Birsay facts for kids
Birsay is a special place in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. It's located in the northwest part of The Mainland, which is the biggest island in Orkney. Its name comes from the Old Norse word Birgisherað.
Most of the land in Birsay is used for farming. Farmers here mainly raise beef cattle on large areas of grassland. Birsay is also home to many very old buildings and sites.
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Exploring Ancient Sites in Birsay
Birsay is famous for its ancient buildings and settlements. These important historical sites are looked after by Historic Scotland. Many visitors come to explore them, especially during the summer.
The Brough of Birsay
One of the most exciting places is the Brough of Birsay. This is a small island that you can only reach when the tide is low. It has the remains of very old settlements from both prehistoric times and the Norse era. Imagine walking across the sand to an island where people lived thousands of years ago!
The Earl's Palace
Right across from the Brough, on the main island, are the ruins of the Earl's Palace. This grand palace was built a long time ago.
Other Ancient Discoveries
On the western part of Orkney's north shore, there are more signs of ancient people. One well-preserved site is the Broch of Gurness, which is another type of old building.
The Earl's Palace: A Royal Ruin
The Earl's Palace was built in the late 1500s by Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney. He was a powerful ruler of the islands. Even though it's mostly in ruins today, you can still see how grand it once was.
The palace had four sections built around an open courtyard. It also had small towers at each corner. This was a very unusual design for a building in Scotland at that time, especially in the north. The year 1574 was once carved above the main entrance.
People stopped living in the palace in the late 1600s. In its prime, it had walled gardens, an archery range, and even a bowling green! This palace, along with the Earl's Palace in Kirkwall and Scalloway Castle in Shetland, were the main homes for the Stewart Earls of Orkney.
St. Magnus Church
Near the palace is the St. Magnus Church. This church is part of the Church of Scotland and is open to visitors in the summer.
Historians believe this spot might have been where the first cathedral of Orkney stood. This early cathedral, called Christchurch, was likely built in the 1000s or 1100s by Earl Thorfinn the Mighty. He founded it after returning from a special trip to Rome. Later, the main church for the area moved to St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall. However, the Bishops of Orkney still had a home in Birsay for many years.
The bridge nearby might also be very old, possibly from the medieval period.
Images for kids
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Mill near Birsay
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