![]() The austerity imposed on the stack-top communities by the restricted diet, potentially vicious weather and general lifestyle may indicate that the monasteries were occupied seasonally, perhaps by a fluid population of 'papar' going into retreat, otherwise, someone must have been supporting them with food. The larger sites seem to have been monasteries or communal retreats the single sites are presumably hermitages or places for individual retreat. Pictured below is the Monastic site at the Birrier of West Sandwick in Yell.Īlong some of Shetlands more rugged shores there are high offshore stacks (detached cliffs) where groups of small square or rectangular foundations, some as small as 2m x 3m were built in turf or stone. [Archaeological evidence would suggest some of them chose to dwell in the most inhospitable and most inaccessible of retreats. The first missionary monks, or priests, arrived in Shetland in the 7th Century and their influence was based on the aforementioned monasticism which had initially blossomed in Ireland. ![]() Cormac returned to Ireland and became Abbot of the monastery at Durrow, where he was laid to rest ] (6) This intervention was ultimately successful.Īs prophesied by St. But one of the chiefs had long before made a solemn promise to St Columba, who had seen in a vision the coming of Cormac to Orkney and his threatened death, that no harm should come to him in the Orkneys. He afterwards journeyed to Orkney where the pagan people were minded to put him to death. [ St Cormac became a disciple of St Columba and in one of his journeys he visited his mentor at Iona. Not finding one, he travelled extensively throughout the Orkneys and Shetlands, perhaps the Faroes, and "beyond the limits of human wanderings". Adamnan of Iona describes this Scottish Saint as having attempted thrice to find a wilderness in the midst of the ocean. Out of the Iona community came the missionary monk Cormac who, travelling under the auspices of the Pictish Kings, came to Orkney. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |