Take a trip into Orkney’s fascinating history with a guided walk through St Magnus Cathedral’s graveyard from this summer.
The new tours will tell the stories of colourful characters of the past, as well as showcasing some of the stories that have shaped generations of Orcadian history.
The graveyard surrounding Kirkwall’s cathedral is a peaceful spot in the centre of town and it’s hoped the walks will help locals and visitors learn more about Orkney through the centuries.
Some of the stops on the tour include gravestones of the rich and famous, including the 19th century epitaph of Samuel Baikie. Brother of William Balfour Baikie, the renowned African missionary from Orkney buried inside the cathedral, Samuel built Kirkwall Town Hall opposite the cathedral and much of nearby Dundas Crescent too.
The tour also features five war graves from World War One, mass graves where nave burials were relocated from inside the cathedral, paupers’ graves, and the mysterious ’30 February’ gravestone that has kept Orcadians guessing for years.
The tours will be led by recently appointed Cathedral Curator, Fran Flett Hollinrake, a local storyteller who worked for many years as Cathedral Custodian. She says the tours are aimed at people who want to learn about Orkney through a grass roots lens. “It’s often said death levels us all, and there is much to be learned by reading between the lines of someone’s gravestone and how their contribution to society was recorded at the time in this most final of ways.
“The cathedral is admired around the world and seen as a marvel holding an age of amazing stories. This new tour of the graveyard is just one way to prise open the lid on that wealth of history.”
Her new role is supported by the Friends of St Magnus Cathedral and the walks are just the beginning of what’s hoped will be a number of initiatives to grow the cathedral’s offering to visitors and locals alike.
The one-hour long tours will be available on Wednesdays at 11am between April and September on a ‘turn up and go’ basis and cost £10 per head. Check the Orkney Museums website for upcoming dates. The tour is best suited to ‘grown ups’ rather than children due to the length, level of detail and sensitive grounds and subject matter.
Anyone keen to take part should head to the cathedral’s South Transept, which will be signposted, and payment can be made by cash or card.
A self-guided tour of the graveyard is also available – a booklet can be obtained for a small donation from cathedral staff.