An Orkney Anthology is a compilation of the work of the distinguished Orcadian writer and folklorist, Ernest Walker Marwick. Orkney’s history, folklore, language and way of life are skillfully recreated in this outstanding collection. The Anthology draws together a wealth of fascinating material from journals, newspaper articles and broadcast scripts, and includes much previously unpublished writing. It forms a major new contribution to the story of Orkney.
The first of two volumes, this book focuses on Orkney’s folklore and history. The articles range from unique collections of domestic, farming and sea superstitions to the remarkable ABC of Orkney Food, Fifty Years of Scapa Flow and Northern Witches, an account of witchcraft in Orkney.
Ernest Marwick combined research into archives and oral tradition in a blend of styles. Both the serious analytical articles, and the more anecdotal light-hearted pieces, will reward the student and the interested layman alike.
The Anthology has been meticulously and sympathetically edited by John Robertson, a close friend and fellow Orcadian. He has succeeded in highlighting the many themes and qualities of Ernest Walker Marwick’s work, provided extensive, well-researched footnotes on historical and linguistic points, and supplied cross-references together with a glossary of Orkney words and expressions. In a number of places he has reworked and updated material for the benefit of the modern reader.