A Peedie Bit O' Orkney...

Kirkwall is very lucky to have the ruins of not 1, but 2 impressive palaces across the road from each other, and across another road from the side of the Cathedral.

First, The Earl's Palace, started in 1600... which must have been beautiful in its day, but hides a bloody and cruel history.

Read about it here: Orkneyjar: Earl's Palace

Then, the older of the two - The Bishop's Palace, built in the mid-12th century for Bishop William the Old...

Orkneyjar.com have a wonderful history you can read here: Orkneyjar: Bishop's Palace

The picture above shows the interior of the palace, with the spire of the Cathedral visible over the walls.

Set into the exterior wall of the palace is a closed archway, which at one time stood across the street between the 2 palaces, and which gave the street its name - Watergate.