Skaill House
Skaill House, overlooking the wild Atlantic coast near Skara Brae, is one of Orkney’s most elegant historic mansions and the only privately built laird’s house in the islands to remain fully furnished. Constructed in the 1600s for Bishop George Graham, it evolved over centuries into a refined country residence. A notable fact: in 1850, the then‑laird William Watt discovered Skara Brae after a storm exposed the ancient village—meaning the house is directly linked to one of Europe’s most important archaeological finds. Inside, Skaill House feels remarkably intact. You can wander through drawing rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms filled with original furniture, family portraits and personal objects that trace 400 years of domestic life. The library, with its dark wood and quiet atmosphere, is a highlight, as is the room where Captain Cook’s dinner service—brought back from his final voyage—remains proudly displayed. The kitchen and service areas reveal the working side of the estate, complete with period utensils and preserved layouts. Large windows frame views of the bay, and the house’s peaceful grounds add to its charm. Together, the interiors and setting create a vivid, lived‑in portrait of Orkney’s gentry life, enriched by its extraordinary connection to prehistoric history.
Sandwick Scotland
Skaill House is on the west coast of Mainland Orkney in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. It is known as the finest mansion in Orkney and stands in a beautiful, quiet spot between the sea and the loch. The address is Skaill House, Sandwick, Stromness KW16 3LR. It sits on the Breckness Estate at the Bay of Skaill, just inland from the beach. It was built in 1620 by Bishop George Graham and was home to twelve generations of the same family, including the laird who discovered Skara Brae in 1850. The best thing is its location. It is only about 200 metres from Skara Brae, the famous Neolithic village that is part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site. You get a joint ticket for both, so most people see them together. Nearby there is so much to explore. Right on the Bay of Skaill you have Skara Brae itself and Skaill House Falconry next to the house. A short drive away is Yesnaby with its dramatic cliffs, the Broch of Borwick, and the Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness, both huge Neolithic stone circles. In Stromness town you have the Pier Arts Centre and Stromness Museum, and further east in Kirkwall you have St Magnus Cathedral and the Bishop's and Earl's Palaces on Watergate.