Orphir

Village and parish on Orkney, Scotland

The Hall of Clestrain, birthplace of John Rae, and currently derelict

Orphir (pronounced /ɔːrfɪr/, Old Norse: Jorfjara/Orfjara[1][2][3]) is a parish and settlement on Mainland, Orkney, Scotland.

It is approximately 9 miles (14 kilometres) southwest of Kirkwall, and comprises a seaboard tract of about 7 by 3+1⁄2 mi (11.5 by 5.5 km), and includes Cava and the Holm of Houton. The coast includes Houton Head, about 300 feet (90 metres) tall, but all elsewhere is nearly level; and the interior is an assemblage of vales and hills, the latter culminating at about 700 ft (210 m) above sea level.

A chief residence was the Hall of Clestrain; and chief antiquities include the ruins of Earl Paul's Palace, remains of pre-Reformation chapels, the Round Kirk and several tumuli.

The ferry terminal of Houton is located in Orphir. The ferries to Flotta and Hoy (Lyness) depart from this point.[4] Ramsdale Shooting Range is also located in Orphir.

Notable people

  • John Rae (1813–1893), the explorer of Canada's Arctic was born at the Hall of Clestrain in this parish.
  • Henry Halcro Johnston, botanist and international rugby union player was born and died at Orphir.
  • Jamie Halcro Johnston, Scottish Conservative MSP, was brought up at Orphir.
  • Margaret Manson Graham (1860–1933), missionary nurse in Nigeria, born in Orphir.[5]
  • John Gerard Anderson (1836–1911), Australian educationist

References

  1. ^ Anderson, Joseph (Ed.) (1893) Orkneyinga Saga. Translated by Jón A. Hjaltalin & Gilbert Goudie. Edinburgh. James Thin and Mercat Press (1990 reprint). ISBN 0-901824-25-9
  2. ^ Pedersen, Roy (January 1992) Orkneyjar ok Katanes (map, Inverness, Nevis Print)
  3. ^ Haswell-Smith, Hamish (2004). The Scottish Islands. Edinburgh: Canongate. ISBN 978-1-84195-454-7.
  4. ^ "Orphir / Houton", VisitScotland.com
  5. ^ "Margaret Manson Graham" in Elizabeth L. Ewan, Sue Innes, Sian Reynolds, and Rose Pipes, ed., The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women (Edinburgh University Press 2006): 142-143. ISBN 9780748626601

This article incorporates text from - Wilson, Rev. John The Gazetteer of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1882) Published by W. & A.K. Johnstone

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58°56′N 3°9′W / 58.933°N 3.150°W / 58.933; -3.150


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