A roofless chapel near the shore at Skipness preserves red sandstone details and late-medieval tombstones. St Brendan’s Chapel, also called Kilbrannan Chapel, is a medieval church built near Skipness Castle.
The chapel is larger than many Kintyre medieval chapels and remained a parish church after the castle was abandoned. Its graveyard is still used, continuing the site’s religious and community role.
What follows is drawn from published sources, with each claim labelled by how firmly it is established.
History
St Brendan's Chapel is a ruined medieval church near Skipness. It is also known as Kilbrannan Chapel.
The chapel is dedicated to St Brendan. It was probably built around the same time as nearby Skipness Castle, in the late 13th or early 14th century.
The chapel and castle are together designated a scheduled monument. The chapel is notably larger than other medieval chapels in Kintyre.
The roofless chapel is a well-preserved rectangular single-chambered structure. The chapel and adjacent graveyard contain five notable late-medieval recumbent tombstones, several pre-Reformation slabs and many 18th- and early-19th-century gravestones.
The name Kilbrannan and early medieval burials suggest an earlier church existed on the site. St Brendan's was built to replace an earlier Chapel of St Columba near Skipness Castle.
It continued as the parish church after the castle was abandoned, until at least 1692. The chapel ceased worship use during the 18th century, possibly after a new parish church was established at Claonaig.
The cemetery is still used by the community as a burial ground.
People
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St Brendan
Saint to whom the chapel is dedicated.
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St Columba
Associated with the earlier chapel that St Brendan's replaced.
Connections
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Skipness Castle
Nearby castle scheduled with the chapel.
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Kilbrannan Sound
Sound overlooked by the castle and coastal chapel setting.
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Claonaig
Possible later parish church location after worship ceased here.
What to look for
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Roofless rectangular chapel
The single-chambered structure is well preserved.
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Red sandstone details
Doors, windows, quoins and skews were built with dressed red sandstone.
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Y-traceried east window
A large Y-traceried window stands at the east end.
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Carved tombstones
The chapel and graveyard include late-medieval recumbent tombstones and pre-Reformation slabs.
Plan your visit
- Location
- 55.7659°N · 5.3327°W
- Terrain
- Easy going
Opening & admission
Check local cemetery and monument access before travelling
- The chapel and graveyard lie near Skipness Castle and the shore.
- The source says the cemetery is still used by the community but gives no visitor terms.
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Questions people ask
- What is St Brendan's Chapel, Skipness?
- It is a ruined medieval church near Skipness, also known as Kilbrannan Chapel.
- When was it built?
- It was probably built in the late 13th or early 14th century, around the same time as Skipness Castle.
- What survives there?
- A roofless rectangular chapel, red sandstone details, carved tombstones, pre-Reformation slabs and later gravestones survive.
- Is the graveyard still used?
- Yes. The source says the cemetery is still used by the community as a burial ground.
Sources
Explore more: Building or ruins · Medieval · Argyll and Bute
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