IONA ABBEY
Iona, its Abbey and nunnery
is a lasting symbol of
Christianity in Scotland.
Click on the images to enlarge
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St. John's Cross
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St. Columba set foot on Iona in AD563 and founded a
monastery which became the heart of the Scottish Church in earlier times.
It became renowned through Europe as a centre of learning and
artistic achievement in Medieval times. The foundations of St. Columba’s shrine
is perhaps the
resting place of St Columba himself, although historians maintain that his body
was removed and taken to Dalkirk.
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Iona Abbey undergoing repairs
Bishops House, Iona
St. Martin's & St. John's
St. Oran's Chapel
crosses at Iona Abbey |
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In 1200 a Benedictine Abbey replaced the Columban monastery
and the Augustinian nunnery was also built. Beside the Nunnery, St Ronan’s
chapel was rebuilt as the parish church. The paths between all these places of
worship were well trodden from early times until present day by locals and
pilgrims alike and today you can see a prayer-cross, MacLeans Cross (15th
century), sat up at a point where all tracks met.
However, the Scottish reformation of 1560 ended monastic
life on Iona and the Abbey, Nunnery fell into ruins, although they were still
visited right up to the present day where the Abbey has now been restored to new
life by the
Iona Abbey Trust and is now cared for by
Historic Scotland. |
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ITEMS TO NOTE IN
THE ABBEY
Marble effigies commemorate the eighth Duke of Argyll and
his wife. His wife has her crown on, he has none. This indicates that he was
buried elsewhere while she was buried on Iona in 1925.
You can see distinctive simple crosses carved on the inside
of the church walls. These were done when the church was consecrated.
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The grave of the
8th Duke of Argyll |
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Window dedicated
to St. Margaret |
Window dedicated
to St. Columba |
There are only 4 stained glass windows
in the Abbey.
These are of St. Margaret of Scotland, St. Columba, St. Bridget and St.
Patrick.
The Communion table and baptismal font are made of Iona
marble.On the south side of the choir are 3 pointed arches opening
to the south choir aisle. There are fine carvings of biblical scenes, animals
and foliage on the capitals at the top of the pillars. Depictions of
contemporary life, including an armed rider & foot soldier and a cow killing
scene.
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The baptist font
at Iona Abbey |
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Around the walls of the cloister is a magnificent
collection of West Highland grave-slabs. They represent a local style of West
Highland stone carving developed on Iona during the 14th century, and
are now known
as “the Iona School” (see also Inch Kenneth).
These stones commemorate leading members of West Highland
families. They have distinctive foliage-ornament and often swords and hunting
scenes. They were removed from Reilig Odhrain to protect the carvings.
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REILIG ODHRAIN & ST ORAN’S CHAPEL
The graveyard,
Reilig Odhrain, is the burial place of
monks and warlords from early times. Some of their gravestones are in the abbey
museum. St Oran’s chapel, an addition in the 12th centur y, was
probably the resting place of “Somerled” Lord of the Isles. Many early Christian gravestones now in the Museum, have
been found in Reilig Odhrain. Fine medieval effigies and grave slabs once marked
the burial sites of leading families of the Isles. Kings from Scotland and Ireland
were also buried here. The Labour Leader, John Smith, was buried here in 1994.
Today it is also the graveyard to local families.
The chapel, restored in 1957, was probably built by
“Somerled” or his son Reginald, “King of the Isles”. Irish influence can be seen
in the decorative doorway.
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Last amended
27/06/2010
© 2000 - 2008 |
