A trip to the island of Shapinsay found me with a few moments to spare before catching the ferry back to the Orkney mainland. My route took me by this ruined church, the South Kirk, which, on the few occasions I've driven past it, has seemed very photogenic. It was a perishingly cold day but, between hail showers, I spent a little while exploring the building and the mausoleum of the Balfour family.
8 comments:
Is that the same Balfour family for whom the hospital is named? Or perhaps it’s a common name in the area?
The hospital is named after a Balfour (John) who bought a house in Main Street to create the Orkney Hospital which was later renamed The Balfour in 1853. In 1927, this was replaced by a new hospital, retaining the name, and now in 2019, another new hospital is about to be opened, again bearing the Balfour name. On Shapinsay, a previous Balfour family re-built the family home as Balfour Castle and renamed the village of Shoreside as Balfour village.
Can't believe the bell is still there! Orkney is tops for ruins and artefacts - everything seems preserved. I've heard that name Balfour somewhere, had a quick surf but nothing conclusive...
Thanks for your informative answer.😁 So.....many Balfours, mostly rich. 😁
Mark, where's the appeal of a bell? Sorry :o)
Rebecca, so it would seem!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!!!!!
Typical builders - they've not finished it yet! I guess the lure of major national infrastructure construction was to great and they forgot to come back?!!
JD, ... it took me a while... Balfour!
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