Description

The monument comprises of the remains of a 14th century chapel, dedicated to St Ninian, which was restored in the late 19th century.  The foundations of a wall are visible approximately 4.5m to the south of the chapel. Beyond this are the remains of a sub-oval enclosure which survives as a low bank. The monument is located on sloping ground on the eastern side of the Isle of Whithorn.  

The chapel is rectangular in plan, measuring approximately 10m east to west and by 6.7m north to south. There is an entrance on the southern wall of the chapel with a small square window directly to its right. There is a small window on the northern wall, and a narrow window at the top of the western gable.  The eastern end of the chapel is illuminated by a large arched window.  A small square alcove is built into the interior of both the northern and southern walls of the chapel at its eastern end.  Foundations of a wall are visible approximately 4.5m to the south of the chapel, which may relate to the earlier enclosure wall.  The chapel site is surrounded by a sub-oval enclosure which represents the earliest phase of occupation of the site.

The scheduled area is irregular on plan to include the remains described above and an area around in which evidence for the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map.  The scheduling excludes the post and wire fence surrounding the monument, the iron access gate, the top 200mm of all paths and the interpretation plinth beside the entrance gate to allow for maintenance.

 

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

Cultural Significance

The monument's cultural significance has been assessed as follows:

Intrinsic Characteristics

The monument was partially restored in the late 19th century by the Marquis of Bute.  This restoration replaced many of the missing quoin stones and re-pointed the masonry while retaining the essential features of the structure. The foundations of the wall directly to the south of the monument may relate to a surrounding enclosure wall of an earlier chapel, the foundations of which were discovered through excavation. Enclosure walls are associated with other 10th-12th century ecclesiastical sites in Dumfries and Galloway, such as Chapel Finian (SM90071, Canmore ID 62114) which is located approximately 23.6km to the northwest, on the western coast of the Machars of Galloway.  Surrounding the chapel is the slight remains of an earthen enclosure which may represent a pre-10th century phase of ecclesiastical activity.

The chapel and enclosure wall are likely to seal archaeological features and artefacts relating to the chapel's construction. It may also include environmental evidence dating to the time of the monuments construction.  This evidence can inform us of local agricultural practices and environmental processes.  There is no record of the chapel being used for burial, and no human remains were identified during previous excavations.  Excavations have revealed evidence of an earlier chapel, and it is likely that there is further evidence for past use of the site before the construction of the current chapel. The slight remains of what is believed to be an earlier enclosing bank suggests that the site has a complex and extended development history.

Contextual Characteristics

The Machars of Galloway has a number of medieval ecclesiastical sites associated with St Ninian. Approximately 5.5km to the northwest of the chapel is the early-historic Whithorn Priory (SM12991), purportedly founded by the saint in the 4th century. Archaeological evidence has shown that Whithorn was a Christian settlement from at least the mid-5th century.  By the time of the construction of the present St Ninian's chapel in the 14th century on the Isle of Whithorn, the priory was a significant ecclesiastical centre. The earlier importance of Whithorn as a site of both religion and secular power is indicated by the existence of a promontory fort just to the south of the chapel (scheduled monument SM1985, Canmore ID 63098). This site may have been occupied at the same time as the earliest phases of the chapel.

The chapel is located on the eastern side of the Isle of Whithorn with extensive views over the Irish Sea toward England and the Isle of Man. This location is important in understanding of the purpose of the chapel. The chapel was constructed as a place for pilgrims from England, the Isle of Man and Ireland to give thanks for a successful sea journey while travelling to Whithorn. The chapel would have been the first location for many pilgrims to visit when arriving on the southern end of the Whithorn peninsula, likely via the nearby harbours at Chapel Port East and Chapel Port West. The presence of an early oval enclosure which would have held a wooden chapel suggests that this pilgrim route had early origins.  It has been suggested that Chapel Finian served a similar purpose, and that both chapels were part of a network of chapels on the roads and route ways to Whithorn Priory.

This monument can be compared to other medieval chapels in Dumfries and Galloway, such as Chapel Finian to gain a better understanding of their origin, chronology and distribution in relation to settlement and religious catchments for local communities.  It also has the potential to inform our understanding of early and later medieval pilgrimage routes from England, Ireland and the Isle of Man into Scotland.

Associative Characteristics

The chapel is associated with St Ninian who is said to have founded the chapel to mark the place of his arrival in Scotland. St Ninian is known as the Apostle to the Southern Picts and is first mentioned in a short passage of The Ecclesiastical History of the English People by the Northumbrian monk Bede written around 731. Other written sources include a late 8th-century verse life of Ninian, a 12th-century prose life, and references in a variety of Irish sources, many of which are problematic as factual documents and pose problems of interpretation. The Northumbrians actively promoted the cult of St Ninian from the 8th century, and his shrine at Whithorn was a very important focus for medieval pilgrims, but Ninian himself remains a shadowy figure, despite the research of historians and archaeologists. The cult of St Ninian was significant with medieval dedications widespread in Scotland, parts of Northern England and the Isle of Man. Whithorn and sites associated with St Ninian remain important for Christians today and continues to attract modern-day pilgrims.

Statement of national importance

The monument is of national importance because it has makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the past, in particular of early chapel sites in the Machars of Galloway and their role in the development of the cult of St Ninian, centred on Whithorn. Although the monument was partially restored in the late 19th century, it can still be clearly understood as 14th century chapel. The monument has evidence of a complex development sequence, with a series of earlier enclosures surrounding the later chapel.  The chapel is part of a wider landscape of broadly contemporary religious and ecclesiastical monuments on the Machars of Galloway. Overall, the monument can enhance our understanding of religious, social and economic activities at Whithorn, as well as the socio-economic impact of major pilgrimage routes within medieval Scotland.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

Historic Environment Scotland http://www.canmore.org.uk Canmore ID 63096 (accessed 08/12/2016).

Dumfries and Galloway Council records the site as 'Isle of Whithorn: St Ninian's Kirk' in the Dumfries and Galloway Historic Environment Record (Reference MDG18160).

Macgibbon, D., Ross, M., 1896, The Ecclesiastical Architecture of Scotland: From the Earliest Christian Times to the Seventeenth Century (Volume II), David Douglas, UK

Radford, C A R., (1957), Excavations at Whithorn (final report)', in Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society, 3rd, vol. 34, 1955-6. Page(s): 162-70

Radford, C. & Donaldson, G., 1957, Whithorn and Kirkmadrine, Wigtonshire: Ministry of Public Buildings and Works Official Guide Book, HM Stationary Office, UK

Radford, C., & Donaldson, G., 2002, Whithorn and the ecclesiastical monuments of Wigtownshire, Historic Scotland Guide, Historic Scotland, UK

Thomas, C., (1961), Two early ecclesiastical sites (Isle of Whithorn and Ardwall Island) and their significance', in Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society, vol. 38, 1959-60. Page(s): 71-5
Historic Environment Scotland Properties
St. Ninian's Chapel
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/st-ninians-chapel
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Related Designations

ISLE OF WHITHORN, ST NINIANS KIRKLB16723
Designation TypeListed Building (B)StatusRemoved

Canmore

https://canmore.org.uk/site/63096/

HER/SMR Reference

MDG18160

Source: Historic Environment Scotland