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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Orkneys
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Group of islands in the north of Scotland, separated from *John o' Groats by the Pentland Firth. The largest island is Mainland; on it is the capital, Kirkwall, and a quite exceptional group of prehistoric monuments (*Skara Brae, *Maes Howe, the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar). The second largest of the group, Hoy, is the only one to have dramatic scenery – most notably the Old Man of Hoy (a detached sandstone pillar rising 137m/450ft from the sea) and St John's Cliff (a sheer cliff of 347m/1140ft). The Dwarfie Stone, also on Hoy, has chambers hollowed out in prehistoric times and is believed to be a rock tomb. The sheltered anchorage formed by the larger islands is *Scapa Flow.
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The Orkneys were raided from the 8C by *Vikings, who settled in the 9C. The jarls (or earls) who ruled the islands were vassals of the kings of Norway or Denmark until the 15C, when the Orkneys came to the Scottish crown (with the *Shetlands) as part of the dowry of a Danish princess, betrothed to James III.
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