Keeill facts for kids
A Keeill (pronounced 'keel') is a special word from the Manx Gaelic language. It means a small, old chapel. These chapels are found mostly on the Isle of Man. They were built a very long time ago, between the 6th and 12th centuries.
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What's in a Name? The Word Keeill
The word Keeill comes from a Latin word, cella. This Latin word first meant a storeroom or a small room. Over time, it was used to describe a small room where monks lived.
You can find similar words in other Gaelic languages, like Irish and Scottish Gaelic. Sometimes, the word is shortened to "Kil-" in place names. For example, Kilmarnock and Kildare in Ireland and Scotland get their names from this word.
A famous saint, Columba, is known as "Columb Killey" in Manx. This means "Columba of the Keeill."
Ancient Chapels: History and Location
Archaeologists use the word Keeill for a specific type of small chapel. These chapels were built on the Isle of Man between the 6th and 12th centuries. Some similar sites have also been found in places like Islay in Scotland.
The very first Keeills were probably made of wood and haven't survived. The ones we see today were built later, mostly between the 8th and 12th centuries. They were made from rough stones, turf, or wood mixed with rubble. Some even had clay on the walls or plaster.
When Viking settlers first arrived on the Isle of Man, Keeills might have stopped being used. But once the Vikings became Christian, the chapels were often rebuilt in the same spots.
Many Keeills were built on natural hills or mounds. These spots were often old burial sites, like Bronze-Age barrow mounds. They were also often built near a spring or a holy well, which is called a chibbyr in Manx. Many Keeills have old cemeteries around them. Some of these burial grounds might even be older than the Keeills themselves. Sometimes, a Keeill was surrounded by a low wall of earth or turf.
How Many Keeills Are There?
Historians have recorded at least 174 Keeills on the Isle of Man. There were probably more than 200 originally. Today, it's easy to find only about 35 of them.
Many Keeills have disappeared. Some were lost when bigger, newer churches were built on top of them. For example, Kirk Maughold and Kirk Christ Malew were built over old Keeill sites. Other Keeills were damaged or destroyed by people in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. These people were called antiquarians. They were interested in old things, but sometimes they dug up sites looking for treasures instead of carefully studying them.
What Did Keeills Look Like?
Keeills were all generally similar in their basic shape, but they varied a lot in size.
Carl J. S. Marstrander, a professor from Norway, studied Keeills in the 1930s. He described their different sizes:
- The smallest Keeill he found was at Ballachrink in Marown. It was only about 10 feet long and 6 feet wide inside.
- Others could be much bigger, like Keeill Vian in Lonan, which was 23 feet long and 13 feet wide.
- The walls of Keeills were usually thick, from about 2 feet 4 inches to 4 feet 8 inches.
- Outside, the walls were often protected by a bank of earth and stones. This bank was usually 2 to 5 feet high.
Marstrander also described the typical layout of a Keeill:
- They were shaped like a rectangle.
- There was no separate area for the altar or main part of the church. It was all one room.
- The door was usually narrow and tapered (got narrower towards the top). It was almost always on the western wall.
- Most Keeills had only one window. This window was usually about 2 to 3 feet above the floor.
- The altar was always placed against the eastern wall. It was usually about 2 feet high.
Keeills on Time Team
In 2007, the TV show Time Team excavated a Keeill. The Keeill they found matched the general description given by Professor Marstrander. It had thick walls, a rectangular shape, no internal divisions, a single narrow entrance, and an altar on the eastern wall.
See also
- St Trinian's Church, also known as "Keeil Brisht" (broken church)
- Registered Buildings of the Isle of Man
- Keills Chapel, Argyll, Scotland
