Alternative Names Cill Mo-Charmaig; Kilmacharmick; Keillmore; Church Of Saint Cormac
Site type BURIAL GROUND (MEDIEVAL), CHAPEL (MEDIEVAL), CROSS, CROSS SLAB(S)
Canmore ID 38654
Site Number NR68SE 2
NGR NR 69134 80538
Council ARGYLL AND BUTE
Parish NORTH KNAPDALE
Former Region STRATHCLYDE
Former District ARGYLL AND BUTE
Former County ARGYLL

Canmore Mapping
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Archaeological Notes

NR68SE 2 69134 80538

(NR 6913 8054) Chapel (NR) (In Ruins)
OS 6" map (1924)

This roofless chapel dedicated to St Charmaig (J R Allen and J Anderson 1903) measures 43' x 20' externally, 36' x 16' internally. An arched doorway on the S has been blocked, but can be traced; there is a round-headed window in the E end. There are many fine cross-slabs in the chapel and graveyard. The positions of the more important are shown on W C Crawford's (1920) plan.
M Campbell and M Sandeman 1964

Cill Mo-Charmaig, called Kilmacharmick by Blaeu, was at Keills. The saint referred to is St Cormac.
W J Watson 1926

The chapel as described, is currently being renovated by the DoE. The dedication could not be confirmed. All of the so-called cross slabs are in fact grave markers.
Visited by OS (DWR) 14 May 1973

As described in the previous information, except that renovation is complete and the chapel is now roofed.
Surveyed at 1/10,000.
Visited by OS (TRG) 20 January 1977.

Medieval church of 'Kilvicocharmick', probably dedicated, like Eilean Mor (No.33), to the Leinster saint Abban moccu Corbmaic. Re-roofed in 1978 to house large collection of early and late medieval stones.
(1) THE KEILLS CROSS (see NR68SE 1).
(2) Slab, 1.2m by 0.59m. On face (a) in low relief is a Latin cross with a roll-moulded margin and narrow armpits, and a central spiral is linked to key-pattern in the side-arms. Face (b) bears a similar cross, preserving key-pattern in two of the arms and interlace in the lower part of the shaft.
(3) Slab, 1.39m in visible height by 0.29m, swelling at the top into a thicker 'cap' 0.33m wide. Face (a) bears in low relief a much-worn ringed cross with round armpits. It is filled with interlace which forms a knotted terminal at the right, and linked to two intertwined stems forming a long shaft. This rises from an interlaced knot and opens into flanking loops at mid-height. Face (b) bears in low relief a plain ringed cross with round armpits and a long shaft.
(4) Slab, known from an early photograph, at least 0.9m by 0.35m. It bore a ringed cross with a broad margin, and square armpits enclosing rough pellets in triangular frames. The arms had rectangular terminals enclosing bosses of the same shape. There were traces of animal-carvings flanking the shaft and top arm. (Photograph by Rev J B Mackenzie, prints in NMRS and in ECMS, 3, fig.561 on p.513).
(5) Slab, 0.49m in incomplete length by 0.36m, much worn. A central panel of interlace formed by two double-beaded bands is divided by mouldings from strips of three-cord plait.
(6) Slab, 1.81m by 0.62m. At the top in low relief is a Latin cross with a short upper arm, whose arms extend to the edges of the slab.
(42) Fragmentary cross-head and -shaft, 0.79m by 0.42m, bearing interlace on both faces. On face (a) the angle-moulding curves in to define a solid 'armpit'. An early medieval date has been suggested (MacLean, 'Sculpture', pp.450-2 and pls.99-100), but face (b) appears to include foliage of late medieval type.
I Fisher 2001.

Scheduled (with NR68SE 1 and NR68SE 5 ) as 'Keills Cross, cross and church 200m ENE of Keillmore...[comprises] an Early-Christian cross, the church of St. Cormac, a large number of grave stones and traces of a substantial settlement around them.'
Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 15 March 2000.

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Architectural Notes

NMRS REFERENCE
Keills Chapel.

NMRS Preliminary Excavation Report 1977 - photocopy of typescript.

Books and References

Allen and Anderson, J R and J (1903) The early Christian monuments of Scotland: a classified illustrated descriptive list of the monuments with an analysis of their symbolism and ornamentation, Edinburgh
Page(s): 390 Held at RCAHMS G.1.11.ALL

Brooks, C M (1977a) 'Keills Chapel, Knapdale', Discovery Excav Scot
Page(s): 8

Campbell and Sandeman, M and M (1964) 'Mid Argyll: an archaeological survey', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, vol.95
Page(s): 77, no.487

Campbell, M (1980a) 'The early crosses at Keills, Loch Sween', The Kist, vol.20 (Autumn 1980)
Page(s): 1-7

Crawford, W C (1920) 'Notes on the grave slabs and cross at Keills, Knapdale, Argyll', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, vol.54
Page(s): 248-52

Fawcett, R (2002) Scottish medieval churches: architecture and furnishings, Stroud
Page(s): 249 Held at RCAHMS F.5.31.FAW

Fisher, I (2001) Early Medieval sculpture in the West Highlands and Islands, RCAHMS/SocAntScot Monograph series 1 Edinburgh
Page(s): 145-7 Held at RCAHMS A.1.6.SCU

MacGibbon and Ross, D and T (1896-7) 'The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century', 3v Edinburgh
Page(s): Vol.1, 84 Held at RCAHMS F.5.31.MAC

MacLean, D (1983) 'Knapdale dedications to a Leinster Saint: sculpture, hagiography, and oral tradition', Scot Stud, vol.27
Page(s): 49-65

RCAHMS (1992a) The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Argyll: An inventory of the monuments: Volume 7: Mid-Argyll and Cowal: Medieval and later monuments, {Edinburgh}
Page(s): 83-93, No.45 Held at RCAHMS A.1.1.INV/25

Ritchie and Harman, [J N] G and M (1996) Argyll and the Western Isles, Exploring Scotland's Heritage series, ed. by Anne Ritchie Edinburgh
Page(s): 104, 106 Held at RCAHMS A.1.4.HER

Skene, J (1832) Drawings of ancient sculptured monuments of Scotland,
Page(s): F54v

Steer and Bannerman, K A and J W M (1977) Late medieval monumental sculpture in the West Highlands, Edinburgh
Page(s): 143-7, nos.74-9; 163, no.109 Held at RCAHMS A.1.6.STE

Stuart, J (1867) Sculptured Stones of Scotland v2,, vol.2 Edinburgh
Page(s): 23, 24, & 30 pls 32, 35 & 57 Held at RCAHMS D.4.L

Watson, W J (1926) The history of the Celtic place-names of Scotland: being the Rhind lectures on archaeology (expanded) delivered in 1916, Edinburgh
Page(s): 282 Held at RCAHMS C.4.2.WAT

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