We’re all familiar with Saddell Abbey and the striking display of carved stones depicting ancient knights, now preserved and sheltered from the elements, and recently we celebrated Kilmartin Museum reopening after considerable rejuvenation, but you may not know there are other similar stone relics in graveyards all over Kintyre? Sadly their condition is declining at an upsetting speed.
Carved stone slabs depicting knights, swords, monks and intricate Celtic style designs are an integral part of Kintyre history, in fact we’re famous for being one of the places people were trained in the art in and around the 1300s. That’s nearly 1000 years ago! Some of the stones even have inscriptions, so we even know who is depicted!
Last year two committees of volunteers concerned with the churchyards at Killean, Kilkenzie and Kilkivan joined forces to have these stunning relics properly assessed, restored and displayed so they can be enjoyed for generations to come. We have secured some funding, and have more available (which is where you come in!), and finally the wheels are turning, but the Heritage Lottery Fund specifically request a demonstration of the community being behind the project.
These historic wonders have really declined over the last few decades. The black and white photo (below) was taken in 1961. The colour photo (above)was taken in 2019. As you can see they’re already a shadow of their former selves and need professional care. This is our chance to save them, with a view to creating a heritage trail to showcase our unique and stunning history. Please like and share this post far and wide, and please please come to this event!
We implore anyone interested in preserving our local history to attend Machrihanish Village Hall THIS MONDAY 13th May 2024 at 7.30pm for an AGM. The more people turn out, the stronger the chance of some absolutely essential funding being granted by the HLF.
We need your help for this final push to put three of our oldest, most treasured churchyards on the map alongside our peers at Saddell and Iona before it’s too late.
Currently some sites are in such disrepair they’re inaccessible. You may have noticed scaffolding at Killean, for example.
Help us rectify this by coming to the Laggan Opportunity and Amenities Fund (LOAF) and Killean Kilkenzie Churches Preservation Association AGM at Machrihanish Village Hall THIS MONDAY 13th May 2024 at 7.30pm.
While we have your attention, please consider completing a very quick Survey, this helps us provide community feedback to our funders.
Thank you for your time.