Orkney Smr Note

Event ID 621248

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Orkney Smr Note

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/621248

The Hall of Clestrain, Orphir, Orkney, was built in 1769 by Patrick Honeyman of Graemsay. As the Honeyman family fortune grew, the next generation moved their base to central Scotland, leaving their estate factor, or merchant, John Rae (Snr) and his wife, to live in and look after the house. The Rae's fourth son, John, the future Arctic explorer, was born in 1813. Rae discovered the last link in the Northwest Passage and established what had happened to the Franklin Expedition (the British Naval Expedition led by Sir John Franklin in 1845), but was condemned by the establishment for reporting that the survivors of this Expedition had resorted to cannibalism.

The Hall of Clestrain is a classical building with pavilions, attractive front steps and three floors which are more or less in tact. A wonderful driveway leads to the property, which is square in design, an unusual feature as Georgian houses of the style are usually rectangular.

Although Orkney is now often considered remote, in the 18th century it was much harder to get from London to Liverpool than from London to Orkney as the sea was the quickest way to travel.

Most ships went past Orkney to trade with America, Canada, the Faroes and Iceland. This brought wealthy, educated people to the islands and many built houses that were architecturally ahead of their time.

Inside the Hall today, little remains except the large windows (though many are bricked up), a two-metre length of metal banister and the stone staircase. The basement has been completely converted into modern concrete pigsties.

The Hall of Clestrain's present owners lived in the house until a storm ripped off the roof in 1952. Sadly, after this it was used for keeping livestock.

http://www.hallofclestrain.org.uk/

Information from Orkney SMR [n.d.]