Norwich bulletin., 1917-03-16
THE WAR PRIMER By National Geographic Society

that, except for certain cargo ships, the British authorities contemplate the abandonment of the idea to substitute for KirkYall Canadian port as a port of call and search, attracts attention to that ancient and interesting capital of the Orkney Islands. A description of Kirkwan and it's people is contained in a communication just received by George Higgins Moses. formerly U. s. minister to Greece, and issued as a war phy bulletin.
 'Kirkwan, the Kirkjuvagr (Chul ch Bay) of the Norsemen, is situated on the bay of that name on the east of Pomona, the largest of the Orkney group of 5S islands extending north from Scotland. But little is known of the foundation of the town prior to the early part of the 12th century, but it is far back as the latter part of the 9th century of successive swarms of NorSemen who left Norway because of the threatened extinction of their old Odal independence by Harold the Fair haired.
 At the period of the Scandinavian n invasion the inhabitants of the Orkney group appear to have been Picts and Irish hermit missionaries. The Morse name for the anchorite fathers was Papar, a word which still survives in the island nomenclature in Papa Wes- tray and Papa Stronsay, where the hernits had their cells. Adamnan, in his life of St. Columba, affirms that Cormac, a disciple of Columba, was the first Christian missionary to visit Orkney, about 570 A. D.
 Tt is probable these Irish mission aries converted the Morse worshippers of Odin to the Christian faith. Harold enraged at the Morse exodus, and an- noyed by their retaliatory marrying of the Norwegian coast, sent strong armament to the Orkneys, subdued them and made them dependencies of the Norwegian crown. Sigurd he made vice regent and with this earl began the rule of the Orkneyan Jarls, which lasted for upward of five and a falf centuries. The second Sigurd GA. D. 1000) experienced sudden conversion to Christianity at the point of King Olafs sword, Olaf being one of the pioneers to accept the teachings of the Irish missionaries. Sigurd's son built a great church at Birsay in the west elected in Egilshay. the ruined tower of which still exists, and these, with the chapel of St. Olaf (no longer Standing) appear to have been the first places reared for Christian worship by the Norsemen in Orkney.
 About the beginning of the 18th century Hakon and Magnus, two cous- ins who divided the Orkney Jarldom, became estranged, and the latter was assassinated, Some years after the
 
 ney earldom to Rognvaid (FalD, a grant which Paul, son of Hakon. who succeeded his father, refused to recog- nize. Rognvald, having made a. vow that if his expedition were successful he would dedicate to Magnus a church. bore down on the Orlxneys and put Paul to the sword. The VOW was kept and the foundation of the magnificent Cathedral of St. Magnus was laid in 1137. This was also the foundation of K 0T-<naVG-
 9'The cathedral was finally com pleted in 1900. It shows five different styles of architecture, Norman and Gothic mainly, and is one of the three old remaining at all in perfect condition. It stands out in all views of the place "preeminent in beauty and dignity" q cruciferm building. with symmetrical arches and rich mullioned windows.
 Toward the close of the 18th cen- tury the islands passed to the Scotch crown, and in direct violation of an act of parliament that Orkney was not kings sons of lanchfui bed.' Queen Mary granted them to her natural brother. Lord Robert Stewart. who passed them on to his son. Earl Pat profiigacy and Iicentiousness which at length brought his head to the block, though cousin-g german to the king of Scotland, and gave Kirkwall a cen
 
 his cruelty to the natives he was caIl- ed the scourge of Orkney He con- structed the earl's palace, the ruins of which stand but little way from the cathedral, a structure of baTonial arr chitecture, Scoto Flemish. the most distinctive characteristic being the oartizan turrets projecting from al- most every possible angle or corner. It was in the banquet hafl of this structure that the scene was laid for the meeting of Cleveland aud Bunee, In The Pirate of Sir Walter Seo+
 "A few hundred yards east of She town are the remains or Cromweii's fort, built by Oliver because of the es- pousal by the Orcadians of the cause of Charles II. osrensibly to ward eff foreign assault. really to furnish a Fantage-point in case Scotland might not agree with the Lord Protector eon- corning the government of kings Oth- CT interesting relics are the bishops palace, where Hal<on died. and Tan kerness House, . fine example of the mansion of the old time Orkney f7&d.