Islay, Kilchiaran
Cup Marked Stone (Prehistoric)
Site Name Islay, Kilchiaran
Classification Cup Marked Stone (Prehistoric)
Alternative Name(s) Kilchiaran Chapel; St Ciaron's Chapel
Canmore ID 37470
Site Number NR26SW 8
NGR NR 20430 60100
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/37470
- Council Argyll And Bute
- Parish Kilchoman
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Argyll And Bute
- Former County Argyll
NR26SW 8 2043 6010
See also NR26SW 6.
(NR 2043 6010) A cup marked and perforated slab lies in rough grass 20yds WSW of St Ciaron's Chapel (NR26SW 6) and 20yds N of the road. The slab is of schist 6ft by 3ft with a thickness of 6ins exposed, the rest being buried. Graham noted 22 cups in 1895 but only 18 are now visible, 6 1/2 ins in maximum diameter and 4 ins deep, clearly man-made but some having vertical sides. Two cups have penetrated the slab completely. The local tradition is that church-goers turned a pestel in any cup-mark
and wished. The constant turning wore the cups, in some cases right through the stone.
R W B Morris 1969; Information from R W B Morris Ts.
The slab bears at least 19 large cups one of which has penetrated the stone. There is also a circular performation.
Information from RCAHMS, visited June 1975.
A cup-marked slab, flush with ground, and as described.
Surveyed at 1:2500 (See NR26SW 10 for mention of the 'wishing ceremony').
Visited by OS (B S) 4 May 1978.
Field Visit (June 1975)
NR 204 601. About 13m SW of Kilchiaran Chapel and there is a prone slab measuring 1.70m and 0.98m and 0.15m in greatest thickness; its level upper surFace bears at least 19 plain cups up to 110mm in diameter and 40mm in depth (Graham, Islay, fig. on p.62). In addition, wear has caused a large deep cup, 180mm in diameter and 80 mm deep, to penetrate the stone, and there is another circular, vertical-sided, perforation measuring 70mm in average diameter and expanding to 90mm at the upper surface of the stone.
RCAHMS 1984, visited June 1975
