List of churches in Orkney

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).

Media related to Churches in the Orkney Islands at Wikimedia Commons (contains photographs of several churches)

Eynhallow Church
Lady Kirk
Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney was killed by his cousin Haakon Paulsson in April 1116. The building of St. Magnus Cathedral , Kirkwall in his honour by Rögnvald Kali commenced in 1137. [ 1 ]
St Magnus Church, Birsay