16 Facts You Didn't Know About Stromness and Orkney Islands
2023-09-07
Stromness in Orkney is packed with history which ignites the interest of many travellers, explorers, adventure seekers, and holidaymakers.
Stromness is a fascinating seaport with a population of about 2,500 residents. The town is a perfect combination of winding streets, paths, alleys, and little lanes. Edged with homes, shops, and small businesses, many of which were built from local stone. Every street corner tells a tale. Fly in or catch a ferry to Stromness and let the discovery begin. Stromness gets its name from the parish where it lies. The name comes from the old Norse word “straumnes”.
Here are 16 interesting lesser-known facts about Stromness and Orkney.
1. Back in the day
Stromness was a safe haven for ships in the late seventeenth century.
Stromness became an important post during the late seventeenth century, while Britain was at war with France. Ships were unable to traverse the English Channel. The shores of Hamnavoe offered ships a safe shelter moored in the deep water. Writer Jo Ben refers to the waters around Stromness stating that “The French and Spanish very often avoid storms here.”
2. A vibrant place during the Second World War.
During World War ll The Stromness Hotel was the headquarters of the OSDEF, the Orkney and Shetland Defence Forces, and Stromness became an army town. During all the plight residents of Stromness could see the latest films and attend dances and balls.
Celebrities such as George Formby, Flannigan and Alan entertained the troops. Just imagine when the gorgeous Dame Gracie Fields, star of many movies, appeared on the balcony of the Stromness Hotel. She sang and entertained soldiers and local residents. The atmosphere must have been electric and for a brief moment the effects of war were forgotten.
By 20th Century Fox - eBayfrontback, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58971987
3. The town started with an inn built in 1590
Due to the visiting ships, William and Mareon Clark built an inn on the shores of Hamnavoe around 1590, selling homemade ale and beverages to passing sailors. Gradually homes were built in the area, slowly developing into the town that Stromness is now.
4. Captain Cook
Captain Cook's ships, Discovery and Resolution, docked in Stromness in 1780 on their return voyage from the Hawaiian Islands, where Captain Cook had been killed.
5. Relics and artefacts from across the seas
The Stromness Museum gives great insight and many displays into the town’s history with a variety of “tale-telling” and fascinating collections of Inuit artefacts and whaling relics. They were believed to have been brought back as souvenirs from Greenland, the Arctic and Canada.
By Unukorno - Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62847861
6. Literally speaking
The award winning world renowned poet, George Mackay Brown was born in Stromness in 1921.
Sylvia Wishart was a renowned artist who was born in Stromness.
The star of Jaws, Robert Shaw, spent part of his childhood in Stromness. Robert acted in a play right here in the Stromness Town Hall. Stromness is also the title of a 2009 novel by German author Herbert Wetterauer.
7. Digging up the past
Hugh Miller, a stone mason, geologist and theologian regularly contributed to the Stromness Museum. He found the oldest vertebrate remains discovered in Orkney, which is now on display. His 1850’s book about it; ‘Footsteps of the Creator or the Asterolepis of Stromness’ went on to have an influence on Darwin’s “The Origin of Species”.
By Kim Traynor - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32607498
8. Setting the town to music
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies's popular piano piece "Farewell to Stromness", was written to protest plans to open a uranium mine in the area. The Revue was first performed by the composer at the Stromness Hotel on 21 June 1980, as part of the St Magnus Festival. Plans for the uranium mine were cancelled later that year.
9. Cliff hangers
Stromness shows off a magnificent range of cliffs to the Atlantic ocean. The cliffs range between 100 and 500 feet (30 and 150 metres) high. These rocks are of great geological interest and made well known by the publication of the evangelical geologist Hugh Miller, The Footprints of the Creator or The Asterolepsis of Stromness in 1849. The cliffs on Hoy are 1,140 feet high and are therefore the highest perpendicular sea cliffs in the United Kingdom. The Old Man of Hoy stands at a height of 450 feet, the same height as St Paul's Cathedral in London.
10. 200 year celebration
In 2017, Stromness celebrated a milestone by marking 200 years since it became a Burgh of Barony, allowing the town to take control of its own affairs and establish a town council.
11. No news is good news
Stromness once had its own newspaper, The Stromness News, which was published in 1884. It only lasted for six months due to a lack of news.
12. Shedding some light
Sule Skerry Shore Station was built in 1892, on a remote island 41 miles west of Orkney. It was the UK’s most remote manned lighthouse. Construction on the lighthouse began in 1892. Work could only be carried out during the summer months due to the harsh conditions, so it took until 1894 before the lighthouse was complete.
13. Keeping it in the family
There were once 80 family-owned shops and businesses in Stromness. Amongst these were four bakeries and four butcher’s shops. One of the butcher’s shops was E. Flett’s, which is still open. The business was founded in 1876 by Adam Flett after. The firm was then taken on by his son and then his grandson, who added the initial E to the name.
14. Stromness is famous for three delicious food products
These are distributed throughout the world. Stockan’s Oatcakes, Orkney Fudge and a more recent business, The Island Smokery, which produces a range of smoked and flavoured cheddars using milk from Orkney cows.
15. Leave your mark
Out at Billia Croo, on the shore at the foot of the Black Craig, on the outskirts of Stromness is a stone known as the ‘Naming Stone’. This is a large vertical stone face, on which Stromnessians inscribed their names, some of the inscriptions go back to the 19th Century.
Detail at the naming stone, Billia Croo, Stromness, Orkney photo © Copyright Magnus Dixon
16. Record Flights
Orkney has the world's shortest scheduled air flight in the world. The flight between the islands of Westray and Papay takes less than two minutes
Other hidden tales of the Stromness for the interested traveller
Orkney is not a European designated landing port, so it is not possible to land white fish commercially.
Orkney is home to the rare tiny purple primula scotica flower. It is found at Yesnaby in April, May and June.
The largest landowner in Orkney is the RSPB, (The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) which has 113 reserves.
Orkney is Scotland’s busiest cruise ship port, with visits from around 70 ships a year.
North Ronaldsay sheep are a 3,000-year-old breed. They feed on seaweed and their meat is tender and virtually fat-free.
Orkney’s thriving egg industry was decimated overnight in 1952 when a hurricane destroyed 7,000 henhouses, killing 86,000 hens.
Orcadian James Isbister was the first civilian to be killed during World War II.
St. Magnus Cathedral does not belong to the church. It was gifted to Orkney by James III in 1486 and is maintained by the council.
Burray windmill was the first commercial-scale grid-connected turbine under local ownership.
The valley of Berriedale on Hoy is the most northerly natural woodland in Britain.
In 1893 The Stromness harbour was rebuilt using John Barron’s designs.
Just off the north coast of Scotland lies this historical part of the world waiting to be explored, visited and enjoyed.
Visit Stromness with tales of war, tall ships, whalers, rich history, mystery and intrigue and Stay at the Stromness Hotel
Enjoy your visit to Stromness and stay in a historically classic hotel. Look no further than The Stromness Hotel, visit our website for more information and to book. The Stromness Hotel, with a mix of history and modern amenities, is right on the doorstep of all that Stromness and the Orkney Islands have to offer.
