St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall
St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall
St Magnus Cathedral on Broad Street, Kirkwall, is Scotland’s most complete medieval cathedral, a Category A red-and-yellow sandstone church founded in 1137 by Earl Rognvald in honour of his uncle St Magnus.
- Location
- Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
- Country
- Scotland
- County
- Orkney Islands
- City / town
- Kirkwall
- Address
- Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, KW15 1NX
- Postcode
- KW15 1NX
- Built
- Founded 1137; 12th–14th centuries and later; restorations 1848, 1893, 1913–30
- Denomination
- Church of Scotland
- Dedication
- Magnus
- Parish
- St Magnus Cathedral (Orkney Islands Church of Scotland)
- Grade
- Category A
- Style
- Romanesque with Gothic additions
- Materials
- Red and yellow sandstone ashlar and rubble
- Grid reference
- HY 449 108
- Opening hours
- April to September; Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sunday 1pm to 6pm. October to March; 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm.
- Access
- Accessible toilets in church. Ramp or level access available on request
- Website
- http://www.stmagnus.org/
Overview
Construction began in 1137 when Orkney was under Norse rule. Historic Environment Scotland (LB36668, Category A, 8 December 1971) records a cruciform Romanesque and Gothic cathedral of red and yellow sandstone, with lean-to aisles, gabled transepts, a central tower of the early fourteenth century and a copper-covered spire of 1916. The polychrome masonry — red stone from the Head of Holland and yellow from Eday — is among the finest two-colour ashlar in Britain. Relics associated with St Magnus remain in the choir piers.
The cathedral is owned by Orkney Islands Council, successor to the burgh of Kirkwall, and served as a Church of Scotland parish church. Government restoration was completed by 1848; George Mackie Watson furnished the interior in 1913–30; Crear McCartney designed the west window in 1987 for the 850th anniversary. HES Category A listing cannot be stored on the list-entry field used for Historic England and Cadw URLs.