Achadh Na Cille

The stones and wall represents the remains of a much disturbed oval burial ground measuring 19.0m x 10.0m which is defined by the remnants of a wall 1.0m wide. Only one cross slab (fig 7) could be located; lying within the N corner of the wall. There is no evidence of any ruined buildings or of a spring or well.

Surveyed at 1/10 000.

Visited by OS (IA) 31 May 1973.

NR78NE 1.00 7618 8807.

NR78NE 1.01 NR 7618 8807 Cross-slab (Inv. No.2, 46A)

NR78NE 1.02 NR 7618 8807 Cross-slab (Inv. No.2, 46B)

NR78NE 1.03 NR 7618 8807 Cross-slab (Inv. No.2, 46D)

NR78NE 1.04 Cross slab

NR78NE 1.05 Cross slab

NR78NE 1.06 Cross slab

NR78NE 1.07 Cross slab

(NR 7620 8806) Sculptured Stones (NR) (5 shown)

(only 4 shown on OS 6" map, 1900)

OS 6" map, Argyllshire, 1st ed., (1880)

The stone which stood beside the roadway (at NR 7617 8808) was one of those given to Glasgow Museum, illustrated in White (1875). Other stones found here are as illustrated in Lacaille (1925).

There is an old well or spring nearby. Its water has formed a morass now extending to part of the burial ground.

A D Lacaille 1925; T P White 1875.

Achadh na Cille: Curving embanked wall in clearing among Forestry Commission plantations, marked by some large old trees, and just E of track. Confused; may have a ruined building. Several flat stones remain, one with an incised Latin cross and another with part of a cross. Two crosses from here are in Glasgow Museum.

M Campbell and M Sandeman 1964.

Information from OS.

NR 7618 8807. No change to the report of 31 May 1973.

Surveyed at 1/10,000.

Visited by OS (BS) 19 January 1977.

This former burial-ground is situated on one of the heavily indented peninsulas at the head of Loch Sween, 1.1km NNE of Rubh' an Oib ('the Point of Oib') and 200m from a sheltered inlet on the E shore of the peninsula. The site lies 30m E of a forest track perpetuating an older path, and an elaborate cross-slab (infra , number 7) formerly stood beside the track.

When White visited the cross-slab in 1869, the burial ground was so overgrown that he did not identify it, and it has subsequently been damaged by timber extraction (en.1). It is placed immediately below a higher terrace which is revetted by the W wall of the enclosure, while to the N the ground slopes to a small valley. A curving wall enclosed the site on E and S, forming an area about 18m from N to S by 6m to 10m in width; the remains of the wall incorporate some massive schist orthostats up to 0.8m high and set transversely. There is no evidence of a chapel, and no gravemarkers appear to be in situ, but the site is associated with an important group of Early Christian carved stones, three of which remain there.

RCAHMS 1992, visited May 1984

[See RCAHMS 1992, 45-47, for a description of the carved stones]

Only three carved stones remain within the enclosure (sub-numbered 1.01-1.03), three were removed (RCAHMS 1992: No.2, 46C, 46G, 46E & H) in 1924 to Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum, Kelvingrove and one (RCAHMS 1992: No.2, 46F) stands outside the N wall of St Columba's Episcopal Chapel, Poltalloch where it was taken in 1927 (NR89NW 55). The archive drawings for those removed are listed with this site.

RCAHMS 1992; Information from RCAHMS (DE) 1 December 1995

Former burial-ground with irregular enclosure.

Numbers (3) (NR78NE 1.03), (6) (NR78NE 1.06) and (7) (NR78NE 1.07) were removed in 1924 to GAGM, but number (7) was lent in 1997 for display at Kilmartin House Museum. In 1998 number (6) was placed on display in St Mungo's Museum of Religious Life and Art, Glasgow. Number (5) (NR78NE 1.05) was taken in 1927 to St Columba's Episcopal Church, Poltalloch (No.95).

I Fisher 2001.

NR 761 880 Site included in an archaeological evaluation carried out as part of the Dalriada Project. This Scheduled ancient burial ground was included within the programme as its layout was poorly understand and presently remains partially hidden beneath undergrowth. A site visit confirmed the exten of vegetation regeneration, but a present little other work could be undertaken at the site without a detailed project design submitted to Historic Scotland to obtain Scheduled Ancient Monument consent.

R Regan, 2006.