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William
Daniell's Voyage to Orkney
The youngest of this pair was Lieutenant Moodie, son of Major Moodie of Melsetter, and the older man was William Daniell, artist, engraver and writer, half-way though an eight year trek around the coast - a journey described and illustrated in his monumental book A Voyage Round the Coast of Britain, published in eight volumes between 1814 and 1822. Daniell had come to Orkney, probably at the suggestion of Walter Scott, to see for himself real life examples of that romantic scenery which, in those days, haunted the imagination of all artists. He was not disappointed. Daniell's hosts during his stay were all men of substance; educated, cultured, amateur archaeologists, naturalist and collectors of curious information. These men took great pride in showing the itinerant artist a few of the many interesting things to be found in the island; magnificent cliff scenery, the nests of wild birds, ancient monuments, picturesque ruins, modern piers and lighthouses.
Daniell visited Rackwick where 20 fisher families existed on fish and seabird egss, hard-boiled and seasoned with salt and vinegar. He spent a pleasant evening in conversation with Mr Hamilton, Minister of Hoy, before sailing to Stromness, then a burgeoning town of some 2,000 inhabitants. The architecture of Stromness struck Daniell as haphazard, the narrow streets dirty. However, the thrift and industry he found there impressed him greatly. From Stromness, a visit was made to the Standing Stones of Stenness, which had recently been the subject of a sheriff's order to prevent their further destruction by a farmer, who had already destroyed three - including the fabled Odin Stone.
Daniell's six views of Kirkwall concentrate mainly on St Magnus Cathedral and the adjacent ruins. He records his sadness in finding the remains of the Bishop's Palace reduced to a byre and store for dung. From Kirkwall, Daniell sailed northwards to Sanday, where he hoped to see the impressive prehistoric remains reported to be at Taftsness. The voyage to Sanday took nine hours; the artist stayed with a Mr Strang, proprietor of the island; and was disappointed with the antiquities he found there, covered over with sand. A swift journey back to Melsetter, via Kirkwall and Waas (Walls), preceded Daniell's return to Caithness, where he arrived on August 19, having been forced by bad weather to abandon proposed visits to the Earl's Palace in Birsay and Noltland Castle in Westray. William Daniell's time in Orkney was not long - but if sufficed for him to sketch 12 fine views, the completed aquatints of which are shown in our free screensaver. |
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© The Orcadian Limited, Hell's Half Acre, Hatston, Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland |
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On
August 8, 1818, two men disembarked from the post boat which had carried
them across the Pentland Firth, paid the 15 shillings fare, and set off
on foot to nearby Melsetter.
He
was taken around the Hoy coast, marvelling at the dizzying heights of
its cliffs and listening with admiration to the accounts of how fowlers,
like old Wullie Thomson, let themselves down the sheer rocksides on ropes
of Orkney hog's hair, to take the eggs and fledglings from the nests of
sea birds, which were then considered great delicacies among fashionable
society in London.
In
general, Kirkwall pleased Daniell. His first sight of the town was at
twilight from the Stromness road, the buildings softened by the evening
sun and in perfect harmony with the surrounding hills.