Archaeology Notes

Event ID 673313

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/673313

NM22SE 7 28983 24829.

(NM 2898 2482) Cladh an Diseart (NR) (In Ruins)

OS 6" map (1900)

"Cladh and Diseart" - "Burial-ground of the Hermitage" - or "Cladh Iain" - "John's Burial-ground", is an enclosure about 20 yds square, at the west corner of which are two upright granite stones about 4' high, evidently the gate-posts of an enclosure. A third, about 3' high, adjoins, immediately on the north, and the bank or wall of the enclosure itself contains others. Within this enclosure are the remains of a building whose walls are not parallel with those of the enclosure, and which is presumably the building referred to by Skene as being exposed by excavation the foundations of a rude stone oratory, about 26' long by 14' broad, the wall being 2' thick" (W F Skene 1877).

From the east corner a small, cobbled road leads to Port an Diseirt (NM 2900 2467). At the port are two parallel earthen banks (NM 2897 2473) forming a type of dry dock for a boat, still used in the northern isles. All around are the remains of dry stone walls. A lintel stone is said to have lain across the two portal stones of the enclosure, the structure being known as "the Cromlech". It was broken up in 1867.

A heart-shaped granite boulder inscribed with a Celtic cross was found about 150 yds from the enclosure. Its association is not certain as it was being used as a drain cover, but other flat stones are known to have been removed from the enclosure for drain construction. The stone, now preserved in the cathedral, is now known as "St Columba's Pillow" from the fact that a large granite boulder under which St Columba is said to have been buried lies 20 or 30 yds from where it was found. A fragment of a crucifiction cross is known to have come from the enclosure.

It is not possible to be certain of the age of the remains now visible, but the existence of a hermitage on Iona in 747 is implied by an anchorite holding the abbacy in that year, and the "Disertach" of Iona is mentioned in 1164.

Immediately SW of Cladh an Diseart, Reeve's map shows "Leacht", but as he makes no mention of it, it is not known if this is merely a place-name, or if there was in fact a "leacht". (Oval enclosures are mentioned as being seen on air photographs at Cladh an Diseart, in an anonymous note on OS 6" record sheet. These have not been identified).

O G S Crawford 1933; W Reeves 1857; A Ritchie and E Ritchie 1934; J Drummond 1875; W F Skene 1876

The turf-covered remains of a stone wall 10.0m by 5.0m within which is a (?) building 3.0m by 5.0m. There is no real evidence of the enclosure described but at the W end of the stone wall are the three boulders.

The cross-inscribed boulder is in the Abbey Museum.

Visited by OS (JP) 8 June 1972

Site recorded by AOC (Scotland) Ltd during an archaeological survey of the lands controlled by the National Trust for Scotland on Iona. This survey was conducted in late May and early April of 1996. The full report of this survey has been deposited with both the local SMR and the NMRS.

NM 2897 2484 Burial ground

Sponsor: National Trust for Scotland

T Rees 1996

For 'St Columba's Pillow', now in the Abbey Museum, see NM22SE 5.01, no.60.

I Fisher 2001.