Heading overseas? Why not take a trip to the glorious Scottish islands of Orkney and the remarkable Italian Chapel?
By Paul Maughan
Britain is a land awash in magnificent and grand, ancient churches, chapels and abbeys – many landmarks in the country’s history and heritage.
It comes as little surprise then, that on Scotland’s outer edge (on windswept Orkney) two humble Nissen huts (and one Italian Prisoner of War), should perhaps be considered for later-day addition to this august company.
During the Second World War, Prime Minister Winston Churchill sought to protect the British Fleet anchored in Orkney’s Scapa Flow from submarine attack.
On the natural harbour’s protective outer island of Lamb Holm, camps were built to accommodate the men working on the construction of what became known as the Churchill Barriers – a series of rock and concrete causeways designed to prevent eastern access to Scapa Flow.
Some 1,300 Italian Prisoners of War toiled for five years on these Barriers and during this time simultaneously constructed ‘The Miracle of Camp 60’ – more commonly known worldwide simply as the Italian Chapel.
On a grassy slope overlooking the sea, this remarkable, simple, famed church remains a fitting memorial to their endeavours. Made of nothing more spectacular than two Nissen huts joined end-to-end, concrete and scrap metal – the only meagre building materials then available – it is today widely regarded as an inspirational wonder.
With the blessing of the camp commandant, and under the direction of the project mastermind, the late Domenico Chiocchetti, the POWs set about turning this ‘ugly duckling’ into an artistic masterpiece. Exquisitely fascinating today, it must have been utterly stunning to those imprisoned here in the 1940s.
Chiocchetti’s enthusiasm for his project was contagious. The Chapel’s interior was lined with plasterboard and then painted to resemble brickwork. An altar and its fittings were made from concrete and flanked by two windows made from painted glass. Gold curtains either side of the altar were purchased from an Exeter company using the inmates’ own funds. The work proceeded with great skill and ingenuity.
Chiocchetti himself set about painting the ornate interior of the sanctuary with stunning frescos while another Italian craftsman constructed the wrought iron rood screen that still complements the handsome interior today.
Others built a façade to the Chapel’s front complete with a Mediterranean belfry, decorated windows, and a moulded head of Christ above the door. It is a truly remarkable work of art fashioned and decorated from obviously limited materials; yet its legacy surely heralds that even in the darkness of war the goodness of the human spirit can and does shine through.The camps have long since gone but the unmanned Chapel remains and is still in use today with Mass celebrated here on the first Sunday each month. One of many stellar attractions on Orkney, the Chapel draws over 100,000 visitors annually, its enduring popularity a tribute to the considerable artistic skill of its builders. Open year round, entry to the Chapel is free.
No one should go to Orkney and not visit the Italian Chapel (in fact, most do). However, the attractions here are so numerous and remarkable that it’s hard to accommodate them all, unless you allocate at least a week to do the place some justice. Orkney is simply one of the most stunning destinations in Scotland.
Only 10km off the northern Scottish mainland, this constellation of magical islands is readily accessible by air, but more commonly visitors arrive by ship. The 90 minute NorthLink vehicular ferry crossing from Scrabster to Stromness, one of the most fascinating fishing villages in Scotland, takes passengers past the remarkable Old Man of Hoy – a legendary towering rock sea-stack that is one of Orkney’s leading visual attractions.
Famed travel writer Bill Bryson nominates Orkney as his favourite destination in Britain. It is hard to disagree with him: green, lush, treeless and windy, Orkney is an eerie mix of character – moody and sullen when overcast; yet sparkling like morning dew when bathed in sunlight. It is truly a gorgeous place.
Orkney’s archaeological heritage is unparalleled in Europe, being endowed with ancient remains older than the pyramids themselves. Over 1,000 primal sites have been identified, encompassing Skara Brae, a complete 5,000 year old Stone Age village; the magnificent Bronze Age stone Ring of Brodgar and the mysterious chambered tomb of Maeshowe dating from 2000BC. This place is incredible.
Orkney is quirky too. The shortest scheduled air service in the world operates here – a two minute hop between Westray and Papa Westray – a distance shorter than the main runway at Heathrow. Why bother?
Magnificent wildlife, superb (but chilly) diving, wild weather, fabulous craft, stunning jewellery, stirring music and great food make Orkney an exciting destination. Accommodation is plentiful with much of it being self-contained. You can bring your car on the NorthLink ferry and, if you choose, you can even sleep on board (as a low-cost B&B option). How convenient is that!
So, if you have been hankering after a holiday destination in Europe that is sure to deliver a totally unique and different experience, then buy a ticket to Orkney – you will never regret it.