Scheduled Monument

St John's Church, church, burial ground and carved stones, KilleanSM3030

Status: Designated

Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

Summary

Date Added
27/05/1971
Last Date Amended
15/08/2013
Type
Crosses and carved stones: cross slab; tombstone, Ecclesiastical: burial ground, cemetery, graveyard; church
Local Authority
Argyll And Bute
Parish
Killean And Kilchenzie
NGR
NR 69507 44572
Coordinates
169507, 644572

Description

The monument comprises the remains of the old parish church of Killean and its burial ground, which contains a variety of carved gravestones. A simple, unicameral church was erected here probably in the second half of the 12th century. It was extended by the addition of a chancel to the E in the early 13th century with an elaborate E window, and a N aisle was added during the 15th century. The church was abandoned in 1770, but the N aisle was reused in the 19th century as the burial aisle of the MacDonalds of Largie. Evidence for this development sequence survives in the upstanding fabric of the building and further information is likely to be preserved beneath the ground. The church is approximately 25m long (E-W) by 13m wide (N-S). The burial aisle contains several fine 14th- to 15th-century tombstones of the Kintyre and Iona schools, as well as an early Christian cross-shaped stone. The burial ground contains a range of interesting 18th-to 19th-century gravestones, such as that commemorating Donald MacKinnon, who died in 1810, which depicts a man ploughing with a two-horse team. There is high potential for the presence of further archaeological remains and carved stones within the burial ground, possibly including evidence for the early phases of the church. The church is located on the W coast of Kintyre overlooking the Sound of Gigha at a height of around 10m above sea level. The monument was first scheduled in 1971, but the documentation did not meet modern standards: the present rescheduling rectifies this.

The area to be scheduled is irregular on plan to include the remains described above and an area around them within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment may survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. The scheduling extends up to but does not include the stone boundary wall. Specifically excluded from the scheduling are any burial lairs in active use.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of its inherent potential to make a significant addition to our understanding of the past, in particular the establishment and development of a parish church and burial ground from the 12th century to the later 18th century. The church, though roofless, is largely intact and survives as an impressive ruin retaining noteworthy architectural detail. The range of gravestones within and around the church, of various dates and some with fine carving detail, add to the importance of the monument. There is high potential for the survival of archaeological features and deposits within the burial ground and beneath the church spanning at least six centuries of religious worship and burial. The loss of the monument would significantly affect our ability to understand medieval and later church architecture and religious practice in Argyll and western Scotland.

References

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NM64SE 1. The West of Scotland Archaeological Service records the site as WOSASPINs 3147.

RCAHMS. Argyll: an inventory of the ancient monuments, vol 1, Kintyre, p 129-36, no 287.

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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Printed: 28/03/2024 20:38