Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Orphir

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Orphir httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Orphir (Old Norse: Jorfjara/Orfjara) is a parish and settlement in Mainland, Orkney. It is approximately 9 miles (14 km) southwest of Kirkwall, and comprises a seaboard tract of about 7 by 3½ miles (11 by 5½ km), and includes Cava and the Holm of Houton. The coast includes Houton Head, about 300 ft tall (91 m), but all elsewhere is nearly level; and the interior is an assemblage of vales and hills, the latter culminating at about 700 feet (210 m) above sea level, and commanding fine views.

Contents

Map of Orphir, Orkney, UK

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.

Notable people

  • John Rae (30 September 1813 – 22 July 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.
  • Margaret Manson Graham (1860-1933), missionary nurse in Nigeria, born in Orphir

    • References

    Orphir Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA