The Tyrant of Orkney and Shetland

On the remote islands of Orkney and Shetland, Earl Patrick Stewart’s ruined mansions bear witness to his wealth and power.  But nothing could save Patrick when his rapacity brought him into conflict with church and king…

Royal blood ran in Patrick’s veins.  He was the son of Robert Stewart (1533–1593), an illegitimate son of James V and Euphemia Elphinstone. When Robert died in 1593 his son Patrick (1566–1615) took over the earldom.  This haughty tyrant ruled the isles with great cruelty.  The earl used the people of Orkney and Shetland as slave labour ‘without meat, or drink, or hire’ (pay).  They were forced to man Patrick’s boats and ships and were treated like galley slaves. 

Patrick’s splendid castle at Scalloway (1599) was funded by a tax on every ox and sheep in Shetland.  The islanders worked stone in his quarries, carried stone and lime to construct his castles, palaces and park walls, and undertook whatever other jobs he wanted doing. You can find out more about the rule of  'Black Pate' and his downfall in my new feature for Highlander magazine.

Images:

Scalloway Castle, Shetland.  Local tradition says that the mortar for its walls was mixed using human hair, blood and eggs.  © Sue Wilkes.

St Magnus’s Cathedral, Kirkwall. The cathedral steeple was fortified by Patrick Stewart’s son Robert during his rebellion. Black’s Picturesque Tourist of Scotland, (Adam & Charles Black, 188). Nigel Wilkes Collection.

 

Ancient and Modern

One of the great things about Orkney is the sheer breadth of history for you to explore, from prehistory right up to modern times. Vikings such as the legendary Kolbein Hruga left their mark on the islands. His stronghold on the peaceful island of Wyre passed into Orkney folklore as the castle of the mythical Orkney giant, ‘Cubbie Roo.’ As you stroll round the islands on a misty evening, it’s easy to imagine a Viking longboat bursting suddenly through the sea fret. Kolbein and his exploits on Wyre, a green jewel of an island, were recalled round the firesides of the ancient Norse saga-tellers in the Orkneyinga Saga.

Moving through the centuries, you can find out how ordinary Orcadians lived and worked at the Kirbuster Farm Museum. But some of the most poignant relics on the islands date from the World Wars. The tragedy of HMS Royal Oak is remembered, along with artefacts recovered from the scuttled German High Seas Fleet, at the Scapa Flow Visitor Centre on Hoy. One of the most inspiring reminders of the war years is the Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm. This masterpiece was created by Italian POWs from scrap and whatever materials they could salvage. The interior is wonderfully decorated by Domenico Chiochetti. The sheer beauty and peace inside the chapel never fail to bring a lump to my throat.
Images © Sue and Nigel Wilkes: Cubbie Roo's castle, Wyre.
Italian Chapel and interior, Lamb Holm.

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Descent into the Past

One of the eeriest places on Orkney is Mine Howe at Tankerness, Orkney, which I visited a few years ago. It was first excavated in 1946, and thought to be an Iron Age Broch (which abound in Orkney.) It was covered over and forgotten until local farmer Douglas Paterson re-opened the mound in 1999. The discovery of 29 mysterious steps leading down into a unique three-chambered structure caused a sensation. Channel 4’s ‘Time Team’ excavated the site in the summer of 2000.
As you get ready to descend into the mysterious shaft entrance, there’s a smell of damp earth. The shaft leads right into the ancient heart of the Iron Age mound. I edged closer to the tunnel entrance, held tightly to my hard hat, and carefully climbed down the stone steps…
The steps are steep, and it’s a tight squeeze. Each step takes you further into the gloom, and further back in time.
As the daylight grows fainter, the only light comes from rope lighting fastened along the handrail. The tunnel shrinks, then turns sharply; I had to take care not to stumble on the awkwardly-shaped steps. But it really doesn’t take very long to reach the underground chamber at the bottom.
Then comes the surprise; above your head is a kind of vaulted ceiling, like the inside of a huge stone thimble. The air holds an unearthly chill. There’s only room for two or three people at the base of the chamber; it felt uncomfortably crowded. The atmosphere was hushed; were we in an Iron Age cathedral? The way back up to the modern world was signposted by the cheery glow of the rope lighting, snaking up the handrail like Christmas tree lights.
Down at the bottom of the Howe, it’s impossible to escape the conviction there are more discoveries waiting to be made behind the intricate stonework. Who built this unique structure? Why was it constructed in this unusual fashion? There are no answers, no written records; all we can do is guess and wonder. I was glad to climb up to the sunlight, and breathe fresh air again.

It helps to be reasonably agile to enter some of these unique monuments, such as the Tomb of the Eagles , another ‘must-see’ on mainland Orkney. Entrance to this tomb is lying down on a trolley! Another tight squeeze is the nine metre crawl through the narrow entrance of the Quoyness Chambered Cairn on Sanday. But it’s really worth the effort for an unforgettable experience.
Image: Quoyness Chambered Cairn, Sanday. © Nigel Wilkes.

Magical, mysterious Orkney

Orkney has a magic all of its own. The moment you leave the ferry, it feels as if you’re entering a different world, slipping back into a long-lost age. The ancient landscape still holds many undiscovered secrets. The mysterious monuments at Stenness, Brodgar and Maes Howe are among my favourites. The stone houses of Skara Brae even have ‘mod cons’ such as stone cupboards.
The islands teem with wildlife, and we never know what we’re going to see each day, whether it’s a hedgehog trundling across the grass, hares dancing in the fields, or a short-eared owl sitting on a fencepost. The people are wonderfully friendly, too.
Visiting some of the smaller islands is a ‘must’ if you have time and the budget allows it. So far we’ve been lucky enough to visit Hoy, Sanday, Rousay, Westray and Papay (Papa Westray), Wyre, and South Ronaldsay, (not all on the same holiday!) and one day we hope to see the seaweed-eating sheep on North Ronaldsay.
There’s much more information on Orkney heritage and history at Sigurd Towrie’s brilliant website.

Images © Sue and Nigel Wilkes:
Stones of Stenness, Orkney.
Knap of Howar, Papay.

Napoleon

The French Revolution of 1789 changed everything for ambitious young officer Napoleon Bonaparte. The ancien régime vanished and there were new opportunities for those prepared to risk everything. Although Corsican-born Bonaparte held the bloodthirsty Jacobin mob in contempt, he decided his best chance of achieving glory was in the service of the new French nation. You can read more about Europe’s bogeyman in Napoleon: Child of the Revolution, my feature for the July issue of Jane Austen's Regency World .

Would Napoleon ever have achieved such amazing power if the French Revolution hadn’t taken place? Just one of history’s many ‘What if?’ questions to which we’ll never know the answer.

The effects of the Napoleonic wars were felt all over Britain, even as far away as Orkney, where Martello Towers were built c.1814 to protect English shipping from French and American privateers. Attacks by French ships in the Channel meant English merchant ships were forced to take Northern routes around Scotland to reach trading centres. Only three towers were constructed in Scotland, such as this one on Hoy, but over 100 were built along the English South coast. The magical Orkney isles are next on my list of favourite holiday destinations.

Photo: Hackness Martello Tower, Hoy, Orkney. Image © Nigel Wilkes
Engravings:
‘Napoleon crossing the Alps’: History of England, Vol. VII, (London, c. 1868.)
‘Napoleon’ from an old engraving of a picture by Bouillon. Napoleon: Warrior and Ruler, (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1893.)

The Covenanters' Memorial

On a recent visit to Orkney, I visited the Covenanters' Memorial at Deerness. It commemorates a terrible tragedy in November 1679, when over 250 souls perished in a shipwreck. They were Covenanters captured after the Battle of Bothwell Brig; they'd been condemned to be transported to the Colonies. Their ship, the Crown of London, smashed against the rocks in a terrible storm. You can read about the clash between King and kirk, ruler and rebels in my latest feature, The Covenanters' Death Ship, in the November 2007 issue of The Highlander Magazine. It's hard to believe this peaceful place ever witnessed darkness and despair. The turf is scattered with wildflowers; the only sounds the gentle lapping of the waves and the mournful song of the curlew.