Earl’s Palace
Earl’s Palace in Kirkwall is one of Orkney’s most dramatic Renaissance ruins, built around 1600 by Patrick Stewart, Earl of Orkney—a figure remembered as much for his ambition as for his cruelty. Determined to outshine the neighbouring Bishop’s Palace, he created an extravagant residence with sweeping façades, carved stonework and innovative architectural flourishes. A striking fact: the palace was so costly and labour‑intensive that Stewart was accused of forcing islanders into unpaid work, fuelling the resentment that later led to his downfall. Inside the ruin, you can wander through a layout that still feels grand. The great hall, with its tall windows and elegant proportions, hints at lavish feasts and political gatherings. The surviving upper chambers reveal fireplaces, window seats and decorative niches that once formed part of a luxurious domestic suite. One of the most impressive features is the series of projecting turrets, each containing tiny spiral staircases that climb to upper rooms and vantage points. Though roofless, Earl’s Palace remains richly atmospheric. Its symmetry, sculpted details and sense of theatricality make it one of Scotland’s finest examples of Renaissance architecture—an opulent shell that tells a vivid story of power, ambition and eventual ruin.
Birsay Scotland
Earl's Palace is right in the centre of Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. It was built in the early 1600s by Earl Patrick Stewart and even as a ruin it still feels grand, with big fireplaces and a wide stone staircase. The address is Bishop's and Earl's Palaces, Watergate, Kirkwall KW15 1PD. It shares the same site as the older Bishop's Palace, just opposite St Magnus Cathedral. You basically walk out of the cathedral and you are there. Because it sits in the middle of town, everything else is close by. Right next to it is the Bishop's Palace, a 12th century palace ruin you can climb for views over Kirkwall and the harbour. Opposite both is St Magnus Cathedral itself, the beautiful red sandstone cathedral from the 12th century that is still the heart of the town. A few minutes walk away you have the Orkney Museum in Tankerness House, packed with island history from Neolithic to Viking times, and the small Orkney Wireless Museum about wartime communications. Down at the harbour you can catch boats around Scapa Flow, and just outside Kirkwall you have Highland Park Distillery for a tour. If you like palaces, there is another Earl's Palace up at Birsay on the north coast of Mainland Orkney, worth the drive.