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St Magnus Cathedral

Sandstone - St Magnus Cathedral - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Lakes and deserts

There are two beautifully contrasting colours of Devonian sandstone in St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall in Orkney. Both are 380 million years …

Kirkwall at dawn - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Kirkwall at dawn

I’ve just woken up in a Viking city. A city which is only part of the UK, and not Norway, because King …

Carving in St Magnus Cathedral - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

A smile on their face

The woodcarver who made this pair of birds in St Magnus Cathedral had a smile on their face. They look like lovebirds to me.

Fiat Lux - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Let there be light

The stained glass windows in St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall are beautifully done. This is one of them, Fiat lux, or ‘Let …

Ezekiel in St Magnus Cathedral - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Ezekiel in St Magnus Cathedral

In St Magnus Cathedral they have a beautiful stained glass window dedicated to Ezekiel. Nowadays he would probably have a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a psychiatric nurse and a social worker on his team and be treated with antipsychotic medication to control his symptoms.

Old and new carvings at St Magnus Cathedral - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)
Old and new carvings at St Magnus Cathedral - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)
Old and new carvings at St Magnus Cathedral - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Old and new

St Magnus Cathedral is slowly weathering away. Beautiful new carvings have been inserted to replace some of the most weathered parts. Their …

Flowers for a wedding at St Magnus Cathedral - photograph (c) 2016 David Bailey (not the)

Wedding flowers

The wedding at St Magnus Cathedral had a beautiful vintage car and these wonderful flowers.

Memento Mori - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) 2016 David Bailey (not the)

6 of May 1656

A lot has happened in the last 360 years; when this grave was carved in 1656, Oliver Cromwell was still Lord Protector …

Gargoyle on St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) 2016 David Bailey (not the)

A weathered gargoyle

St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall is a masterpiece of stone carving. There are numerous decorative flourishes including this gargoyle. I know it’s …

Flower Display - St Magnus Cathedral - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) 2016 David Bailey (not the)

Flower Arrangement

Apart from putting a few garage forecourt flowers in the wrong size of vase and the extras in a spare milk bottle …

Dove - St Magnus Cathedral - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) 2016 David Bailey (not the)

The Dove

I’m about to set sail to Westray on a ferry as big as a Biblical Ark. First though, we’re having a special …

Daniel - photograph (c) 2016 David Bailey (not the)

Daniel

Stained glass window featuring Daniel from St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.

Cathedral Carving - photograph (c) 2016 David Bailey (not the)

Cathedral Carving

This grimacing head wearing what seems to be a wig and surrounded by wings is in St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall. It …

Weeping Window

Mobilisation by Shame

Looking at the mass of poppies outside St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall, it’s hard to comprehend the sheer scale of the death and destruction.

Weeping Window

Weeping Window

I prefer the story “The fabulously wealthy rob us of our rightful taxes and expect us to be grateful to them when they abuse shell charities to fund their own self-indulgent and self-aggrandising projects.” That’s not how the story of Lady Susie Sainsbury’s benevolence gets told.