Some time around the year AD 600 a chapel was erected on the hillside at Kilkivan, west of Campbelltown. The church was either founded by St Kevin or named in his honour. The ruined building we see today appears to be 13th century.
The most interesting feature at Kilkivan is a series of 14th-15th century graves slabs in West Highland style. The carving is simply magnificent, though quite worn by weathering.
The sculpture of one stone is similar to the Abbot’s Stone in Saddell Abbey. One of these stones has the striking figure of a priest in the attitude of prayer, another has the figure of a man in full armour, the inscriptions being worn away, except for “Hic est jacit”. This last stone covers the remains of Archibald MacNeal, the great duellist. He taught the art of fencing in Kintyre. He is one of the MacNeals of Tirfergus, and many stories are told of his bravery, and his strength and skill in fighting duels at home and on the continent.
Kilkivan was also the original location of the Campbeltown Cross.
The Cross is Scheduled Ancient Monument No 249. The inscription reads:
“This is the cross of Sir Ivor MacEachen, sometime parson of Kilkivan, and of his son, Sir Andrew, parson of Kilchoman, who caused it to be made”
Sir Andrew MacEachen was promoted from Kilkivan to the church of Kilchoman, in Islay, before 1376, and dispossessed of this benefice shortly after 1382. This suggests that the cross originally stood within or near the graveyard at Kilkivan. It was removed to Campbeltown and adapted to serve as a market cross sometime after the foundation of the Burgh in 1607. It was formerly sited outside the town hall, but was taken down during the Second World War for safety and erected afterwards in its present position. The socket stone appears to be original due to the similarity in the stone, but the rest of the base is modern.