Eynhallow Church
Eynhallow Church is the ruin of a 12th-century monastery, located on Eynhallow in Orkney, Scotland. It is a Category B listed building.[1]
History
The history of Eynhallow Church is mostly unknown. The church might have been part of a monastery, maybe of the Benedictine order.[2] The church was built in the 12th century.[2][3]
Because of the name of the isle it is likely that Eynhallow was an important religious centre.[3] Eyin-Helha is Old Norse for Holy Isle.[3]
In the Orkneyinga Saga the story is told of Olaf, son of Svein Asleifarson and ward of Kolbein Hruga; he was kidnapped from Eynhallow in 1155 [4] and was most likely sent to Eynhallow to be educated by the monks.[3]
Eynhallow Church was deserted before the reformation (circa 1560).[2]
The church was converted into dwellings in the 16th century.[3][2]
In 1851 the inhabitants of Eynhallow were transferred elsewhere and the church and other buildings were stripped of their roofs.[2]
The ruin was consolidated by W.R. Lethaby in 1897.[2]
External links
- Template:Historic-scotland-link
- Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Eynhallow Monastery
- Orkneyjar, Eynhallow - The Holy Isle
References
- ^ "Eynhallow Monastery". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f J. Gifford, The Buildings of Scotland - Highland and Islands (2003). Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-09625-9. Pages 299-300.
- ^ a b c d e A. Ritchie and G. Ritchie, The ancient monuments of Orkney (1999). Historic Scotland. ISBN 1-900168-79-0. Page 60.
- ^ Orkneyinga Saga, Penguin Classics, ISBN 0-14-044383-5, chapter 97, pages 204-205.
