Desk Based Assessment
Date 9 October 1963
Event ID 645134
Category Recording
Type Desk Based Assessment
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/645134
HY41SW 17 4489 1097.
(HY 4489 1097) Site of King's Castle.(NR)
OS 25" map, Orkney, 1st ed.,(1881).
The Castle of Kirkway in Orkney was demolished in 1615 by order of James VI.
R Gordon 1813.
'The sadly dilapidated ruins of Kirkwall Castle, built by the first earl, Henry St. Clair, are still to be seen on the west side of the Broad Street, with a flower-pot in front'.
G P Anderson 1834
King's or Kirkwall Castle was built by Henry St. Clair in the 14th century and destroyed on an order from the Privy Council date 26th October, 1614. In 1742 the Earl of Morton granted the stones to the Town Council for building a town house and jail. The last surviving fragment- a wall 55 ft long 11ft thick and irregular height, was demolished to improve access to the harbour in 1865 and a stone to commemorate this, dated 1866, is built into the Castle Hotel.
Name Book 1880.
'The remains of a small strong castle built in 1379 by Henry, Lord Sinclair the first Count of Orkney, are to the North West of the Church' (St. Magnus' Cath).
D W Kemp 1887.
'A fragment of old freestone from Kirkwall Castle has been built into the S. Gable of Messrs. W T Sinclair's premises at the tower of Castle Street, The shield is charged for Sinclair...'
RCAHMS 1946.
Information from OS (JH) 9 October 1963
