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.

 

Our Shetland Adventure II

Shetland is a great place for island-hopping, and one of our most memorable trips was a visit to Unst, where there were lots of friendly Shetland ponies waiting to greet us. When all females, and boys under ten years old were banned from working in Britain's mines in 1842, Shetland ponies were often used instead to haul coal wagons underground.

On mainland Shetland, we explored the ancient settlements of Jarlshof and Old Scatness. Jarlshof was occupied for thousands of years: Bronze Age and Iron Age people, Vikings and Picts, and there was a manor house built by Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney. 

Not far from Jarlshof is Old Scatness, a Bronze Age village discovered when a new road was being built to Sumburgh airport. Costumed (and extremely knowledgeable) guides help interpret this wonderful site for visitors, which contains one of the massive brochs so prevalent on Shetland.

They must have been of major importance for the peoples who inhabited these islands long, long ago.

Images: Shetland ponies © Nigel Wilkes

Jarlshof and Old Scatness © Sue Wilkes.

Our Shetland Adventure

In July we enjoyed a very exciting week on Shetland - we’ve wanted to visit the islands for years, as they abound with wonderful wildlife and some of the UK’s most amazing historical sites.

On our very first morning, we saw two wild otters playing along the shoreline at Houss Ness – a really magical moment!

We stayed at a cottage on the roadside at Leebitton, and had a sea view. Often, when I went to put the kettle on, I could see seals swimming about outside! There was a little family of eider ducks, too, and they were out and about most days, keeping close to the shore for safety.

One of the highlights of our holiday was a ferry trip to the island of Mousa and its huge ancient and mysterious broch. As we climbed up the broch’s narrow stairs, we could hear the plaintive ‘clucking’ of storm petrels as they nestled inside its walls.

Who were the broch builders? Was it a defensive structure? Historians are still guessing…

Images:

Eider ducks at Sandwick.

Mousa Broch.

The author trying very hard not to fall off Mousa Broch.

One of the hundreds of friendly puffins at Sumburgh Head nature reserve.

© Sue and Nigel Wilkes.