Eigg, Kildonnan
Cross Incised Stone (Early Medieval)
Site Name Eigg, Kildonnan
Classification Cross Incised Stone (Early Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) Kildonan 1
Canmore ID 319400
Site Number NM48NE 24.01
NGR NM 48 85
NGR Description NM c. 48 85
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/319400
- Council Highland
- Parish Small Isles
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Lochaber
- Former County Inverness-shire
Kildonnan 1 (St Donnan), Eigg, Skye & Lochalsh, cross-slab fragment
Measurements: H 0.39m, W 0.29m, D 0.05m
Stone type: dark grey mica-granulite
Place of discovery: NM 4885 8536
Present location: in St Donnan’s Roman Catholic Church at NM 4741 8853.
Evidence for discovery: found in the ruined church of St Donnan. It appears to have been trimmed and may have been re-used in the fabric of the medieval church. Initially displayed in the porch of The Lodge at Galmisdale, this stone is now in St Donnan’s RC Church.
Present condition: trimmed on three sides but the carving is clear though incomplete.
Description
This was a small tapering slab, grooved by pecking and smoothing with an outline cross with an inner incised cross. There are square pellets in the lower angles between shaft and arms, and at the base of the shaft there is a semi-circular expansion and short incised tang.
Date range: seventh or eighth century.
Primary references: Fisher 2001, 93.
Compiled by A Ritchie 2016
Reference (2001)
(1) Tapered slab of dark grey mica-granulite, broken at the head and foot and measuring 0.39m by 0.29m and 50mm in thickness. It bears the shaft and part of the transom of what was presumably an outline Latin cross, having a grooved cross superimposed on it. The outline and the inner cross are defined by U-section grooves. The transom is incomplete, but it may have been thicker than the shaft since the groove of the upper arm is not visible. The outline cross has square pellets in the lower angles, and below the foot of the shaft there is a chape-like expansion with an incised spike. There are triangular groups of small hollows flanking the shaft, but other similar hollows appear to be of natural origin.
(NMS cast, X.IB 221; PSAS 1933, 66, fig.5; S Wade Martins 1987, 21)
I Fisher 2001
