Archaeology Notes

Event ID 659625

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/659625

NH41NW 3.00 4221 1662 and 4203 1673

(NH 42210 16643) Clachan an Inbhir [NAT]

(NH 4203 1673) St. Columba's Well [NR]

OS 6" map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1904).

NH41NW 3.01 NH 42236 16715 Gate Piers

Clachan an inbhir is a burial place, said to be associated with St. Columba's Well. At St. Columba's Well is an uninscribed stone slab set up when the well was cleaned out some years previous to 1871.

OS Name Book 1871.

Legend says St. Columba caused this stone to be erected after blessing the well on his way to visit King Brude.

J Ross 1882.

Columba probably founded the old church at Invermoriston, which was known as Clachan Cholumchille, or Columba' s Church. In the immediate vicinity of its site is Col- umba's Well - Fuara Cholumchille - a holy fountain noted for many centuries for its remarkable curative properties.

W Mackay 1914.

The traditional site of St. Columba's Church was pointed out by Mr. Macdonald (Mr W Macdonald, The Smithy, Invermoriston) at NH 4203 1665, but there is nothing to be seen in the ground. St Columba's Well is marked by an inscribed stone.

No trace of the uninscribed stone slab mentioned by the O.N.B. could be found.

Clachan an Inbhir is still in use.

Visited by OS (R D), 11 May 1964.

NH 42211664 135 memorials recorded. Survey concentrated on oldest part of site and did not include modern extension to NE. Reports lodged with Highland SMR and the NMRS.

Sponsors: CBA Challenge Funding, Highland Council, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Inverness Area Countryside Project, Leader II.

S Farrell 1997.