ST. ORAN’S CHAPEL, Iona, Argyllshire.
St. Oran’s Chapel is the name given to a small edifice which stands in the ancient burial-ground situated a short distance south-west from the cathedral. The name of the churchyard is “Relig Oran,” being so called from Oran, one of St. Columba’s companions, who was probably the first of his followers who died on the island.
As stated in the Introduction,[153] this chapel is supposed by Dr. Reeves to have been built by Queen Margaret about 1074. The chapel ([Fig. 188]) is a plain oblong, 30 feet long by 16 feet wide internally. As often happens in West Highland chapels, there is no window in the east wall.
Fig. 188.—St. Oran’s Chapel. Plan.
The only light was obtained from two narrow windows near the east end, one in the north and the other in the south wall, immediately opposite one another.
The entrance doorway ([Fig. 189]) is in the west wall. It is more elaborate than most of the West Highland chapels, having ([Fig. 190]) two nook shafts on each side with plain cushion caps, surmounted by a semi-circular arch in two orders with a label, all of which have been elaborately carved with Norman enrichments. Those of the label consist of a series of round and rather pointed knobs. The outer order seems to have been carved with a bird’s head ornament, and the inner order with a kind of chevron. All the carved work, however, is greatly decayed by exposure to the weather. The building has a gable at each end, and has had a wooden roof. In the interior of the south wall a somewhat elaborate monument ([Fig. 191]) has been inserted, which, from its style, is evidently of late date. The canopy consists of two orders, one of an ogee form, with weather table, which has been ornamented with crockets, and has a crucifixion introduced in the pinnacle at the top of the arch. The label terminations at each side
Fig. 189.—St. Oran’s Chapel. View from West.
consist of animals like lions of an exaggerated size. The inner arch has a large cusp which has been filled with Celtic carved scroll work, but it is now much decayed. A broken piscina stands at the west side of the monument. A number of very interesting and finely carved Celtic monumental slabs are preserved in the chapel, and a great many more, some of
Fig. 190.—St. Oran’s Chapel. West Doorway.
them said to be the monuments of Scottish, Irish, and Norwegian kings, lie exposed in the churchyard, and are gradually wasting away. They are all elaborately carved with the floral ornament peculiar to this part of the country, while some also contain the dog-tooth ornament, which was revived here at a late date. This will be further referred to in connection with Iona Cathedral.
Fig. 191.—St. Oran’s Chapel. Monument.
Mr. Romilly Allen has shown that the Norman carved work in England was executed between 1135 and 1190, and that hardly any carving exists on churches of an earlier date. It could, therefore, not be looked for here till towards the end of the twelfth century. The carved work in the west doorway of the chapel, being of a somewhat advanced character of ornament, can, therefore, scarcely be earlier than about the beginning of the thirteenth century.