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Latitude: 58.1009 / 58°6'3"N
Longitude: -6.4385 / 6°26'18"W
OS Eastings: 138591
OS Northings: 921040
OS Grid: NB385210
Mapcode National: GBR B7H9.TZ6
Mapcode Global: WGY3J.2NB3
Entry Name: St Columb's Church,Eilean Chaluim Chille
Scheduled Date: 17 February 1992
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Source ID: SM5345
Schedule Class: Cultural
Category: Ecclesiastical: church
Location: Lochs
County: Na h-Eileanan Siar
Electoral Ward: Na Hearadh agus Ceann a Deas nan Loch
Traditional County: Ross-shire
The monument consists of the remains of a single chambered early Mediaeval church within a burial ground. The church is located on the SE coast of Eilean Chaluim Chille near the mouth of the Loch Erisort, a sea loch. The building has lost its gables but elsewhere the walls generally survive to a height of 2.1m. It is orientated E-W, measuring externally 11m by 5.7m over walls 1m thick. The masonry is of rough random coursed rubble with small stone pinnings.
There is a deeply splayed, round headed window in the SE part of the South wall which has been blocked up on the exterior. Its sill has fallen and is inside the church. A section of the North wall has been poorly consolidated, possibly obscuring the entrance. The overgrown interior of the church contains a number of upright 19th century grave stones. The graveyard measures approximately 30m N-S by 25m E-W and contains numerous marker stones and several 19th century tablets.
There is a well constructed retaining wall between the burial ground and the shore. Against the S wall of the burial ground is a well. On either side of the cemetery are the wall footings of old farmsteads and field boundaries. These dwellings have subsequently had a pair of small high walled rectangular burial enclosures built within them.
The area to be scheduled is irregular and measures a maximum of 30m N-S by 30m E-W to include the Church and burial ground as shown in red on the accompanying map.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
The monument is of national importance as a good example of a simple early Christian chapel which preserves evidence of ecclesiastical architecture. The dedication to St Columba, although no doubt indirect, may signify an original connection with Iona, and the surviving structure may overlie an earlier foundation, offering the possibility of information regarding the spread of the Celtic Church throughout the Western sea-board of Scotland following St Columba's mission.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Bibliography
RCAHMS records the monument as NB 32 SE 1.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
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