Colonsay, Cill Choinnich

NR39SE 10 3553 9184

(NR 3553 9182) Cill Choinnich ( NR )

OS 6" map (1900)

The site of a chapel and burial-ground, now virtually unidentifiable because of sand-blow, where Stevenson uncovered two coffinless skeletons.

The name is anglicised to Kilkenneth and the dedication is to Cainnech of Achadh-bo who died in 600 AD.

W Stevenson 1881; S Grieve 1923.

NR 3554 9184 There is no visible evidence to confirm the existence of a chapel or burial ground. The area is grass-covered sand apart from a small mound at the published site 11.0m in diameter and 0.6m high. The content of the mound appears to be mainly of sea-washed stones and despite the discovery of two skeletons is unlikely to be either a prehistoric burial cairn or a chapel ruin.

Surveyed at 1/10 000.

Visited by OS (BS), 6 April 1974.

Although no trace of any chapel was found in 1974 [1975] by the RCAHMS (RCAHMS 1984) at this location which is marked on the OS map as a chapel site, in 1995, after prolonged dry weather, the contributor and his wife noted on the E side of the burn low grass-covered ruins of a rectangular drystone structure c 5 x 3m, oriented approximately SE. There were no signs of an enclosure or burials but it is suggested that this may be the missing chapel. The site, which is exactly where marked on the map, is about 35m S of a clump of elder bushes beside the burn. This, surprisingly after a century, agrees with comments on the locality by W Stevenson (Stevenson 1881).

About 15m E of the burn and c.75m NE of the structure, several rabbit scrapes disclosed below the turf a dark occupation deposit including marine shells. Stevenson's description of the find of two burials ?about 20 yards up [from the burn] on a sandy braeside? could apply to this spot.

W F Cormack 1996.