Everything about Iona totally explained
Iona is a small island in the
Inner Hebrides of
Scotland. Iona has an important place in the history of Christianity in Scotland and is renowned for its tranquility and natural beauty. Its
Gaelic name is
Ì Chaluim Cille (Saint
Columba's Island; formerly anglicised "Icolmkill"), or sometimes just
Ì or
Idhe.
Geography
Iona lies approximately one mile (1.6 km) from the coast of
Mull. The island is 1 mile wide (1.6 km) and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long with a resident
population of 125. The island's stone base is covered by a layer of basaltic lava, and like other places swept by ocean breezes, there are few if any trees.
Iona's highest point is Dùn Ì (101 m, 331 ft), an Iron Age hill fort dating from 100BC-200AD. Its geographical features include the
Bay at the Back of the Ocean and
Càrn Cùl ri Éirinn (the Hill/
Cairn with its Back to Ireland), said to be adjacent to the beach where St. Columba first landed.
History
Prior to the 6th century, Iona may already have been a sacred island in the pre-Christian traditions of the
Iron Age inhabitants of the
Hebrides. Though there's no actual physical evidence for this, it would explain why Columba settled on this particular island. In
563 Saint
Columba, also known as Colm Cille, was exiled from his native
Ireland as a result of his involvement in the Battle of Cul Dreimhne, and founded a
monastery on Iona with 12 companions. From there they set about the conversion of
pagan Scotland and much of northern
England to
Christianity. Iona's fame as a place of learning and Christian mission spread throughout
Europe and it became a major site of
pilgrimage. Iona became a holy island where several kings of
Scotland,
Ireland and
Norway came to be buried.
Many believe that the
Book of Kells was produced, in whole or in part, on Iona towards the end of the
8th century. A series of
Viking raids on the monastery on Iona began in
794, and after its treasures had been plundered many times, Columba’s relics were removed and divided two ways between Scotland and Ireland in
849 as the monastery was abandoned. A
convent for the Order of
Benedictine Nuns was established in
1208, with Beathag, daughter of
Somerled, as first prioress. The present
Benedictine abbey was built in 1203. The monastery itself flourished until the
Reformation when buildings were demolished and all but three of the 360 carved crosses destroyed.
Iona Abbey
Iona Abbey, now an
ecumenical church, is of particular historical and religious interest to pilgrims and visitors alike. It is the most elaborate and best-preserved ecclesiastical building surviving from the Middle Ages in the
Western Isles of
Scotland. Though modest in scale in comparison to medieval abbeys elsewhere in
Western Europe, it has a wealth of fine architectural detail, and monuments of many periods.
In front of the Abbey stands the
9th century St Martin's Cross, one of the best-preserved Celtic crosses in the
British Isles, and a replica of the
8th century St John's Cross (original fragments in the Abbey museum).
The ancient burial ground, called the Reilig Odhráin, contains the
12th century chapel of St Odhrán (said to be
Columba's uncle), restored at the same time as the Abbey itself. It contains a number of medieval grave monuments. The abbey graveyard contains the graves of many early
kings of Scotland, as well as kings from Ireland, Norway and France. Iona became the burial site for the kings of
Dál Riata and their successors. Notable burials there include:
In 1549 an inventory of 48 Scottish, 8 Norwegian and 4 Irish kings was recorded. None of these graves is now identifiable (their inscriptions were reported to have worn away at the end of the 17th century).
The graveyard is also the final resting place of
John Smith, the former Labour Party leader, who loved Iona. His grave is marked with an epitaph quoting
Alexander Pope: "An honest man's the noblest work of God".
Other early Christian and medieval monuments have been removed for preservation to the cloister arcade of the Abbey, and the Abbey museum (in the medieval infirmary).
The ancient buildings of Iona Abbey are now cared for by
Historic Scotland (entrance charge).
Iona Community
In 1938
George MacLeod founded the Iona Community, an ecumenical Christian community of men and women from different walks of life and different traditions in the Christian church committed to seeking new ways of living the
gospel of
Jesus in today's world. This community is a leading force in the present
Celtic Christianity revival.
The Iona Community runs 3 residential centres on the Isle of Iona and on
Mull. These are places of welcome and engagement giving a unique opportunity to live together in community with people of every background from all over the world. Weeks at the centres often follow a programme related to the concerns of the Iona Community.
Other information
Visitors can reach Iona by the 10-minute ferry trip across the
Sound of Iona from
Fionnphort on
Mull. The most common route is via
Oban in
Argyll and Bute. Regular ferries connect to
Craignure on Mull, from where the scenic road runs 37 miles to Fionnphort. Tourist coaches and local bus services meet the ferries.
There are very few cars on the island, as they're tightly regulated and vehicular access isn't allowed for non-residents, who have to leave their car in Fionnphort. The island is small enough that one generally doesn't need a car. Bike hire is available at the pier, and on Mull.
Iona Nunnery survives as a series of exquisitely beautiful 12th-13th century ruins of the church and cloister, and a colourful and peaceful garden. Unlike the rest of the medieval religious buildings, the nunnery was too fragmentary to restore, though its remains are nevertheless the most complete survival of a medieval nunnery in Scotland.
Away from the historic buildings, Iona offers enjoyable walks to the north of the island, with pristine white sand beaches, and south and west to the Bay at the Back of the
Atlantic.
Pebbles of the famous green Iona marble, commercially mined in the 19th century (the quarry and original machinery survive) can be found on the island's beaches.
Port Bhan beach on the west side of the island is home of the annual
Iona Beach Party.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Iona'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://iona.totallyexplained.com">Iona Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
