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St Ciaran's Cave

Kintyre, Achinhoan, Argyllshire.

Raised beach sea cave at the foot of a steep escarpment with a mound of talus rising from the sore to the entrance. Site of medieval cross.

A large cave at Achinhoan Head in which is a rudely sculptured stone, said to have been the work of St. Ciaran; and also a font or stone basin which is always full of water, supplied by a continual dropping from the roof of the cave.

"From the close connection subsisting between this Country & Ireland, it is probable that the light of Christianity shone in the fifth century on these lands, long before St. Ciran in 536 became the Apostle of Kintyre. He took up his humble residence in a cave, situated 4 miles from Campbelton which still retains his name. In the centre of the cave, is a small circular basin, which is always full of water, supplied by the continual dropping from the roof of the cave. There is also a rudely sculptured cross, on a stone upon which the saint is said to have sat and prayed. This St. Kiaran was highly esteemed by his contemporary St. Columba" New Stat. [Statistical] Account

"There is a large cave upon the shore at Achanhoan, 4 miles south-east of Campbelton called the cave of Ciaran in which is a carved stone, said to have been engraved by a persecuted minister or hermit, and that he was supported by the peasantry, being much esteemed by them. Some strange stories are told about him which we cannot credit. [History of Kintyre by Peter Macintosh]

St Ciaran's Cave is the largest of a group of caves formed in the conglomerate rock composing the Achinhoan headland. The approach is by means of the foreshore, but access is difficult at high tide. The cave is aligned on an east and west axis. It has a total length of about 40 m and an average width of about 8 m, but narrows sharply towards the inner end. The outer area of the floor is approximately level, but the inner sector slopes sharply upwards. The roof rises to a maximum height of about 12 m. The mouth of the cave was formerly sealed off by a transverse wall built of rubble masonry laid in lime mortar, a method of construction rarely used in the West Highlands before the 12th century. The wall has a thickness of about 0.9 m and now rises to a maximum height of 2.1 m at its south end. The central floor-area of the cave shows considerable traces of disturbance, presumably as a result of the excavations conducted in 1924-5 (JBAA 1923). At the point A on the plan there may be seen what appear to be the footings of the SE corner of a small sub-rectangular building which has abutted the N wall of the cave, while traces of certain other structures, including an oblong stone-lined cavity measuring 1.98 m in length by 1.37 m in width, were found during the excavations mentioned above. Set into the floor of the cave at the Point B on the plan (RCAHMS 1971) there is a stone trough or basin. On the floor of the cave, a little to the E of the trough, there is a boulder measuring 0.76 m by 0.46 m which bears a circular incised decoration on one face, and much of the carved surface is covered with incised initials of fairly recent origin. The decoration is found on Early Christian stones and metal work in Ireland, the Isle of Man and Scotland at dates ranging from the 7th to the 12th century (PRIA 1961). A sandstone slab lies on the floor of the cave in the immediate vicinity of the stone trough. It measures 0.94 m by 0.48 m over all, by 0.15 m in thickness, and is pierced by a rectangular slot 0.41 m in length and 0.06 m in width. The slab is grooved and rebated as if to receive an inserted member. At the point C on the plan what appear to be the mutilated remains of an incised carving can be seen on the rock face of the cave a little over a metre above ground level. The cave is traditionally associated with St Ciaran, abbot of Clonmacnois and titular of the former parish-church of Kilkerran.

Alternative Names: None recorded.

Notes: The cave and contents are as described by the RCAHMS (1971). Surveyed at 1:10,000. Visited by OS (JB) 23 October 1977.

JBAA 1923; PRIA 1961; RCAHMS 1971, visited 1965.