<< Our Photo Pages >> Craignish Sculptured Stones - Ancient Cross in Scotland in Argyll
Submitted by Anne T on Friday, 27 July 2018 Page Views: 3053
Early Medieval (Dark Age)Site Name: Craignish Sculptured Stones Alternative Name: Ardfern, Kilmory Chapel, Kirkton Chapel, St. Maelrubha’s Chapels, Caill Mairi, Craignish Parish KirkCountry: Scotland
NOTE: This site is 0.33 km away from the location you searched for.
County: Argyll Type: Ancient Cross
Nearest Town: Oban Nearest Village: Ardfern
Map Ref: NM7782601480
Latitude: 56.154080N Longitude: 5.578924W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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PAB visited on 17th May 2019 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4
Anne T visited on 16th Jul 2018 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Craignish Sculptured Stones, Kirkton: After having arrived at the cottage we were staying in for the next three nights, we decided to head off to find supper, but taking in a couple of sites on the way, one of which we learned about from Rachel Butter's Kilmartin book, the other marked on the OS map. Not the most auspicious of starts, as a lady on a bicycle rode (at speed) up from the lane leading to the castle and told us off for parking on the grass by the garage near the entrance to the castle. She told us the area opposite had been cleared for a car park. I apologised whilst Andrew moved the car and told her we thought the cleared area was just a large passing place, as the road just in front (heading south) split into two – one road to the castle, the other to Aird Farm. We got chatting and she eventually said ‘not to worry’ (a ‘park here’ notice might have helped). She pointed out the old Kirk and told us to ‘enjoy’, which we most certainly did!
Having moved the car to the layby, we walked up to the metal gates up a short, grassy lane by the side of the modern cemetery, which had a “Craignish Sculptured Stones’ sign hanging on it, and let ourselves into the churchyard. Going through the south door into the church nave, turning to our left (west) there was a collection of old grave markers; to the east are some old box tombs. Almost straight in front of us was a cross base, not recorded on Canmore, with a sundial (see the highlighted entry below).
There are a number of Canmore entries for this location. The ‘Kilmartin’ book by Rachel Butter (page 98) reads: Old Parish Church, Kilmarie, Craignish NM 778 014. This former parish church probably dates to the 13th century though much repair is more recent. It overlooks Loch Craignish and neighbours ruins of a former township, Kirkton. Its dedication was to St. Maelrubha of Applecross. The church contains a collection of medieval slabs which formerly were n the graveyard.
Most of the carved stones are products of the 14-15th century Loch Awe School. They depict crosses, swords, armoured figures in niches, and are mostly carved in local epidiorite or quartzite gneiss. Some are of Easdale slate. There are also some Early Christian slabs (pre 10th century) and some 16th century stone chests.
An epidiorite cross base is carved with a sundial; it has a central socket and 24 rays with cardinal points marked by crosses.
Access: Six miles north of Kilmartin on the A816 take a left turn along the B8002 to Ardfern. You will come to the village after 1 mile. The chapel is a further 3 miles on the left. Kilmarie Church is in private ownership.
Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3 Ambience: 4 Access: 4
In a notice inside this chapel, the Natural History and Antiquarian Society of Mid Argyll (NHASMA) tells us: "The origin of this Chapel is not precisely known, but I probably dates from the 12th or 13th century. It measures about 16.5 x 7.5 metres (55 x 25ft), with walls almost 1 metre (3ft) thick … the chapel was abandoned in 1692; it is not clear why … burial continued both in the churchyard and within the derelict church."
A second notice says: "These grave slabs have been moved under cover within the walls of this chapel. Their former positions were not the original ones. The stones are all carved in the locality and most are of 15th or 16th century date, although the small slab immediately inside the entrance bearing an incised Latin cross may be several centuries earlier … (also) a large base for a freestanding cross which has a “Mass-clock” (sundial) on its upper surface."
We became aware of these stones from Rachel Butter's book "Kilmartin" (1999), which tells us "there are .. some Early Christian slabs (pre-10th century) ... (and) An epidiorite cross base is carved with a sundial; it has a central socket and 24 rays with cardinal points marked by crosses."
The chapel is privately owned, but access is obtained through the gate with a large wooden sign announcing "Craignish Sculptured Stones". Walk through the small churchyard, with superb views onto Loch Craignish to the east; enter the chapel through the small arched doorway in the south wall. The collection of stones and the cross base is to your left hand side.
There is also a well at NM 7782 0153, built into a bank north of the chapel and graveyard. This has a small roofed well-house, now partly collapsed.
There are a number of entries in Canmore for this site (Canmore mentions two cross slabs, although there only appears to be one on display and mentioned in the NHASMA texts):
Canmore ID 318669 Early Medieval Cross Slab 1;
Canmore ID 319837 Early Medieval Cross Slab 2;
Canmore ID 22581 Craignish Old Parish Church; and
Canmore ID 80020 Kirkton Well.
The cross base with sundial does not appear to be mentioned on Canmore.
Note: Please note, when parking to look at these stones, please only use the layby on the opposite side of the road to the garage at the east of the entrance to Craignish Castle.
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