Archaeology Notes
Event ID 697827
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/697827
NS06SW 3 03660 62646.
(NS 0366 6263) Kilchousland Chapel (NR) (Rems of)
OS 6" map (1957)
The authority for the OS name is unknown, the relevant ONB having been destroyed during the 1939-45 war. It is called Cruiskland Chapel by Blain and Hewison following him. Oriented slightly N of E, it measures some 36' x 21' 6" over 3' - 3'6" thick walls which stand 3' - 4' high, bonded by clay. The door was in the middle of the S wall. Hewison notes that the huge stones of a wall which formerly enclosed the graveyard are still visible. (The dedication is not given by Origines, but Watson, referring to Kilchousland in Kintyre, gives a dedication to St Constantin).
J Blain 1880; J K Hewison 1893; Orig Paroch Scot 1854; W J Watson 1926
NS 0366 6264. Kilchousland Chapel (name not verified) is situated on a level raised beach some 10.0m to the W of the base of a coastal cliff. It measures 8.3m ENE-WSW by 4.1m internally and has a stone wall 1.0m wide, now up to 1.2m high, much of which has tumbled into the interior. The entrance on the S wall is clearly defined. Slight traces of walling to the W may be the remains of the graveyard wall.
Surveyed at 1:10 000.
Visited by OS (TRG) 10 November 1976
NS 0365 6265 Chapel ruins: Located at foot of cliff 400m W of Nether Ardroscadale farmhouse. There are the walls of a substantial rectangular building, 10.5 x 5.5m internal, with 1m thick stone walls with clay bonding. Aligned downhill. There is a large old ash tree near E end. Inside semi-circular dyked enclosure. Alleged by May, Blain, et al to have been a chapel. May refers to adjacent field on cliff top to E as 'Chapell Croft'. Dedication is probably to Constantin, probably of Kilchousland in Kintyre.
Information from Bute Natural History Society Deserted Settlement Survey (1991-9)
(RCAHMS WP000273)
This chapel is situated at the foot of a raised beach cliff about 350m from the shore and 300m W of Nether Ardroscadale farmsteading. Rectangular on plan, it measures 9.1m from ENE to WSW by 5.3m transversely within walls 1.1m in thickness and up to 1.2m in height, with an entrance close to the middle of the SSE side. The ash tree mentioned in a previous report has fallen and the interior and surrounding ground, including the bank of the enclosure in which the chapel stands, have been heavily trampled by cattle.
The chapel is depicted in an area labelled ‘Billie's Bog’ on a late 18th century estate map of Nether Ardroscadale (May 1780-82). The chapel and the enclosure bank are also shown on the 1st edition of the OS 25-inch map (Argyllshire and Buteshire 1869, Sheet CCIII.16) and the chapel was described in the contemporary OS Name Book as 'a small oblong building in ruins’ (No.6, p.51).
Visited by RCAHMS (GFG, JMH) 6 May 2009.
A fragment of what is probably a medieval cross base was discovered here by J Herriot in 2010. The fragment, which is located on the enclosing bank immediately W of the chapel, was drawn in detail by J Borland in October 2010.
Information from RCAHMS (GG) 14 April 2011.
