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Latitude: 56.3921 / 56°23'31"N
Longitude: -5.7121 / 5°42'43"W
OS Eastings: 170988
OS Northings: 728393
OS Grid: NM709283
Mapcode National: GBR DC8T.QC0
Mapcode Global: WH0GG.7L6K
Entry Name: Killean,church,burial ground and tombstones,1270m SW of Carn Ban
Scheduled Date: 3 March 1993
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Source ID: SM5635
Schedule Class: Cultural
Category: Crosses and carved stones: tombstone; Ecclesiastical: burial ground, cemetery, graveyard
Location: Torosay
County: Argyll and Bute
Electoral Ward: Oban South and the Isles
Traditional County: Argyllshire
The monument comprises the remains of the medieval church of the extensive parish of Killean or Torosay and its burial ground, which are located about 250m from the E shore of Loch Spelve near to a deep water anchorage. The church was dedicated to St John and first comes on record in 1393; in 1561 it was listed among the former revenues of the abbot of Iona. It probably became derelict during the seventeenth century. There are a number of important graveslabs and a carved window head within the area.
The church is situated near the W bank of a small stream and occupies a platform edged by revetments running parallel to the E and S walls. Most of the walls are reduced to a turf-covered core but the internal dimensions appear to have been about 13.1m from E to W by 5.8m transversely. There is a late medieval graveslab of fourteenth or fifteenth century date (of the Iona School), reused as a headstone, within the church.
A fragment of window head lies in the burial ground and is likely to be of sixteenth-century date. In addition there is an impressive eighteenth-century headstone. The area to be scheduled measures 50m from NW to SE by 45m transversely, to include the church, burial ground, graveslabs and an area around in which associated remains are likely to survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
The monument is of national importance because it represents the remains of a significant medieval church. It has the potential to provide information about medieval architecture and art history, the development of Christian burial practice, as well as demographic information from its associated burials.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
Bibliography
Reference:
RCAHMS 1980, The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Argyll: an inventory of the monuments volume 3: Mull, Tiree, Coll and Northern Argyll (excluding the early medieval and later monuments of Iona), Edinburgh No. 300.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland
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