Scheduled Monument

St Mary's Chapel and tombstones, TobermorySM4348

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
17/01/1985
Last Date Amended
08/09/2003
Type
Crosses and carved stones: tombstone, Ecclesiastical: chapel
Local Authority
Argyll And Bute
Parish
Kilninian And Kilmore
NGR
NM 50191 55326
Coordinates
150191, 755326

Description

The monument consists of the foundations of a medieval chapel, and carved stones including two of the Iona school. The monument is on soils derived from basic rocks and bones may be expected to survive. In its immediate environment will be important death assemblages, for the chapel was the main focus for local burials before the 17th century and thus before Tobermory was founded. Documentation is good compared to that of most other chapels and suggests the Lord of the Isles exercised ecclesiastical patronage.

Statement of National Importance

The better preserved of the two Iona School stones is important to the theme of late medieval stone carving. The importance of the chapel is to the elucidation of the quasi-parochial network of churches and chapels from the 13th century onwards and by extension to the theme of imposition of this system on the previous looser organisation based on Scandanavian models. This, with the likelihood of survival of death assemblages giving economic and ritual information not available from other sources, and the carved stones, makes the monument of national importance.

References

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the site as 'Mull, Tobermory, St Mary's Chapel and Burial-ground', NM55NW 2.

References:

RCAHMS 1980a, AN INVENTORY OF THE MONUMENTS VOLUME 3: MULL, TIREE, COLL AND NORTHERN ARGYLL (EXCLUDING THE EARLY MEDIEVAL AND LATER MONUMENTS OF IONA), Edinburgh: HMSO, 163-5, No. 324.

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: 17/08/2026 05:57