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MHG5536 - Cross-incised stones - St. Columba's Chapel, A'Chill, Canna

Summary

Several carved stones (cross slabs) have been found in the burial ground, re-used as grave markers. They are likely from the earlier burial ground associated with St. Columba's Chapel to the north.

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

NG20NE 13 2689 0543.

A small monument with an incised Latin cross, of very early type, stands against the wall of the burial ground (described by Muir as modern) which is close to the old graveyard containing St Columba's Chapel, A'Chill. Muir thinks it probably came from this old chapel yard.
W G Collingwood 1906; T S Muir 1885.

A cross-incised stone 1.0m high. It stands against the outer face of the modern graveyard wall at the SW corner at NG 2689 0543.
Preserved at Canna House are four smaller stones incised with a similar cross, and one incised with a Maltese cross. That with the Maltese cross incised and one of the others came from the modern graveyard, one from the wall of a building under reconstruction at 'The Square' (See MHG13829), one from the shore (See MHG13835) and one from the area centred NG 2404 0554, near Tarbert, in the vicinity of several rectangular building footings. Mrs Campbell (J L Campbell, Canna House) believes that all these crosses came from the old St Columba's Chapel burial ground (NG20NE 1) and were dispersed when it was destroyed in the mid 19th century.
Visited by OS (A A) 3 June 1972.

Some 100m to the SSW of St. Columbas Chapel and Burial Ground (MHG3179), on the W slope of the rocky ridge, there is a small rectangular burial-ground bounded by a stone wall of late 19th-century date (MHG58964). The burial-ground contains five early stones (nos.1, 4, 6, 7, 10,) and a crudely-carved graveslab of late 16th or early 17th-century type. Other carved stones which were found in this burial-ground or in nearby field-walls have been removed for safe-keeping to Canna House. <1>

Several carved stones have been found in a burial ground. They appear to have been re-used as grave markers in this burial ground, but are likely to have come from the earlier burial ground associated with St. Columbas Chapel (MHG3179). They are now preserved at Canna House. Additional information on these stones individually is available as HES Canmore. For ther five stones mentioned above, see links below to HES Canmore records NG20NE 1.01; 1.04; 1.06; 1.07; 1.10. For the other carved stones found here, see links below to HES Canmore records NG20NE 1.02; 1.05; 1.09; 1.11; 1.13. <1> <2>

Sources/Archives (5)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 2691 0543 (10m by 10m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG20NE
Civil Parish	SMALL ISLES
Geographical Area	LOCHABER

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

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