St Magnus Cathedral is the most northerly cathedral in the U.K. The Cathedral was begun in 1137 by the Norse Earl Rognvald. However, the story begins in 1117, when the enmity between Earl Magnus and his cousin, Hakon, the joint rulers of Orkney, resulted in the former's death by the latter's hand. Magnus was made a saint in 1135.
Earl Rognvald had been granted half of the Earldom of Orkney by the King of Norway and came to Orkney with the express intention of reclaiming rights lost by his uncle, Earl Magnus of Orkney, and to build a church of stone to celebrate his uncle's recent sainthood.
Many of the masons who built the Cathedral came from Durham whose cathedral was also under construction. The original church comprised the choir of today's Cathedral. When completed, St Magnus's remains were brought from Birsay and interred in a column. After his death and subsequent sainthood, St Rognvald, too, was also interred here. What you see today is the result of near continuous work over the following 875 years.
About St. Magnus
Visitors Information
Visitors information on St. Magnus Cathedral may be found at the St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Website website. Tours of the upper levels of the Cathedral are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11am and 2pm. There is a slight charge for the tours, and they must be booked with the Custodian by calling 01856874894. General tourist information may be found on the Visit Orkney website.
Additional Photos of St. Magnus from 2007 and 2010