Field Visit

Date 1975

Event ID 921880

Category Recording

Type Field Visit

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/921880

St Patrick's Chapel, Ceann a' Mhara: The remains of this chapel stand within an enclosure on the W shore of Balephuil Bay. The enclosure follows the natural configuration of the site, and is thus of an irregular polygonal plan that is apparently open-ended to the SE; it measures 44m axially from N to S, and contains an area of approximately 0.14 ha (0.3 acres).

Fragmentary traces of the enclosure wall run intermittently along the crests of the ridges, and the wall is best preserved in the E sector, where it comprises massive outer facing-stones of dry-stone construction and measures over 1m in thickness. Towards the S end of this wall there is a gap formed by a narrow gully which may indicate the position of an entrance about 1m wide. Several scarped platforms are set within the broad ridge that forms the N and E boundaries of the site. Some of the platforms are associated with the slight turf-covered remains of rubble walls, and probably represent the sites of small huts of sub-rectangular or circular plan; at least one (B) appears to have been a nucleated structure comprising two chambers. The chapel stands near the SW corner of the enclosure and immediately NW of a prominent rock outcrop. A fragment of the E gable-wall survives to a height of 1.8m, while the remaining walls are now reduced to turf-covered footings. Against the centre of the E wall there are the remains of an altar-base measuring 1.1m by 0.9m, constructed of lime-mortared rubble, standing to a height of 0.5m above the original floor-level. Towards the W end of the N side-wall there is a gap which probably indicates the position of an entrance, about 0.6m in maximum width. Rather more than 7m N of the chapel there are the ruinous remains of a building of ovoid or sub-rectangular plan (E) which measures about 6m axially from E to W by about 2.7m transversely within dry-stone rubble walls 0.9m in average thickness. The exposed internal and external angles of the building are noticeably rounded. Indeterminate foundations of what appears to be a small hut or enclosure (F) also adjoin the rocky spur on the S boundary of the site. There is a loose scatter of stony debris along the scarped bank to the SE, while a squarish or L-shaped setting of small stones (G) some 9m E of the E wall of the chapel possibly indicates the position of a burial. A small sherd of grass-tempered pottery (not closely dateable) was found in the area immediately S of the chapel; it is now in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland [NMAS]. (Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1977)

'St Patrick's Vat', a well-defined swallow hole of natural formation, was observed, but the small well, said to have been situated between the chapel and the shore (E Beveridge 1903) was not identified.

The three cross-incised stones previously noted were also observed, in the positions given by OS field surveyor.

The site is probably that of a cashel or monastery of the Early Christian period, although the remains of the enclosure wall appear to be rather less substantial than those of other known monuments of this class. Some of the platform hut-sites may be roughly contemporary with the enclosure wall, while the chapel was subsequently added during the medieval period. Nothing is known of the history of the site, which was evidently dedicated to St Patrick.

Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1977; E Beveridge 1977; RCAHMS 1980, visited 1975.