In 2018, Kilkivan Chapel and Cemetery, which are situated by the remains of High Kilkivan and Trodigal Cottage, 1 kilometre east of Machrihanish, received only occasional maintenance by Argyll & Bute Council; with the result the site had deteriorated into a state of disrepair. This graveyard not only contains the remains of relatives of past and present residents of the local area, Drumlemble and Machrihanish, but also has eight 14th and 15th century West Highland grave slabs.
Sometime around the year AD 600 a chapel was erected on the hillside at Kilkivan, west of Campbeltown. The church is linked to St Kevin. The ruined building we see today appears to be 13th century. Kilkivan was also the former site of the Campbeltown Cross.
In 2019 a group was formed with the aim of tidying up the grounds, establishing better access and most importantly preserving the historic 14th and 15th century grave slabs, as these slabs were open to the atmosphere and required protection from the elements.
This group united with Laggan Opportunity & Amenity Fund (LOAF) to work with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to identify how to proceed with the restoration. Subsequently a stone conservator and a structural/ conservation engineer visited the site and presented us with reports and costs of conserving and rendering the chapel walls safe and restoring and resetting the grave slabs.
Killean and Kilchenzie churches and adjoining graveyards are both close to the A83; Killean is a short stroll from the Kintyre Way, and Kilchenzie Church can be seen on the hill, as you come round the bend through Kilchenzie Village. Both churches played a significant role in the religious life of Kintyre, Killean Church, in particular being at times the religious centre for a much larger area than the present Killean and Kilchenzie parish, which also included Saddell, Carradale, and some of North Kintyre. The 12th Century buildings, Medieval Carved Stones (18 at Killean, and 10 at Kilchenzie), and the Graveyards are considered to have the potential to attract tourist interest on an ongoing basis.
In both cases, a large proportion of the original walls still exist. In each, a roofed enclosure protects the carved stones.
Reports found there was rampant ivy overgrowth to both Killean & Kilchenzie structures. It was so bad in some places that the walls were completely covered and starting to ‘spall’, with the addition of Plane trees growing out of the wall heads at Killean. Killean & Kilchenzie Churches Preservation Association (KKCPA) was formed in 2009. The objectives of the Preservation Association were, and still are, to fund and, under the guidance of specialist organizations, manage any necessary work which would lead to the preservation of the buildings and the old churchyards. A Memorandum of Understanding was formed with KKCPA & Argyll & Bute Council (who own the sites) and provide regular basic maintenance. This enabled assessments to be conducted for the long-term goals needed to restore the churches to a safe condition.
In 2016 we were fortunate when expert Conservator, Krystyna Pytasz came onboard and we secured some emergency funding from Historic Environment Scotland to prevent both sites falling into further disrepair.
Much of the ivy was cleared, some bracing and sandbagging was done to halt the worst of the ‘splaying’ which can happen when ivy and water gets into the walls. The intention was to apply for further funding to consolidate the walls and provide safe spaces for the future display of the Medieval Carved Stones …
Then in 2019 COVID came! And all work ground to a halt.
Subsequently, progress was very slow until a last-ditch attempt to regenerate enthusiasm for the project was made by LOAF. This resulted in a well-attended Annual General Meeting in August 2023 with representatives of Killean & Kilchenzie Churches Preservation Association (KKCPA) present. It was agreed at this meeting that LOAF would work together with KKCPA to conserve the three ruined churches, their churchyards, and their collection of Medieval Carved Stones.
An information leaflet, with photographs of the three sites, would be produced, highlighting the educational, economic, and touristic benefits of the significant mediaeval heritage in Kintyre, as well as the construction of a website were agreed.
And so the Medieval Kintyre Project was born!
Representatives of LOAF and KKCPA met with Oliver Lewis, (Historic Environment Scotland), Paul Martin, (Argyll & Bute Council) and Krystyna Pytasz (Addison Conservation & Design), where Oliver indicated that a considerable amount of masonry consolidation needed to be done at all three sites and that all three sites had culturally significant stones. He stressed the need to work together to access larger funding streams. In November 2023 a Partnership Agreement document was signed on behalf of LOAF by Valerie Nimmo and by Marion McDonald on behalf of KKCPA
The aims of the Medieval Kintyre Project reflect the aims of both KKCPA & LOAF, namely:
- The sympathetic conservation and consolidation of the three 12th Century church buildings, making them safe for generations to come;
- To ensure that the Medieval Carved Stones are accessible to the public;
- To improve access to the rest of the graveyards – particularly the older sections where there are some very unusual and interesting gravestones. Just as important, is the care of the more recent grave stones so family members can safely trace their forebears and visit their last resting places;
- To provide an educational repository of a nationally significant collection of Medieval Grave Stones and which are recognized as such, by Historic Environment Scotland.