Earl's Palace (Kirkwall)
Earl's Palace is a ruined castle in the Scottish city of Kirkwall on the Orkney island of Mainland . The facility is classified as a Scheduled Monument .
history
Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney , illegitimate son of the Scottish King James V , received rule of the Orkney Islands at the end of the 16th century. With the Earl's Palace in Birsay he had his ancestral seat built. After his death, he was succeeded by his son Patrick Stewart, 2nd Earl of Orkney , who was also awarded the Bishop's Palace in Kirkwall, but which he considered inadequate. For this reason Stewart had a second Earls's Palace built next to the Bishop's Palace between 1601 and 1607. Patrick Stewart is considered a tyrannical ruler who is extremely unpopular among the people. In 1615 he was charged with high treason and beheaded in Edinburgh . The Orkney Islands then fell to the Scottish Crown, rendering Earls's Palace useless. After 1615, the building was only used occasionally and fell into disrepair. Today only one ruin remains. The original planning provided for further buildings, which were never realized, so that the castle remained unfinished. It is considered one of the most important Renaissance buildings in Scotland and a prime example of Scottish architecture of the 17th century.
In the course of archaeological investigations in the area around Earls's Palace, another layer from the 17th century was discovered below the layer, which proves a medieval use of the site. Furthermore, remnants of a garden from the early 19th century were found, which are probably connected to the Bishop's Palace.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Scheduled Monument - entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ Entry on Earl's Palace in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
Web links
- Entry on Earl's Palace in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database
Coordinates: 58 ° 58 ′ 49.9 " N , 2 ° 57 ′ 32" W.