around a table and read aloud what they think the words are, working through the document word for word or letter by letter depending on the level of difficulty. The others can agree or disagree. There will be reference books nearby to look up. Each week one member of the group has been happy to type up the transcription as we decipher it.

The group is organic and will evolve depending on who joins in or the level of skill in the room. Sometimes we will struggle and sometimes we will fly through a document.

We hope that learning from each other will enhance all our skills.

The first week, we started small with this document:

 

This document is from D2 which is the Balfour of Balfour and Trenabie papers and dated 1673.

 

Our transcription is this:

 

D2/23/1

 

We the Justices of his Ma[je]sties peace gentlemen, heritores, fewares, uddallers and otheris within the contrey of orknay doe by these pr[ese]nts testifie and declaire that the provost, baillies, counsell and inhabitants of the burgh of Kirkwall and their predecessores [had/hes?] of this long tyme bygone menteined and upholdine that great and ancient fabrek called St Magnus Kirk there.

While in January 16 [space] years a pairt of the samyne was [beirned/ruined?] by a dreidfull and aciden-tall fyre from heavin and now the povertie of that place has so increassed that they ar not in abilitie nor Capacity to repaire naither that pairt that is rewined [ruined] nor uphold what is yet remaineing without the supplie and help of some Christiane charitie for that effect. In testimonie wh[e]r[e]of we have sub[scribed]t this p[rese]ntis with our hands at Kirkwall the [space] day of November 1673.

 

Edward McLaw[rren]

W[illiam] Buchanan

Geo[rge] Sinclair            J Buchanan

John Elphinstone            James Fea

                                       Arthur Buchanan

James Sinclair                Will[iam] Douglas

Michael Rendall             O[liver] Kincaid

Robert Irving                 William Young

                                       N. Moncrieff

 

The names were interesting, but most of them could be found in the book, Kirkwall in the Orkneys by B H Hossack, first published in 1900.

 

Other reference books we used were The Concise Scots Dictionary; Scottish Handwriting 1150-1650 - an introduction to the reading of documents by Grant G Simpson.

 



If you disagree with our transcription, please comment below. We are here to learn and any help is greatly appreciated.

If you would like to join in, please contact Lucy Gibbon to book a place. We are limiting the group to 8 members, but so far the most we have had is 5. So it is always worth phoning or emailing to see if a place is free the night you want to come. If you have set up a similar group, we would be interested in hearing about it too.

Magnus 900 - Research Sources

This year marks the 900th Anniversary of the death of Earl Magnus of Orkney. The Orkney Archive and Orkney Room have many sources of information in connection with Earl Magnus, some of which I will share with you below:

In Magnus Saga the Life of St Magnus, Earl of Orkney 1075-1116 Palsson and Edwards sums up the story on the back page,
  "The Norwegian's held sway in the most northerly areas of present-day Scotland for 600 years, from the 9th century to 1469. And in this earldom of Orkney, Magnus Erlendsson (St Magnus of Orkney), was in every way a central figure.
   ...His father fought on the Norwegian side at the battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066. He himself ruled as Earl of Orkney with his cousin Haakon, following an early life of piracy and Viking expeditions and a time living at the court of King Malcolm III of Scotland.
     But this biography written in Icelandic in about 1250, is particularly concerned with the execution of Magnus which took place on the island on Egilsay in 1116 or 1117 and which led to his veneration in every part of the Scandinavian world, and to the building of the great cathedral in Kirkwall.
    ...St Magnus Day is still celebrated on the 16th April."

He is described as "a man of extraordinary distinction, tall, with a fine, intelligent look about him. He was a man of strict virtue, successful in war, wise, eloquent, generous and magnanimous, open-handed with money and sound with advice, and altogether the most popular of men." (p83 of Orkneyinga Saga The History of the Earls of Orkney Translated by Palsson and Edwards)

He offered himself as a martyr to Earl Hakon, when their joint rule fell apart, "'There's still one offer left for me to make', said Magnus, 'God knows that I'm more concerned with the welfare of your soul than with saving my life. For your own sake, have me mutilated in any way you choose, rather than take my life or else blind me and lock me in a dungeon'
I'll accept these terms', said Hakon, 'and make no further conditions'"
To the man told to kill him, Magnus said, "This is nothing to weep over, a deed like this can only bring fame to the man who carries it out. Show yourself a man of spirit and you can have my clothes according to the old laws and customs. ... Stand in front of me and strike me hard on the head, it's not fitting for a chieftain to be beheaded like a thief."
 (p87-8 of Orkneyinga Saga The History of the Earls of Orkney Translated by Palsson and Edwards)

Magnus was killed and his bones left on Egilsay.

Traditions grew up around the place where he was slain. Ernest Marwick has collected a few which can be see in D31/37/1 Folder entitled St Magnus - Traditions and Pictures containing press cuttings, notes, pamphlets, photographs and correspondence here in the Orkney Archive:

"There was a legend that when Magnus was slain on Egilsay his blood stained the daisies red, and that in the place a lovely thornless rose grew which flowered each Christmas morning. If a leaf was plucked while the dew was still on it, it would cure black death and leprosy"

"That one will always find an open flower growing there."

Egilsay Kirk drawn by Dryden in 1894



On the instructions of his mother, Thora, Magnus' bones were moved from Egilsay to Birsay and buried there. They were probably taken by boat from Egilsay to Evie.

Ernest Marwick collected traditions in St Magnus Folder reference D31/37/1 regarding resting-places of the body of St Magnus on the way from Evie to Birsay. From an interview with Mrs Matches of Brochlea, Birsay in 1972 he gained this story:

"There was a Mans Stone at Crowdue between eighty and a hundred years ago. Robert Harvey of Crowdue decided to break it up because it was near the old road, and something of an impediment to the traffic on the road. He was warned by auld Ibbie o Moosakelda to desist for it was a sacred stone. A splinter of it entered his hand between the thumb and forefinger and he died a week later of lockjaw."

In the John Mooney papers, reference D49/1/11, there is a bundle of correspondence and press cuttings received by him following the publication of "St Magnus, Earl of Orkney" in 1936. It includes a letter from J. Graham Callander, National Museums of Antiquities, Edinburgh regarding discoveries at Garth, Nether Brough; and mention of a symbol stone found at the Brough of Birsay, 22 May 1936.

"Magnus Saga" says: "The body of Earl Magnus was carried to Birsay and given burial at Christ Church, which Earl Thorfinn had built."



TK3036 Photo of Birsay Village

Then "Magnus' Saga" mentions the sanctification of St Magnus on St Lucy's Day, December 13th, over 20 years after his death by Bishop William and later still: 'After Earl Rognvald Kali, nephew of the Holy Earl Magnus, had come to power in Orkney and settled down, he had the ground-plan drawn up for St. Magnus' Cathedral in Kirkwall and hired builders for the work. The structure progressed rapidly and well; it is a remarkable building, on which great pains were bestowed, and later the holy relics of Earl Magnus were transferred to it. Many miracles continued to take place there. Nowadays it is the episcopal seat, the same that used to be at Christ Church in Birsay."

More traditions collected by Ernest Marwick in the St Magnus Folder D31/37/1:

"Sigurd Tandrisson was the name of a farmer who lived at Dale in Shetland. He became so mad and violent that he had to be sewn up in a cow-hide. He was brought like that to the shrine of St Magnus, and there he got back his wits and full health, and went away quite whole."

and from Mrs Matches again:

Birsay to Kirkwall

"The procession went by the Strathyre stane. They crossed through Greeny, and there was a resting-place between the Mill of Housby and the Loch of Sabiston."

St Magnus Stone

"This broken earth-fast stone marks, according to local tradition, the first resting place of the procession, when the relics of St Magnus were brought from Birsay to Kirkwall. It is in a field below the house called Strathyre in Birsay."

[Caption to photograph above, written by Ernest Marwick, D31/37/1]

Blessing the Stones
"My old teacher, Miss Stanger of Wrangleha, who was a very careful body about her facts, often said that there was an old Birsay tradition that the stones that were set up to show the places where the body of St Magnus rested had oil poured over them and they were blessed. After that everybody looked on them as sacred and nobody would touch them."

From William Sabiston, Swartabreck, Birsay in 1968, "MANSEWAL (MANSE = MAGNUS; WAL = WELL) along public road not far from Mill Cottage on road to Wattle. Said to be a traditional resting place for the bearers of the remains St Magnus on the road to Kirkwall."

Ink drawing of St Magnus Cathedral by Alexander McGibbon from Magazine, "The Builder" Oct 7, 1893 (Orkney Room 726.6 Y)

Sources used in this blog:
Orkneyinga Saga The History of the Earls of Orkney Translated from the Icelandic and introduced by Hermann Palsson and Paul Edwards, pub 1978. Orkney Room reference 839 ORK

Magnus' Saga - The Life of St Magnus, Earl of Orkney 1075-116 Translated by Hermann Palsson and Paul Edwards, published by the Kirk Session of St Magnus Cathedral in 1996, 0952816407. Orkney Room reference: 839 ORK

Ernest Walker Marwick Archive Collection - reference D31/37/1 Folder Entitled St. Magnus - Traditions and Pictures containing press cuttings, notes, pamphlets, photographs and correspondence.

John Mooney Archive Collection - reference D49/1/11 Bundle of correspondence and press cuttings received by John Mooney following publication of St Magnus, Earl of Orkney in 1936

Papers regarding St Magnus Cathedral containing pages from The Builder, 7 Oct 1893, p261-264. Orkney Room reference: 726.6 Y

Update: Since I first wrote this blog post, a new pilgrimage route called the St Magnus Way has been created. The St Magnus Way is a 55 mile pilgrimage route through Mainland Orkney, inspired by the life and death of Magnus, Orkney’s patron saint. For more information click here.

If you are visiting the Orkney Archive and the Orkney Room and would like to see some books or archives  just ask a member of staff in the Archive Searchroom who will help you find them. 

St Magnus Cathedral

St Magnus is soon to have some super-duper futuristic plans made of it. This is obviously fantastic but we also like these very simple, yet pleasing, plans of the Cathedral as well as the Bishop and Earl's Palaces made c.1870:

 

 

 

 

Orkney Archive Reference: D8/E/1 [G3]

Holiday Nightmares in the 17th Century

Have you planned your perfect trip to Orkney? Have you researched the best way to get here, the best hotels, guesthouses, the best island transport? Isn't it great that you can find out all this information before you get here using the wonderful websites available?

In the 17th century, researching your trip was not so simple and you could easily find yourself at the mercy of weather, strange locals, rubbish lodgings or even bogus tour guides. Perish the thought!

Thomas Kirk's trip to Orkney in 1677 was certainly one that he would not forget in a hurry. Here is a snippet from his journal from Tours in Scotland 1677 & 1681 edited by P Hume Brown.

"Thursday 28th, we landed in Kirkwald, the chief town in Orkney; we were all of us sufficiently sea-sick, the wind being brisk and the tide strong against us.

Friday 29th, we viewed the town; here is a church built in the form of a cross with a steeple in the middle which they value much, esteeming it one of the largest churches in Scotland; but we did not think it so.   

We were told that formerly here was a race of giants; one large man we saw of the same race; in the room where I lodged; I found a sword of an extraordinary size, which they told us was John of Groat's sword.

Monday 2nd July one Mr Kinnard, a bailiff of the next Isle of South Ronoldshaw and one Mr Steward, were at Burra's house before we were ready to go; we dined before we went away, having been well treated, and at our departure he bestowed a little Shetland horse upon us, so low that I could easily stand on the ground with the horse under me. From this house we walked to the next ferry and passed to South Ronaldshaw...from whence we were to ferry over the Pinchland Frith to the main land. [At] John of Groat's house. Our weariness caused us to enter mean beds, and we might have rested had not the mice rendezvoused over our faces."

 

Euuurrgghegh! *shudders*

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General quote: Why did I bother?

 

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We are happy to tell you that everything has improved in the last 338 years. Check out Visit Orkney for more information and join us across the "Pinchland Frith*"!

 

From Archive reference: D68/7/3 - Professor Ronald Miller papers

Children on Shetland Ponies at Scapa Pier, date unknown. Photographer: Tom Kent (Ref: TK1464)

*actually Pentland Furth..no friht..no Firth...oh for goodness sake..

Robert Louis Stevenson Day!

Today is the 163rd anniversary of Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island, Kidnapped, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, A Child's Garden or Verse and, our favourite short story title ever; Thrawn Janet.

RLS is mainly associated with his childhood home, Edinburgh, but he did visit Orkney and Shetland as a nineteen year old with his father, Thomas Stevenson, a lighthouse engineer. Thomas' father, Robert, and his brothers, Alan and David, all built lighthouses and this was supposed to be his son's career until Robert Louis announced that he was going to be a writer.


RLS wrote letters to his mother during the 1869 inspection trips of the family's lights. He was not too taken with Stromness declaring it to be 'a cluster of gray houses in the upper end of a bight - not very inviting.' (bight, or bicht, is a loop)

Hoy High lighthouse, one of the lights being inspected on the 1869 trip.

He was more taken with Kirkwall, however, describing his first view as 'striking'and describing the 'glory' of the cathedral in some detail. 'I know nothing so suggestive of legend, so full of superstition, so stimulating to a wierd imagination, as the nooks and corners and by-ways of such a church as St Magnus, in Kirkwall.



St Magnus Cathedral, Pre-Restoration by Tom Kent



Cathedral Interior by Tom Kent

Another writer who kept a journal during a Stevenson lighthouse inspection was Sir Walter Scott whose visit to Orkney and Shetland inspired his novel The Pirate.



For more on the 'Lighhouse Stevensons' read Bella Bathhurst's book of the same name.

And for more on RLS himself see here.

Our Socks Are Wet!

Uggghhh!!! What a wet, miserable and yet horribly airless and sweaty day it is in Kirkwall!! Uggghhhhh!!!!

Let's look at nice drawings of St Magnus Cathedral by Henry Dryden:

These lovely images can be found in the Orkney Room in a large, bound edition.