Nave Island

The presence of substantial carved Celtic cross at Kilnave on the shores of Loch Gruinart and the fragment of another found on the island itself suggest the presence of organised Christianity at an early date. There is a ruined chapel immediately to the south of the cross-island chasm and an earthen rampart surrounding it hint at a monastic settlement. Adomnán's late 7th-century Vita Columbae refers to a monastery at Elena Insula that may refer to this site. In 1549, Dean Monro wrote: "on the north coist of Ila, beside the entresse of Lochgrunord, layes ane iyle, called by the Erish Ellan-nese, with ane kirke in it. This iyle is half ane myle in lenthe, fair maynland, inhabit and manurit,…