Publication Account
Date 1985
Event ID 1018832
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1018832
On the eastern slope of Ben Eoligany are the remains of a medieval church dedicated to St Barr (Cille Bharra) and two chapels, a group similar to that at Howmore, South Uist (NF 758364). Only parts of the side walls of the church still stand; the doorway is on the north side and three windows survive, two at the east end providing light for the altar. On the inside the windows have a pointed arch formed by two lintels set diagonally, while on the outside there is a round-headed arch.
One chapel is largely ruinous, and the west gable stands only to a height of about 2m. The other is well preserved and has recently been re-roofed to provide a shelter for several carved slabs which were in the cemetery. This chapel, or perhaps burial-aisle, is probably later in date than the two other buildings; the entrance was in the west gable, but there is a secondary entrance in the south wall, and there are narrow slit windows in the side walls and east gable.
There are several slabs of interest, including the only West Highland graveslabs on Barra: two of these are decorated with a claymore and foliaceous designs; another is badly weathered, but a galley and a deer can still be seen. An unusual stone found in 1865 is now in NMAS; on the front there is an interlace-filled cross with side panels of scrolls and key pattern. The back has a runic inscription, which reads 'after Thorgerth,Steinars daughter, this cross was raised' and dates to the 10th or early 11 th century.
Information from ‘Exploring Scotland’s Heritage: Argyll and the Western Isles’, (1985).
