St Margaret's Hope

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St Margaret's Hope, known locally as The Hope, is a village in the Orkney Islands, situated off the north-east coast of Scotland. It is Orkney's third largest settlement, after Kirkwall and Stromness. It has a population of about 550, and is situated at the head of a sheltered bay at the north end of South Ronaldsay, off Water Sound. It is South Ronaldsay's main village, and is named after Margaret of Norway who died there. The village has a primary school, a small blacksmith's museum, a number of shops and restaurants including the noteworthy Creel Inn. Pentland Ferries run a service from the pier in the bay to Gills Bay on the Scottish mainland three times daily, with an average time of an hour one-way.

It is also known for its annual Boys' Ploughing Match, a local tradition where young boys plough in the sands at the nearby Sand of Wright, and young girls wear traditional 'horse' costumes.

It should be noted, however, that the 'Margaret' from whom the village derives its name is probably not the Maid of Norway (a romantic but inaccurate myth) but is very likely to be St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland,the wife of Malcolm III.

This can be evidenced by checking Victorian Ordnance Survey maps which shows the ancient site of an early Christian chapel dedicated to St. Margaret. No remnants of this structure can now be seen but are situated near to the Smiddy Museum (on the present day site of a local authority housing development - Erlend Terrace).

Scant traces of an Iron-Age broch can be found in a field off the Ontaft road above the village. Again, the site could once be identified by Victorian OS maps, but with the passage of time and all but a 'crop mark' remaining, modern maps fail to show its location.

St George's flags were erected in the village as part of the England football team's participation in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, showing a level of support for England not seen in some other parts of Scotland.