Holm (pronounced pronounced as //hæm//), also spelled Ham, is a parish on Mainland, Orkney.[1]
An adjacent Sound, running between Mainland, and Burray, is named after Holm.[1] It has since been blocked up by the Churchill Barriers. The parish flanks the north side of the Sound and extends to within 2.5miles of Kirkwall, and contains the village of St Mary's Holm, as well as the island of Lamb Holm. The Mainland section is 6miles by 2miles.[1]
The shores are mostly rocky, and the interior consists of light thin, loamy land.[1]
Orkney F.C., the island group's main football club, played its home games at The Rockworks Community ground near St. Mary's Holm until the pitch was wrecked in 2023. The pitch has just been replaced ahead of the island games in 2025.
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.
Netherbutton Radar Station, which was part of the Chain Home system, was situated on both sides of the A961 road, although little now remains except four concrete mast bases.[2] Its construction was supervised by Leonard Chapman, who then held the rank of corporal.[3] [4]
