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.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM265_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600003197)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises the graveyard around Kilfinan Church, which has an extensive and varied collection of medieval sculptured stones. The monument is being rescheduled to include the Early Christian, medieval and post-Reformation stones and the area within which evidence relating to the early church would be expected to be found.

The present church is 17th-century in date, but the church of St Finan in Cowal is first recorded in the second and third quarters of the 13th century in a series of grants and confirmations to the Cluniac monks of Paisley. The church, which was then a parsonage, was granted along with the chapel of Kilmory, Lochgilp, quarters of the teinds being reserved to the bishop and to the perpetual vicar, who also held pasture land and forty plough rigs.

The churchyard contains a number of medieval slabs, and an extensive and varied collection of post-Reformation stones. In addition, the Lamont Aisle houses a collection of stones from the churchyard including the following: three Early Christian stones, described in the RCAHMS Inventory of Argyll (vol 7, 107-8, nos 1 to 3); 10 medieval stones, nine of which are tapered slabs, the 10th being fragments of a freestanding cross (RCAHMS, 107-9, nos 4 to 13); as well as a number of post-Reformation stones.

The area to be scheduled comprises the area of the churchyard closest to Kilfinan church and the carved stones within the Lamont Aisle. It is irregular on plan with maximum external dimensions of 37m due N-S and 60m due E-W, as marked in red on the accompanying map. The scheduled area has an area excluded from its interior, also marked in red - the footprint of the modern church, which is specifically excluded from the scheduling. Also excluded, but not shown in red on the map are the mural monuments within the Lamont Aisle. In the graveyard, the top 30cm of the make-up of all paths and tracks is excluded from the scheduling. Any burial lairs which are still active are also excluded from the scheduling.

Statement of National Importance

The graveyard is of national importance because of its associations with the 13th century church; for its fine examples of medieval graveslabs and its wealth of post-Reformation headstones; and for its potential to provide archaeological information relating to the earlier church or churches which previously occupied the site. Some individual stones are extremely fine and well preserved examples: their study can contribute to our understanding of ecclesiastical organisation, funerary practices and organisation of the production of monumental sculpture in western Scotland in the medieval period.

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Bibliography

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.