St Cathan's Chapel facts for kids
St Cathan's Chapel (which is Cill Chatan in Scottish Gaelic) is an old, ruined chapel found on the island of Colonsay. This island is part of Scotland's Inner Hebrides, a group of islands on the west coast. The chapel was built to honor Cathan, a special person from long ago who was respected across the western Scottish islands. You can find the chapel in a place called Lower Kilchattan.
What is St Cathan's Chapel?
St Cathan's Chapel is a very old building that is now in ruins, meaning it's partly broken down but still stands. It was built a long time ago, possibly in the 1300s, before a big change in the church called the Scottish Reformation. The chapel sits inside a walled area that is still used today as a graveyard (a place where people are buried).
What's Special About the Location?
The chapel was built on the same spot where an even older chapel once stood, but there are no signs of that first building left. Close by, there's also a special natural spring called Tobar Chatten, which means "Well of Cathan" in English.
What Was Found Nearby?
Something that looks like a holy water font (a bowl used for holy water) from the chapel was found. It was moved to Scalasaig, another place on Colonsay. Now, it's used as a baptismal font in the local church there. A baptismal font is a special bowl used during a ceremony called baptism.
