58°59N 2°58W, pop (2000e) 6800. Port capital of Orkney, N Scotland, UK; on island of Mainland, between Wide Firth (N) and Scapa Flow (S); airport; fishing, textiles, tourism, oil; Earl Patrick's palace (1607), St Magnus Cathedral (11371200), Tankerness House (1574), museum of Orkney life.
| Kirkwall | |
|---|---|
| Scots: | Kirkwall |
| Location | |
| OS grid reference: | HY449109 |
| Statistics | |
| Population: | 8500 (approx.) |
| Administration | |
| Council area: | Orkney |
| Constituent country: | Scotland |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom |
| Other | |
| Police force: | Northern Constabulary |
| Lieutenancy area: | Orkney |
| Former county: | Orkney and Shetland |
| Post office and telephone | |
| Post town: | KIRKWALL |
| Postal district: | KW15 |
| Dialling code: | 01856 |
| Politics | |
| Scottish Parliament: | Orkney |
| UK Parliament: | Orkney and Shetland |
| European Parliament: | Scotland |
Kirkwall is the largest town and capital of the Orkney Islands, off the coast of northern Scotland.
On the west edge of the town, surrounded by Hatston Industrial Estate, is a prehistoric ancient monument, Grain Earth House (Historic Scotland), a short low stone-walled passage deep underground leading to a small pillared chamber.
Parliamentary burgh
Kirkwall was a parliamentary burgh, combined with Dingwall, Dornoch, Tain, Scotland and Wick in the Northern Burghs constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918.
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