Jura, Keils, Cill Earnadil

NR 524 687. Nothing now remains of the church that formerly stood here, the only building now extant being the mausoleum of the Campbells of Jura, erected to a design of William Burn in 1838. (New Statistical Account, Argyll, 1845) This takes the form of a barrel-vaulted cell with heavy angle-buttresses and a steeply-pitched roof of stone slabs. The round-arched entrance is screened by a cast-iron rail and above the arch-head a blank shield and label are carved in relief; the rear wall bears the incised date of erection.

The drystone footings of buildings which are visible immediately to the SW of the burial-ground and on the adjacent left-hand bank of Abhainn a' Mhinisteir probably belong to the former township of Killearnadale.

This is the original site of the parish church of Jura, otherwise named Killearnadale. Little is known of the history of the church during the medieval period, and Monro's description of it as 'ane chapell sorntyme the paroche kirk Kilernadil' indicates that the church had no parochial status in the middle of the 16th century, the mother church then evidently being regarded as that of Colonsay. The parish was of very considerable extent and included not only Jura and Colonsay (which was disjoined in 1861), but also the islands of Scarba, the Garvellachs, Lunga and (until 1726) Gigha. It is not known when the church was removed from this site, but the present parish church (No. 350) was erected in about 1777. The dedication was probably to St Ernan, a follower of St Columba. (Monro 1884; Cowan 1967; Origines Paroch 1851; Scott et al, 1915-61; Watson 1926)

Font. Two schist fragments of the rim of what may have been a medieval font are preserved at Jura Manse; both were found in the vicinity of the burial-ground. The basin evidently had an internal diameter of about 0.32m within octagonal sides, the angles being defined by raised ribs.

The following monuments are in the burial-ground, except numbers 8-11 which lie within the Campbell of Jura mausoleum. (see NR56NW 1.01)

Medieval

(1) Tapered slab, rounded at the base, measuring 1.58m by 0.45m. At the head there is a panel which has contained a three-line inscription in Lombardic capitals, but only occasional letters are now legible. Below is a central sword with lobated pommel and inclined quillons slightly expanded at the ends, set in a scabbard which ends in a chape. Flanking the sword are plant-stems, and at the foot are a casket with well-defined mountings, and a pair of shears, 14th-15th century.

(2) Slab with pointed top, probably by the carver who produced a slab at Kilchoman (RCAHMS 1984, No. 366). It is 1.71m in length by 0.46m in maximum width, at the foot. Within a roll-moulding there is a galley with no sail and disproportionately long mast, followed by a separate panel bordered by a second moulding. This contains a central sword similar to that on number I, flanked by plant-scrolls. To the right of the hilt there is a quatrefoil and to the left an animal, 14th-15th century.

(3) Tapered slab bordered by a triple moulding measuring 1.84m by 0.49m and much worn. At the top is a foliated cross, and then a central sword similar to that on number 1. The decoration to the right of the hilt has been obliterated, but to the left is a deer-hunt, while the sword-blade is flanked by plant-scrolls. At the foot is an illegible two-line inscription in Lombardic capitals, 14th-15th century.

(4) Tapered slab bordered by a roll-moulding, measuring 1.73m by 0.35m and much worn. At the top is a panel for an inscription and beneath this, to the right, a seated ?human figure, followed by a central sword similar to that on number I, flanked by plant-scrolls, 14th-15th century.

(5) Tapered slab bordered by a triple moulding, measuring 1.91m by 0.45m; much worn. A square of plaitwork at the top is followed by a central sword similar to that on number I, flanked by plant-scrolls. To the left of the hilt is a panel which may have borne an inscription, and to the right a pair of scissors, possibly indicating that the person commemorated was a tailor. (Steer and Bannerman 14th-15th century.

(6) Tapered slab, pointed at the base and measuring 1.67m by 0.40m. Within a roll-moulding there is a central sword similar to that on number I. To the right of the hilt is a lion rampant and to the left a panel which may have borne an inscription. Below each quillon, close to the margin, is a vertical stem with simplified leaves branching inwards, 14th- 15th century.

(7) Part of a slab, broken across and measuring 1.02m in length by 0.24m to 0.28m in width. It has a simple border, and at the centre are two incised lines, probably the remains of a sword-blade. This slab may be of late medieval date.

POST-REFORMATION

(8) A recumbent slab of sandstone carved in relief with an armorial achievement, the shield bearing: quarterly, 1st and 4th, gyronny of eight; 2nd, a castle; 3rd, a galley, sail furled. The crest is a dexter hand holding a lance and the motto is AUDACES JUVO (('I help the bold'). At the top there are carved the emblems of mortality, and proceeding from a trumpet a label with the motto SURGITE ETVENITE ('Rise up and come (to judgement)'). In the lower part of the slab is the inscription:

HERE LYES THE/CORPS OFDUNCAN/CAMPBEL BAILIE/OF JURA

& LAWFUL SON TO/ALEXANDER CAMPBEL OF LOCH/INEL

WHO DYED THE 2D DAY/OF MAY 1695

AND OF HIS AGE/THE 99TH YEARS

AND THE/CORPS OF MARY McLEAN

DA/UGHTER TO HECTOR McLEAN/OF TORLOISK HIS SPOUSE

Duncan, a younger son of Alexander Campbell, 3rd of Lochnell, acquired the lands of Sanaig in Jura in 1666 and at about the same time was appointed by the 9th Earl of Argyll to be bailie and chamberlain of the island. (Burke's Landed Gentry 18th ed. 1965-72)

(9) A recumbent slab of sandstone bearing a partially recut inscription commemorating John, son to Duncan Campbel, bailie of Jura (supra, number 8), and Catherine, daughter to Colin Campbel of Lochinel, his spouse, who died in 1726 aged 68. John Campbell, 2nd of Sanaig, died in 1736 aged 95, (Budge 1960) but the space set aside for recording this information remains unfilled. Above the inscription is carved an armorial achievement in relief, the shield bearing: quarterly, 1st and 4th, gyronny of eight; 2nd, ?a boar's head couped; 3rd, a galley, sail furled. Beneath is a label bearing the motto AUDACES JUVO (I help the bold') The crest is illegible.

(10) A recumbent slab of schist bearing the inscription:

HIC JACENT IN TUMULO ARCHIBALDUS/CAMPBELL

HYPOTHECARIUS CREDITOR DE/LOCHHEAD

DUNCANI CAMPBELL BALIVI/JURAE FILIUS SECLJNDUS/

AETATE SUA 66

ET CONIUX EIUS KATHRINA MCSUEEN

IURAE/PASTORIS FILIA AETATE SUA 63

('Here lie entombed Archibald Campbell, wadsetter of Lochhead (Campbeltown), second son of Duncan Campbell, bailie of Jura, aged 66, and his wife, Katherine MacSween, daughter of the minister of Jura, aged 63').

Beneath the inscription are carved two shields. The upper one is charged, for MacSween, a chevron between three boars' heads couped, and above it there is an ?animal for crest, with a label bearing the motto JE ESPERE (1 hope'). The lower shield bears quarterly, for Campbell: 1st, a boar's head couped; 2nd and 3rd, gyronny of eight; 4th, a galley, sail furled. Beneath are carved two lines of almost illegible verse which, with the help of a 19th-century transcript, (SRO Campbell of Jura Collection, GD 64/3/156) may tentatively be restored to read:

MORTEM PRAE OCULIS OTIIA (sic) NOS JUBENT HABERE

QUOCUNQUE DUCET NOS ITER AD VIT_R31 BEATAM

('Our pastimes bid us keep death before our eyes, whithersoever the way to blessed life may lead us').

Archibald Campbell, younger son of the above mentioned Duncan (see number 8, NR56NW 1.01) and ancestor of the Campbells of Glendaruel, appears to have died in or before 1722. (The Clan Campbell 1916; Burke's Landed Gentry 18th ed. 1965-72)

(11) A recumbent slab of sandstone of early 19th-century date bearing an inscription which identifies it as LEAC NAN TRI IAINEAN ('the stone of the three Johns') and commemorates John Maclain Mhiclain MacLean, uncle of Mary MacLean, wife of the Duncan Campbell who died in 1695 (supra, no.8).

(12) A recumbent slab of slate bearing an inscription in irregular capital letters which commemorates Mary Smith, wife of Donald Mcindior, 'Gardenar', who died in 1785 aged 46.

(13) An incomplete headstone of slate, commemorating Alexander Melsaac who died in 1811 aged 29, and bearing in relief a carpenter's square and dividers.

RCAHMS 1984, visited March 1980.