Holm, Mainland Orkney

Holm, pronounced "Ham",Haswell-Smith, Hamish. (2004) "The Scottish Islands". Edinburgh. Canongate.] is a parish on Mainland, OrkneyWilson, Rev. John "The Gazetteer of Scotland" (Edinburgh, 1882) Published by W. & A.K. Johnstone] . It is not to be confused with the many Orkney Islands with "holm" in their name.

An adjacent Sound, running between Mainland, and Burray, is also named after Holm. It has since been blocked up by the Churchill Barriers. The parish flanks the north side of the Sound and extends to within 2½ miles of Kirkwall, and contains the village of St Mary's Holm, as well as the island of Lamb Holm. The Mainland section is six miles by two.

The shores are mostly rocky, and the interior consists of light thin, loamy land.

Church and Manse

Holm church and manse are both of unusual design. The church has no spire or turret, and the Manse is constructed so that all chimneys appear through the centre of a pyramidal roof.

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