Chapel of St Fyndoca facts for kids

The Chapel of St Fyndoca (also called Fyndoc or Findoc) is an old church ruin. You can find it on Inishail Island in Loch Awe, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.

This chapel used to be the main church for the area of Inishail. This area included some nearby islands and parts of the land around the loch. Records show the church existed in the mid-1200s. However, people stopped using it in the 1700s. Today, it is a ruin. It is surrounded by a graveyard with old carved stones from the Middle Ages and later. The church for this area is now the Glenorchy Parish Church in Dalmally. The remains of the chapel and its burial ground are protected as an important historical site.

History of the Chapel

The chapel has a long history, going back many centuries.

Early Records and Gifts

In 1257, the church of St. Findoc of Inishail was given to Inchaffray Abbey. A man named Athe, with his brother Sir Gilbert, gave the church and all its income to the abbey. This church was on Inishail Island in Loch Awe. It served the island, smaller islands, and land on both sides of the loch. The church stayed with the abbey until the Reformation. This was a big change in Scotland's religious practices.

Around 1400, a writer named John of Fordun mentioned the parish church. Later, in 1529, Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll, made a deal. He gave land to Duncan Makcaus. In return, Duncan and his family had to keep up the chapel of Saint Fyndoc on Inishail. They also had to arrange for special church services. These services were for King James V and the Earl's own family members. In 1556, Queen Mary officially approved this agreement.

Changes and Disuse

In 1618, the Inishail parish joined with the Glen Orchy Parish. By 1736, the old chapel on Inishail Island was falling apart. Services stopped there. A new, more convenient church was built at Cladich. This new church was on the south side of the loch, across from Inishail.

Exploring the Chapel Grounds

The chapel grounds hold many interesting historical features.

What Remains of the Chapel?

You can still see parts of the small chapel walls on a small hill. Inside, the space is filled with stones and plants like nettles. A larger area around the chapel is protected by an iron fence. The MacArthur family has graves here. Also, the 12th Duke of Argyll was buried here after he passed away in 2001.

The Ancient Cross

Near the middle of the chapel ruins, there is an old cross. It has a similar design carved on both sides. The surface is very worn down by the weather. However, it seems the carving has not changed much from what is visible today. Without its base, the cross is about 5 feet 3 inches tall. It is 1 foot 3 inches wide at the top and 1 foot 8 inches at its widest point.

Important Stones and Slabs

Outside the chapel ruins, but still inside the fenced area, are several stones. These stones likely date back to the 1300s and 1400s. Some are so damaged that you can barely see the carvings.

One of the most notable stones is in better condition because its carvings were cut deeper. It now lies flat like a gravestone. However, it might have been used for something else originally, like an altar front or a door lintel. This stone shows figures of armed men. In the middle, there is a carving of Jesus on the cross. To his right, a figure holds up a chalice. This figure probably represents the Church receiving Jesus's blood. This was a common idea in art during the Middle Ages.

The rest of the stone shows heraldic symbols. These are special designs used by families or groups. It has a shield with a one-masted galley (an old type of ship). Above it, there might have been a crest, possibly a boar's head. Two armed men appear as supporters, holding up the shield. This stone is likely connected to the Campbells of Lochow. Later, this family used an armed man with a spear and a lady with a letter as their supporters. Their family symbol included a galley with oars for Lorn and a boar's head for a crest.

On the left side, as you enter through the gate, there is another stone in good condition. It looks like some stones found at Kilmartin. Near the top, it shows a man with a sword and spear. Below him are two animals. Their feet seem to be part of a swirling, plant-like pattern. This stone is 6 feet long and 22 inches wide at the top, getting a bit narrower towards the bottom.

Close by, there is a slab with faint signs of a cross. This cross was made of circles that fit together, with hints of small plants. All of it is very worn away. The main part of the cross, which was decorated, is 3 inches wide. The stone is 5 feet 10 inches long, 22 inches wide at the top, and 19 inches wide at the bottom. It is broken near the bottom.

Images for kids

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  The carved inscription reads: 12th Duke of Argyll MacCAILEIN MOR Chief of Clan Campbell 1937 - 2001