St Magnus' Church, Cleatfurrows, Birsay

The church was built in 1664 on the site of a previous church, built between 1050 and 1064 by Earl Thorfinn of Orkney. It was originally called Christ Church (or Christ's Kirk). The earlier church is the temporary burial location of Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney, also known as St Magnus, who was murdered on the island of Egilsay in 1116. When Earl Magnus was declared a saint around 1136, his bones were exhumed at the church and placed in a shrine on top of an altar. The saint's bones were later moved to the new St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall, which was built in honour of the popular saint. The window was installed in the east wall of the church in 1904. St Magnus has been designated a…

St Magnus's Church is located in the village of Birsay in the northwest area of Mainland, Orkney in Scotland. It is a rectangular building with a harled exterior, round-headed windows and gabled ends. The western gable contains an original birdcage style belfry. The church has a small southwest porch, possibly dating from the 1867 remodel. There is also a late medieval font, made of red sandstone. The font's octagonal bowl is inscribed with a coat of arms. The graveyard surrounding the church contains several gravestones dating to the mid and late 18th century.