Archaeology Notes

Event ID 673029

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/673029

NM22SE 4.01 2861 2453

(NM 2861 2453) A cell, thought to be that of St Columba mentioned by Adamnan, was revealed by excavation in 1957 on the top of Tor Abb which was formerly known as 'Dun nam Manach' (A Ritchie and E Ritchie 1934) - 'Fort of the Monks'.

Tor Abb was originally a ridge but has been levelled on top by revetting both sides, the revetments being held in place by huge boulders. On the west, the revetting has been left exposed, but on the east, the supporting stones appear to have been robbed and the earth has slipped. On the semi-artificial top of the mound a small, square cell has been built, its low stone walls being carefully keyed into irregularities in the rock. The interior is scooped. The remains suggest that the wall itself has been only a few feet high supporting a 'wig-wam' type roof of wood, turf and heather thatch.

Within the cell was a broad slab of rock, which could have served as a seat or bed, and three shaped granite stones, lined up with a slot in the natural rock. These must have supported a table-top of stone or wood. There were virtually no finds and the cell was filled with clean beach-pebbles as if for preservation. A medieval cross-base partially overlay the cell wall on the north.

The suggestion that this was Columba's cell appears to be supported by all the available evidence.

M Martin 1695; O G S Crawford 1933; C Thomas 1957; R Reece, undated; A C Thomas 1971.

The remains on Tor an Aba are generally as described.

Surveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (RD) 9 June 1972.