St Magnus Cathedral
Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
St Magnus Cathedral known as the Light in the North and founded in 1137 by the Viking, Earl Rognvald, in honour of his uncle St Magnus, dominates Kirkwall on Orkney.
The church and community hall is a warm and welcoming space and home to many community activities and services.
Ever since 1885, The Salvation Army has been active in community life in Kirkwall and across Orkney, addressing social needs and inequalities. To continue this work, our building was renovated and extended, officially reopening in March 2026. The restored church is an attractive, comfortable and fully-accessible space. Facilities include a worship/community hall with capacity for 90 people, a well-appointed kitchen, a creche space, office and foyer, together with a secondary meeting space, seating 60.
Constructed in stone from Orkney by local builders, the building is futuristic, eco-friendly and energy-efficient. Features include solar panels, providing light and energy to the kitchen, and waste recycling to minimise landfill.
Thanks to increased capacity, we can run several activities concurrently, thereby creating a vibrant community hub. Services include pastoral care, counselling, an older people’s ministry and outreach work with young people. We also host and work in partnership with local charities, such as Home-Start Orkney, Women’s Aid Orkney and The Orkney Foodbank.