Orkney Visit

I traveled to the Orkney Islands this week with my family. My great, great, great grandfather William Cromartie was born there on South Ronaldsey in 1731. This group of over seventy islands are separated from the northern edge of Scotland by the twenty-mile wide Pentland Firth. Strong winds and gales have left large portions of the land bare of trees.

Mainland Island is famous for its Neolithic Ring of Brodgar and the Standing Stones of Stenness, as well as Skara Brae, the remains of an ancient village.

Ring of Brodgar

Vikings invaded in the eighth and ninth centuries, and Norway and Denmark ruled until 1472 when Scotland obtained possession.

We visited St Peter’s Church of the Church of Scotland on South Ronaldsay where William would have attended. It now belongs to Scotland’s Churches Trust and is open for visitors. The surrounding graveyard contains tombstones of many Cromartys.