The church was built in 1664 on the site of a previous church, built between 1050 and 1064 by Earl Thorfinn of Orkney. The earlier church is the temporary burial location of Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney (aka St Magnus), who was murdered on the island of Egilsay in 1116. Earl Magnus was declared a saint around 1136 and his bones were later moved to the new St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall, which was built in honour of him.