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KirkwallColumbia Encyclopedia entry: Kirkwall
Kirkwallkûrk'wôl, –wəl, town (1991 pop. 5,867), N Scotland, on the east coast of Mainland Island. It is the trading center and administrative seat of the Orkney Islands, with exports of eggs, fish, whiskey, cattle, and sheep. Local industries include boat building, food processing and packing. There is minor oil servicing activity. Kirkwall was founded sometime prior to 1046 (when it was mentioned in a saga) and became important as a port on the northern trade route to Scandinavia and the Baltic. St. Magnus Cathedral dates from 1137, the bishop's palace from c.1200, and the earl's palace from 1600. The latter two are ruins.
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Wikipedia search results for: Kirkwall
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kirkwall is the largest town and capital of Orkney, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046. It was established as the settlement of Rögnvald II, Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his successor, Thorfinn. In 1486, King James III of Scotland elevated Kirkwall to the status of a royal burgh; modern roadsigns still indicate "The City and Royal Burgh of Kirkwall".
The name Kirkwall is derived from the Norse name Kirkjuvagr, which was later corrupted to Kirkvoe, then Kirkwaa.
Situated on the northern coast of Mainland Orkney and with a population of about 8,500,...more »
Columbia Encyclopedia search results: Kirkwall
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- Mainland
Mainland. 1 Island (1991 pop. 14,150), 178 sq mi (461 sq km), N Scotland. The largest of the Orkney Islands, it is also called Pomona. Kirkwall, the seat of the Orkney Islands council area, is...
- Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands, archipelago and council area (1991 pop. 19,650), 376 sq mi (974 sq km), N Scotland, consisting of about 70 islands in the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, N of Scottish mainla...
- Haakon IV
Haakon IV (Haakon Haakonsson), 1204–63, king of Norway (1217–63), illegitimate son of Haakon III and grandson of Sverre. Secretly reared by the Birkebeiner faction (see Sverre), he was chosen ...
