Nave Island Chapel
Nave Island Chapel is a ruined church on the now uninhabited Scottish Hebridean island of Nave . It is located near a short stretch of beach called Port na h-Eaglaise on the south coast of the island. This is located across from Loch Gruinart Bay on the neighboring island of Islay and is a cheap landing place for boats. On July 20, 1971, Nave Island Chapel was added to the British List of Monuments in Category B.
history
It is possible that Nave formed a center of religious activity as early as the 1st millennium. There are indications that the island was the site of a monastery at that time. Although this has not yet been adequately proven, fragments of cross plates found there, whose origin is estimated to be in the 5th century, support the assumption. The location of Naves, a few hundred meters away from a larger island, would also correspond to a typical monastery location. A student of St. Columban is named as a possible founder of the facility .
When the Nave Island Chapel was built and whether it is the successor to an older church is not known. The possible construction period is considered secured. While the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland puts the construction period in the first half of the 13th century, Historic Scotland estimates that it was built around the year 1200. The oldest written evidence of the existence of the church comes from Monro from the year 1594. At that time the island, together with the opposite headland Ardnave on Islay, belonged to the possessions of the monastery on Iona . Later the site must have been abandoned, because in 1785 the church was already in ruins. At this point in time the building was rebuilt and a brick chimney that is still preserved today was used as a place of work to incinerate algae (for the background, see: Brown algae # use ). Then the building fell into disrepair.
description
The masonry of the church consists of grouted basalt rubble that comes from the area. The structures preserved today are probably largely from the reconstruction in 1785. The inner area of 6.75 × 4.1 m 2 was surrounded by 90 cm thick walls. The building was entered from the east and illuminated through a window opening in the north wall, which is now blocked by the chimney. Another window was at the east end of the south side. Finally, the building ended with a slate roof. However, this does not have to correspond to the original roof and may come from the time of the reconstruction.
The church stood on an enclosed area of about 46 × 34 m 2 . The surrounding wall was up to 2.6 m thick and is best preserved in the southeast near the church. Inside and outside the enclosure, the foundation walls of various buildings were discovered, but their use cannot be clearly assigned. It could have been a question of agricultural buildings, because the soils of the island have been described as fertile and the use of fields for arable farming has been proven in the area.
Gravestones or cross slabs were not found on the area around the church, so that it can not be used as a cemetery. Reports that the residents destroyed gravestones and memorials after the reconstruction are unfounded. The only remnant that was discovered was a weathered fragment of a cross, which could have been from the 5th century. It measures 46 cm × 33 × 38 cm and is made of green slate that is present in the region.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g Entry on Nave Island Chapel in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
- ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
Coordinates: 55 ° 53 '58.4 " N , 6 ° 20' 1.2" W.