St Magnus Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Magnus Cathedral |
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 St Magnus Cathedral
Location in Orkney Islands
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| 58°58′56″N 2°57′32″W / 58.98222°N 2.95889°W | |
| Location | Kirkwall, Orkney Islands |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Previous denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 1137 |
| Founder(s) | Earl Rögnvald |
| Dedication | Saint Magnus |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Category A listed |
| Specifications | |
| Height | 50 metres (160 ft) |
| Number of towers | 1 |
| Number of spires | 1 |
| Materials | Sandstone |
St Magnus Cathedral stands tall over Kirkwall, the main town in the Orkney Islands. These islands are off the north coast of Scotland. This amazing building is the oldest cathedral in Scotland. It is also the most northerly cathedral in the United Kingdom.
It is a great example of Romanesque architecture. It was built for the bishops of Orkney. At that time, the islands were ruled by Norse Earls. The cathedral is not owned by the church. Instead, it belongs to the town of Kirkwall. This happened after Orkney became part of the Scottish Crown in 1468. The cathedral even has its own dungeon!
Building started in 1137. More parts were added over the next 300 years. The first bishop was William the Old. His church was under the Archbishop of Nidaros in Norway. The nearby Bishop's Palace was built for Bishop William.
Before the Scottish Reformation, a bishop led the cathedral. Today, it is a church of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. This means it is technically no longer called a cathedral.
Contents
How St Magnus Cathedral Began
Stories tell us how this great cathedral came to be built. These tales involve a saintly earl and a promise.
The Story of Saint Magnus
Saint Magnus was known for being kind and peaceful. Once, during a raid in Wales, Magnus refused to fight. He stayed on his ship, singing psalms. Later, King Eystein II of Norway gave him a share of the Orkney earldom. He ruled peacefully with his cousin Håkon from 1105 to 1114.
However, their followers started to argue. The two earls met on the Orkney Mainland, ready for a fight. They agreed to make peace. They planned to meet on the small island of Egilsay. Each earl was to bring only two ships. Magnus arrived on April 16, 1116 (or 1117), with his two ships. But Håkon arrived with eight ships.
Magnus was captured. He offered to go into exile or prison. But the chieftains said one earl must die. Håkon's helper refused to kill Magnus. So, Håkon angrily made his cook, Lifolf, kill Magnus with an axe.
Magnus was buried in the Christchurch at Birsay. The rocky ground around his grave became green. Many people reported miracles and healings there. William the Old, the Bishop of Orkney, at first did not believe these stories. But then he became blind in his Birsay church. He got his sight back after praying at Magnus's grave.
Earl Rögnvald Starts the Cathedral
Magnus's sister, Gunhild, married Kol. Their son, Rögnvald Kolsson, was given the right to his uncle's earldom in 1129. Earl Rögnvald sailed to Orkney. But the islanders did not want him. Earl Paul, who had taken over from Håkon, would not give up control.
Then, Rögnvald's father, Kol, gave him advice. Kol told him to promise the islanders something big. He said, "Build a stone church in Kirkwall. Make it grander than any in Orkney. Dedicate it to your uncle, Saint Magnus. Give it all the money it needs to grow. Also, move his holy bones and the bishop's seat there."
Meanwhile, Rögnvald secretly had Paul kidnapped. Paul was later killed. Rögnvald then became the Earl of Orkney.
In 1135, Magnus was made a saint. April 16 became St Magnus' day. His remains were moved to St Olaf's Kirk. This church was in a small place called Kirkjuvágr, meaning "church bay." This place is now Kirkwall.
Work on the cathedral began in 1137. Kol was in charge of the building. When money ran out, Kol suggested a way to get more. He told Rögnvald to bring back old land rights for a payment. In 1158, while building was still going on, Rögnvald was killed. His bones were brought to the cathedral. He was made a saint in 1192. His bones were found again in the 1800s.
Cathedral Design and History
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The Romanesque cathedral started in 1137. It shows great examples of Norman architecture. English builders, who may have worked on Durham Cathedral, likely built it. The stone used is red sandstone from near Kirkwall. Yellow sandstone from Eday island was also used. These different colors were often used in patterns. This gave the building a colorful look.
When finished in the 1100s, the cathedral had three main sections. These included the chancel, transept, and nave. The relics of St Magnus were placed inside when it was ready. In 1917, a hidden space was found in a column. It held a box with bones, including a skull. The skull showed a mark from an axe, matching Magnus's story.
In the late 1100s and early 1200s, the building was made longer. In the late 1300s, the front was added. These later parts show the Gothic style with pointed arches.
In 1468, Orkney became part of Scotland. St Magnus Cathedral then came under the Archbishop of St Andrews. The bishops were then Scottish, not from Scandinavia. Bishop Robert Reid was important. He was bishop from 1541 to 1558.
In 1557, a fleet from England attacked the cathedral. The English troops were defeated the next day. Many drowned trying to get back to their ships.
The Protestant Reformation in 1560 did not harm St Magnus Cathedral much. But in 1614, it was almost destroyed. Government forces were fighting rebels. The rebels hid inside the cathedral. The forces wanted to destroy it. But Bishop James Law stopped them.
Big changes were made to the cathedral in 1908. An architect named George Mackie Watson worked on it. He replaced the old tower top with a taller spire. This new spire was covered in copper. Now, the cathedral looks much like it did before its original spire was hit by lightning.
Work on the building continues today. In the 1970s, it was found that the west end was in danger. It was pulling away from the rest of the building. To celebrate its 850th birthday in 1987, Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a new window. St Magnus is the only Scottish cathedral still completely from the Middle Ages. It is one of the best-kept old buildings in Britain.
The cathedral has memorials to important people from Orkney. These include explorers, writers, and artists.
Bishop's Palace
The Bishop's Palace was built near the cathedral. It was for William the Old, the first bishop. It had a large hall above storage rooms.
King Haakon IV of Norway died here in December 1263. He was returning after a battle. His death marked the end of Norse rule over the Outer Hebrides. The King was buried in St Magnus Cathedral. Later, his remains were moved to Bergen.
The palace became a ruin. Then, after 1540, Bishop Robert Reid rebuilt it. He added a round tower. He also started the University of Edinburgh. The ruins of the Bishop's Palace are open to visitors. Nearby are the ruins of the Earl's Palace. These show the time of the Stewart Earls of Orkney. They are also open to the public.
Cathedral Bells
St Magnus Cathedral has four bells. Bishop Robert Maxwell gave them in 1528. The smallest bell has no writing or date. The bells are not rung in the usual way. Instead, a rope pulls the clapper to strike the side.
In 1671, lightning struck the tower. The bells fell into the church. People tried to put soft things down to catch them. But the largest bell still cracked.
So, in 1682, the church sent the bell to Amsterdam. It was remade there. The new bell weighed about 1,528 pounds (693 kg). It was returned to Kirkwall in August of that year.
Cathedral Clock
The first clock in the tower was built in 1761. An Aberdeen clockmaker named Hugh Gordon made it. In 2018, the clock was updated with an automatic system.
Cathedral Organ
The organ was put in the cathedral in 1925. It was built by Henry Willis. The same company has kept it working ever since.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de San Magnus de Kirkwall para niños
- List of Church of Scotland parishes
- St Magnus Festival
