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Up Bunessan Baptist Church Bunessan Parish Church Creich Church Iona Churches Inch Kenneth Church Kilcolmkill Kilfinichen Church Killean Church Kilmore Church Kilninian Church Kilvickeon Church Macquarie's Mausoleum Nuns Cave Lochdon Free Church Pennygown Church St. Columba's Episcopal Church St Kilda's Church Salen Church Tobermory Churches Torosay Church Ulva Church

OLD PARISH CHURCH OF KILCOLMKILL - (KILMORE) DERVAIG   

This parish church was known as the church of St Columba or Kilcolmkill (Cill More - Great Church) in Quinish and was one of seven medieval parish churches that were annexed to the Abbey of Iona early in the 15th century.

The  only evidence remaining today of this church is the low grass covered mounds which are probably parts of the south and east walls of a small rectangular building and it probably was similar to the the ruined chapel at Penngown.  The ruins can be found within the old burial ground at Kilmore on the hill just outside the village of Dervaig on the Tobermory to Dervaig road. 

The church was dedicated to St Columba, but after the Synod of Whitby in 663 came under the rule of the Roman Catholic Abbot of Iona, St Adomnan.   There are records stating that in 1449 tithes from Kilcolumkill were paid to the Abbot of Iona.

In 1628 Kilcolmkill and Kilninian  parishes were joined together and this church continued in use until 1754 when a new church was built nearby.   From c1649 until 1756 three ministers have been recorded.   The second incumbent  was the Rev. John Beaton (c1640 - c1708/15) the second son of the famous physician family from Pennycross, near Pennyghael.   It was during his service here that in 1690, after 30 years of Episcopacy, Presbyterianism was finally established in Scotland.   Beaton did not conform and in 1688 he had written a poem on the Revolution of 1688 and the silencing of the Episocopalia in Mull and in 1700 was removed on grounds of his immoral conduct.

It was during the time of the next incumbent, John Maclean, in 1749 that there was an agreement between the heritors for the necessity to build new churches in Kilninian and Kilmore.   However nothing was achieved until late 1755 when building began on both churches.  By this time John Maclean's son Alexander was the Minister.

In the burial ground are several interesting grave stones and slabs from the 16th and 17th centuries, and although most of them are illegible a few inscriptions, crests and shields can be discerned.    On one slab which is believed to be 14th - 15th century of the Iona school can be seen in its centre a sword lacking the hilt and on each side of the blade are double plant-scrolls.   At the foot is a pair of shears. 

By the entrance gate are several graves of unknown sailors, victims of wars at sea, whose bodies were washed up in the surrounding beaches and coves.  See also Kilvickeon  

For further information see:  Hilary M. Peel A History of Kilmore Church  (Brown & Whittaker 2004) ISBN 1 904353 07 X and www.brown-whittaker.co.uk 
RCAHMS  Argyll Volume 3  (Her Majesty's Stationery Office Edinburgh 1980) ISBN 0 11 491591 
Jean Whittaker The burial grounds of North Mull no. 2 (Brown & Whittaker) Ready in 2006

 

 
 

Last modified  Tuesday January 22, 2008