Storyteller Fran
@storytellerfran.bsky.social
✨✨Lover of folklore, church history, stories, weird saints, cats, magic. Orkney dweller. ✨✨
Loving everybody’s work here 🍟
new favourite New York Times term for a British thing just dropped
November 26, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Loving everybody’s work here 🍟
It’s Stir Up Sunday tomorrow but I’m busy then so today’s the day! Not sure if Jill Archer will be tutting at my disregard for tradition, or approving of my foresight and organisational skills. 🤔
November 22, 2025 at 12:12 PM
It’s Stir Up Sunday tomorrow but I’m busy then so today’s the day! Not sure if Jill Archer will be tutting at my disregard for tradition, or approving of my foresight and organisational skills. 🤔
I had a lovely spooky time last night at Skaill House, sharing ghostly tales! Thanks to Julie for taking care of everyone and making the house look so atmospheric! 👻☠️🕯️🍁🍂
November 2, 2025 at 8:22 AM
I had a lovely spooky time last night at Skaill House, sharing ghostly tales! Thanks to Julie for taking care of everyone and making the house look so atmospheric! 👻☠️🕯️🍁🍂
There’s a bright aurora tonight - worth getting out of bed for! #orkney #northernlights
October 18, 2025 at 10:10 PM
There’s a bright aurora tonight - worth getting out of bed for! #orkney #northernlights
Glen Campbell is on BBC4 singing Wichita Lineman and it’s just damn fine 🥰
October 10, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Glen Campbell is on BBC4 singing Wichita Lineman and it’s just damn fine 🥰
A lovely birthday gift from @nessbattery.bsky.social - a book written by the wonderful @peteralanross.bsky.social. That’s my weekend sorted ❤️
October 3, 2025 at 6:22 PM
A lovely birthday gift from @nessbattery.bsky.social - a book written by the wonderful @peteralanross.bsky.social. That’s my weekend sorted ❤️
Reposted by Storyteller Fran
Tomorrow (Monday 29 Sept) sees the last 🪦 historic graveyard tour🪦 of the season. It starts at 2pm inside, next to the custodian’s office - costs £10pp and lasts an hour.
September 28, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Tomorrow (Monday 29 Sept) sees the last 🪦 historic graveyard tour🪦 of the season. It starts at 2pm inside, next to the custodian’s office - costs £10pp and lasts an hour.
🥺
Yesterday we said goodbye to our Team Leader for Heritage, Meredith. She joined us as cathedral conservator in 2019, and has transformed care of the cathedral building over the past 6 years. Here she is on her final day with Peter, technician, and Fran, curator. Good luck for the future, Meredith!
September 27, 2025 at 8:50 AM
🥺
Reposted by Storyteller Fran
We had a great turnout for the storytelling event today - thanks Tom, Marita and Fran!
September 14, 2025 at 3:08 PM
We had a great turnout for the storytelling event today - thanks Tom, Marita and Fran!
Reposted by Storyteller Fran
✨✨✨ TODAY ✨✨✨ As part of the Orkney Festival of Archaeology, we are having a storytelling session this afternoon at St Peter’s Kirk, Sandwick. It’s £8pp, and the church is very traditional and unspoilt…so please wrap up warm if you are planning to come along!
September 14, 2025 at 6:44 AM
✨✨✨ TODAY ✨✨✨ As part of the Orkney Festival of Archaeology, we are having a storytelling session this afternoon at St Peter’s Kirk, Sandwick. It’s £8pp, and the church is very traditional and unspoilt…so please wrap up warm if you are planning to come along!
Reposted by Storyteller Fran
Huge thanks to everyone who came along on our special Graffiti Tours, put on as part of the Orkney Festival of Archaeology. Here's Curator Fran Flett Hollinrake in full flow! (Thank you to Valeria for the photo) ⛪
September 12, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Huge thanks to everyone who came along on our special Graffiti Tours, put on as part of the Orkney Festival of Archaeology. Here's Curator Fran Flett Hollinrake in full flow! (Thank you to Valeria for the photo) ⛪
Reposted by Storyteller Fran
A life-sized bronze statue has been unveiled on the island of Papa Westray, Orkney, in memory of the last known Great Auk Pinguinus impennis killed there in 1813. The statue is an exact replica of the preserved remains of the bird, which are held by the Natural History Museum.
August 19, 2025 at 10:15 PM
A life-sized bronze statue has been unveiled on the island of Papa Westray, Orkney, in memory of the last known Great Auk Pinguinus impennis killed there in 1813. The statue is an exact replica of the preserved remains of the bird, which are held by the Natural History Museum.
Here’s my Welsh great grandmother ☺️🏴 She too was a Frances, but generally known as Fanny or Fan! The details are great - gumboots, crossover pinny, one sleeve rolled up… 😍
August 21, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Here’s my Welsh great grandmother ☺️🏴 She too was a Frances, but generally known as Fanny or Fan! The details are great - gumboots, crossover pinny, one sleeve rolled up… 😍
I had a lovely afternoon visiting St John’s Kirk - Walls Heritage today! The church looks lovely and there is new interpretation about the area. Interesting graveyard tour, yummy cakes, & I met @janejanealogy.bsky.social too! Well done to everyone involved - hope you get lots of generous visitors 💒
July 27, 2025 at 8:41 PM
I had a lovely afternoon visiting St John’s Kirk - Walls Heritage today! The church looks lovely and there is new interpretation about the area. Interesting graveyard tour, yummy cakes, & I met @janejanealogy.bsky.social too! Well done to everyone involved - hope you get lots of generous visitors 💒
In Edinburgh this morning I got to visit two very special churches; the Magdalene Chapel in the Cowgate, and the well house of St Triduana in Restalrig. Hooray for the lovely volunteers who opened up for me.
July 15, 2025 at 8:08 PM
In Edinburgh this morning I got to visit two very special churches; the Magdalene Chapel in the Cowgate, and the well house of St Triduana in Restalrig. Hooray for the lovely volunteers who opened up for me.
Pre-anniversary Afternoon Tea at the fabulous Birsay Bay tearoom. We had a walk afterwards and saw puffins 😎
July 13, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Pre-anniversary Afternoon Tea at the fabulous Birsay Bay tearoom. We had a walk afterwards and saw puffins 😎
Reposted by Storyteller Fran
The Island Games 2025 are upon us! It’s sunny and hot and buzzing out in the street, but inside we are a cool, calm and quiet. We have a beautiful sound installation and the wonderful Sails in St Magnus - come in for a gentle moment.
July 12, 2025 at 3:16 PM
The Island Games 2025 are upon us! It’s sunny and hot and buzzing out in the street, but inside we are a cool, calm and quiet. We have a beautiful sound installation and the wonderful Sails in St Magnus - come in for a gentle moment.
Orkney is hosting the 2025 Island Games and it all kicks off today! I put some Orkney flag bunting out last night as the cycle race comes past here…
July 12, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Orkney is hosting the 2025 Island Games and it all kicks off today! I put some Orkney flag bunting out last night as the cycle race comes past here…
I was telling stories tonight at Skaill House, and shared the billing with local band Stoatfinger! We had a blast 🥰
July 10, 2025 at 9:23 PM
I was telling stories tonight at Skaill House, and shared the billing with local band Stoatfinger! We had a blast 🥰
Reposted by Storyteller Fran
World War One ship's bell recovered after 108 years www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
HMS Vanguard: World War One ship's bell recovered after 108 years
It had lain underwater after accidental magazine explosions sank the battleship HMS Vanguard at Scapa Flow in 1917.
www.bbc.co.uk
July 5, 2025 at 4:47 PM
World War One ship's bell recovered after 108 years www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
A beautiful evening for a walk around the Ring of Brodgar. I’ll never take this for granted.
July 1, 2025 at 7:33 PM
A beautiful evening for a walk around the Ring of Brodgar. I’ll never take this for granted.
Reposted by Storyteller Fran
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'How do Ich werke thys?'
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'Wher ys that large destrier?'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my beautiful castle!'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my swift goshawk!'
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'Wher ys that large destrier?'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my beautiful castle!'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my swift goshawk!'
June 21, 2025 at 4:56 PM
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'How do Ich werke thys?'
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'Wher ys that large destrier?'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my beautiful castle!'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my swift goshawk!'
And thou mayest aske thyself, 'Wher ys that large destrier?'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my beautiful castle!'
And thou mayest telle thyself, 'Thys nys not my swift goshawk!'
I really did not see where this was going 😂
Every guy with a tragic backstory (in a movie):
June 21, 2025 at 8:51 AM
I really did not see where this was going 😂
Solstice greetings from 59 degrees north! Some photos of our gathering, including a midnight selfie ☀️
June 21, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Solstice greetings from 59 degrees north! Some photos of our gathering, including a midnight selfie ☀️