Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 1d

It’s Day 10 of #31DaysofGraves, and the prompt is ‘urn’. This is the grave of late 19th-early 20thC merchant and entrepreneur Robert Garden, who built a trading and manufacturing empire throughout the islands.

5

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 1d

*** Skulls and Dancing Skeletons tour rescheduled***

We are pleased to confirm that this special curator tour is going ahead tomorrow, Saturday 11 October. The tour explores the symbolism of hourglasses, candles, bells, skulls and more, and it's all inside! Starts at 10am, costs £15, lasts 1 hour.

A carved gravestone depicting skull and crossbones, a bell, clock, candle and other symbols of memento mori.

1 8

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 2d

The inscription below reads: ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth is laid up for me a crowne of righteousness.’

2

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 2d

Day 9 of #31DaysofGraves - and the prompt is ‘hand’! Here’s a little prototype emoji from the 1600s - a hand pointing towards a Bible. This stone commemorates Kirk Minister Thomas Baikie, who died aged 42.

1 1 8

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 3d

That's beautiful🧡

2

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 3d

Today is Day 8 of #31DaysofGraves and the prompt is 'glass'. This is a 1911 postcard by Tom Kent, showing the grave of RN rating Arthur Sartin covered in glass 'immortelles' - domes filled with ceramic flowers. The other image is the same spot today.

A wooden cross surrounded by stone grave markers and green grass.

A sepia photo of a grave covered in glass domes that are filled with ceramic flowers.

1 5

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 5d

Catching up with #31DaysofGraves - Day 4’s prompt was ‘Languages’. Here’s a stone from St Magnus with a Greek inscription meaning ‘Behold the end of life’ ☠️

4 21

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 7d

We’re very sorry - Orkney is about to experience Storm Amy and there is an Amber Weather Warning for tomorrow morning. So unfortunately we have made the decision to postpone this tour until a later date.

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 11d

☠️Skulls and Dancing Skeletons - Saturday 4 October!☠️
This weekend sees the return of this popular cathedral tour, exploring the symbolism of the skull-and-crossbones, the candles, hourglasses, and much more. Meet your guide inside at 10am; the tour lasts 1 hour approximately, and costs £15pp.

A carved gravestone showing a skull-and-crossbones, a candle, and other symbols of mortality.

13

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 8d

Day 3 of #31DaysofGraves, and the prompt is 'tomb'. So here's a wall-set tomb from the south nave aisle. It's thought to date from the 14th century, and was possibly the burial place of the Paplay family.

A stone arch set into the wall of a church with a pointed pitched canopy above.

2 18

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 9d

It’s Day 2 of #31DaysofGraves, and the theme is ‘nautical’. So here are two from our graveyard - a wooden marker for a ship’s carpenter, and a stone ensign at half mast for a captain… 🫡

A wooden grave marker for J Thompson, ship’s carpenter.

A gravestone featuring an anchor and a flag at half mast.

4 30

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 10d

It's a wet, windy day in Orkney but it's also the first day of October, and that means... #31daysofgraves! The prompt for today is 'Flower', so here's a lovely carved rose from the gravestone of one Elizabeth Cuthbert who died in 1685. Follow @annaandthedead.bsky.social if you want to join in ☠️🪦

A corner of a carved stone showing a woman's head and a rose, under an arch with stars.

1 8 65

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 11d

☠️Skulls and Dancing Skeletons - Saturday 4 October!☠️
This weekend sees the return of this popular cathedral tour, exploring the symbolism of the skull-and-crossbones, the candles, hourglasses, and much more. Meet your guide inside at 10am; the tour lasts 1 hour approximately, and costs £15pp.

4 20

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 12d

Tomorrow (Monday 29 Sept) sees the last 🪦 historic graveyard tour🪦 of the season. It starts at 2pm inside, next to the custodian’s office - costs £10pp and lasts an hour.

1 11

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 14d

Yesterday we said goodbye to our Team Leader for Heritage, Meredith. She joined us as cathedral conservator in 2019, and has transformed care of the cathedral building over the past 6 years. Here she is on her final day with Peter, technician, and Fran, curator. Good luck for the future, Meredith!

8

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 16d

***cough***

1 3

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 25d

We are looking forward to once again taking part in the #31daysofgraves!

Anna Fairley Nielsson @annaandthedead.bsky.social · 26d

REPOST (error in first post!)
Get ready! October 1st is the start of a month of gravestone and burial ground pictures, with a different prompt for each day. Be creative, there are no rules, just tag with #31DaysOfGraves!
Background image is from King's Chapel Burying Ground, Boston, Mass.

An image of a burial ground in Boston with text overlaid which reads
#31 Days of Graves
Day 1: Flower
Day 2: Nautical
Day 3: Tomb
Day 4: Languages
Day 5: Bird
Day 6: Gender
Day 7: Angel
Day 8: Glass
Day 9: Hand
Day 10: Urn
Day 11: Military
Day 12: Notable woman
Day 13: Skeleton
Day 14: Inside
Day 15: Damaged
Day 16: Obelisk
Day 17: Relocated
Day 18: Mistake
Day 19: Social group
Day 20: Wreath
Day 21: Bronze
Day 22: Landscape
Day 23: Cross
Day 24: Unique animal
Day 25: Graveside ornament
Day 26: Figure
Day 27: Tree
Day 28: Column
Day 29: Occupation
Day 30: Colour
Day 31: Memento mori

3 6

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 26d

***Please remember*** there is no tour of the historic cathedral graveyard today (Monday 15 September). The next tour will be on Friday 19 September at 2pm.

Gravestones on green grass. A wooden cross with gold writing.

2

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · 29d

Huge thanks to everyone who came along on our special Graffiti Tours, put on as part of the Orkney Festival of Archaeology. Here's Curator Fran Flett Hollinrake in full flow! (Thank you to Valeria for the photo) ⛪

A person in a striped jumper standing in a stone archway.

1 6 28

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · Sep 9

***UPDATE*** These tours have now sold out! Many thanks to everyone for their interest.

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · Sep 9

As part of the inaugural Orkney Festival of Archaeology, we are offering lots of tours, including a special Graffiti Tour, featuring parts of the Upper Levels that we don't usually go to! More details here: orkneyarchaeologysociety.org.uk/events/list/

Painted letters on a stone wall reading 'DF 1945'

A stone wall with the carved initials TS

2 3

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · Sep 9

As part of the inaugural Orkney Festival of Archaeology, we are offering lots of tours, including a special Graffiti Tour, featuring parts of the Upper Levels that we don't usually go to! More details here: orkneyarchaeologysociety.org.uk/events/list/

1 7

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · Sep 8

The same applies today - graveyard tour at 2pm.

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · Sep 1

***Graveyard tour today - Monday***

A reminder that there will be a tour of the historic cathedral graveyard at 2pm today. It costs £10pp and lasts 1 hour - no need to book. Join us at the custodian's office in the south transept.

3

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · Sep 1

***Graveyard tour today - Monday***

A reminder that there will be a tour of the historic cathedral graveyard at 2pm today. It costs £10pp and lasts 1 hour - no need to book. Join us at the custodian's office in the south transept.

4

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · Aug 25

***Graveyard tour today***

There is a tour of the cathedral's historic graveyard at 2pm today (Monday). Meet at the custodian's office, in the south transept. The tour lasts 1 hour and costs £10pp, no need to book!

Tours of the graveyard are on Mondays & Fridays at 2pm until the end of September.

A large red church with some gravestones in the foreground.

4 8

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · Aug 20

South Ronaldsay is indeed named after St Rognvald. But it's now thought that North Ronaldsay was once Rinansay (Rinan's Island), with Rinan being an alternative form of Ninian. There's a rich linguistic legacy of saints in Orkney!

1 1

St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney @stmagnuscathedral.bsky.social · Aug 20

Yes, Rognvald did indeed write poetry.

1