A List of churches in Orkney, Scotland:
The islands have an estimated 27 active churches for 21,500 inhabitants, a ratio of one church to every 796 people.
The islands were originally divided into 21 civil parishes: Birsay and Harray, Cross and Burness (on Sanday), Eday, Evie and Rendall, Firth, Holm, Hoy and Graemsay, Kirkwall and St Ola, Lady (on Sanday), Orphir, Papa Westray, Rousay and Egilsay, Sandwick, Shapinsay, South Ronaldsay, St Andrews and Deerness, Stenness, Stromness, Stronsay, South Walls & Flotta, and Westray.
On 1 October 2024 almost all of the Church of Scotland parishes in Orkney united as a single parish, known as Orkney Islands Church of Scotland, retaining most of the current church buildings and served by a team ministry. (As of late 2024 the parish churches of Evie & Rendall linked with Firth are not yet part of this new union).
NameCivil parish (settlement)WebParish foundedDenominationNotesSanday Church of ScotlandCross & Burness (Broughtown)Church of ScotlandNorth Ronaldsay Church of ScotlandCross & Burness (N Ronaldsay)1812Church of ScotlandEday Church of ScotlandEdayChurch of ScotlandEvie Church of ScotlandEvie & RendallChurch of ScotlandShares a minister with Firth, Rendall and RousayRendall Church of ScotlandEvie & RendallChurch of ScotlandShares a minister with Evie, Firth and RousayFirth Church of ScotlandFirthMedievalChurch of ScotlandShares a minister with Evie, Rendall and RousayEast Mainland ChurchHolmChurch of ScotlandServes Deerness, Holm and St Andrews parishesSt John's Kirk, Hoy & WallsHoy & Graemsay (Little Ayre)Church of ScotlandShares a minister with Flotta and Orphir & StennessSt Magnus CathedralKirkwall & St Ola1137Church of ScotlandDedicated to St Magnus. Technically no longer a cathedralKirkwall East ChurchKirkwall & St OlaChurch of ScotlandShares a minister with ShapinsaySt Olaf's Episcopal ChurchKirkwall & St Ola1876-1878Episcopal ChurchDedicated to St Olaf. Episcopacy in the islands dates back to C16thKirkwall Baptist ChurchKirkwall & St OlaIndependentOur Lady & St Joseph, KirkwallKirkwall & St OlaRoman CatholicDedicated to SS Mary & JosephOrphir & Stenness Church of ScotlandOrphirMedievalChurch of ScotlandShares a minister with Flotta and Hoy & WallsPapa Westray Church of ScotlandPapa WestrayChurch of ScotlandShares a minister with Westray. Building originally Free ChurchRousay Church of ScotlandRousay & EgilsayChurch of ScotlandShares minister with Evie, Firth & Rendall. Serves Egilsay & WyreMilestone Community ChurchSandwick (Dounby)2011-2012Church of ScotlandServes Birsay & Harray and Sandwick parishes (united 2000)Dounby United Free ChurchSandwick (Dounby)United Free ChurchShapinsay Church of ScotlandShapinsayChurch of ScotlandShares a minister with Kirkwall EastSouth Ronaldsay & Burray CoSS Ronaldsay (St Margaret's Hope)Church of ScotlandAlso serves BurrayFlotta Church of ScotlandSouth Walls & FlottaChurch of ScotlandShares a minister with Hoy and Walls and Orphir and StennessStromness & Graemsay CoSStromnessChurch of ScotlandAlso holds monthly services in a community centre on GraemsaySt Mary the Virgin Episcopal ChurchStromnessEpiscopal ChurchDedicated to St MaryStromness Baptist ChurchStromnessIndependentMoncur Memorial Church, StronsayStronsayChurch of ScotlandWestray Church of ScotlandWestrayChurch of ScotlandShares a minister with Papa Westray. United with Westray UFC 2005Westray Baptist ChurchWestray (Pierowall)IndependentJehovah's WitnessesKirkwallJehovah's Witnesses30 Mill St., Kirkwall KW15 1NL, UK
Defunct churches NameCivil parish (settlement)FoundedRedundantDenominationNotesSt Magnus Church, BirsayBirsay & HarrayMedieval1996Church of ScotlandBuilt in 1664 on the site of an earlier 11th century church.St Peters Chapel, BirsayBirsay Early 12th centuryCatholic Church in Scotland Remained in use until the 13th century. Until the Reformation, it was a popular pilgrimage site.Birsay (Twatt) Church of ScotlandBirsay & Harray18752008Church of ScotlandSt Michael's, HarrayBirsay & Harray18362010sChurch of ScotlandCross Church of ScotlandCross & BurnessChurch of ScotlandRuins remainSt Columba's, BurnessCross & BurnessChurch of ScotlandNow vanished but burial ground remainsItalian Chapel, Lamb HolmHolm1942-43Roman CatholicBuilt by Italian prisoners of war; still in occasional useGraemsay KirkHoy & GraemsayC19thChurch of ScotlandNo longer in useSt Olaf's Kirk, KirkwallKirkwall & St OlaMedievalChurch of ScotlandRuins remainEynhallow ChurchMedievalpre C16thRuins onlyLady Kirk, SandayLady (on Sanday)Church of ScotlandMost recent building 1773. RuinedOrphir Round ChurchOrphirMedievalC18thRuins onlySt Boniface's Church, Papa WestrayPapa WestrayMedieval1930Church of ScotlandOriginally built in the 12 century, expanded in 1710. The site dates to a large Iron Age settlement. Hogback stone in graveyard.St Magnus, EgilsayRousay & EgilsayMedievalChurch of ScotlandRuins onlyDeerness Church of ScotlandSt Andrews & Deerness1829Church of ScotlandSt Andrews Church of ScotlandSt Andrews & Deerness (Tankerness)1801Church of ScotlandSt Peter, SandwickSandwick16701960sChurch of ScotlandCurrent building 1836–1837. Scottish Redundant Churches Trust 1998Sandwick United Free ChurchSandwick18362008Church of ScotlandJoined CoS in 1929. Sold 2008, along with Birsay & Harray churchesBurray Baptist ChurchSouth Ronaldsay (Burray)1966Closed in 1966, now used as a fishing storeSt Lawrence's, BurraySouth Ronaldsay (Burray)Roofless ruinSt Columba's, South WallsSouth Walls & Flotta1832Church of ScotlandActive in 2002 listing but not listed on Orkney Presbytery's websiteStenness Parish ChurchStennessMedieval2000sChurch of ScotlandRebuilt 1760, 1774. Recently soldLady Kirk, WestrayWestray (Pierowall)MedievalRebuilt 1674. Ruins onlyWestside ChurchWestray (Tuquoy)Ruins onlySt Mary's Chapel, WyreWyreMedievalChurch of ScotlandRuins only
Citations
References Graham-Campbell, James and Batey, Colleen E. (1998) Vikings in Scotland: An Archaeological Survey. Edinburgh University Press. Omand, Donald (ed.) (2003) The Orkney Book. Edinburgh. Birlinn.
Further reading
External links (contains photographs of several churches)