TRANSACTIONS. 



St. Ninian, the Apostle of Galloway By Jas 

 Starke, F.S.A. Scot. 



I had lately an opportunity of being in the town of 

 Whithorn, where remains exist of an ancient Cathedral and 

 Priory connected with the name of St. Ninian, the Apostle 

 of Galloway. 



And being there, I proceeded on some two miles or so to 

 the Isle of Whithorn, where stand the bare and ruined walls 

 of a chapel called St. Ninian's Chapel. 



These remains are of great interest, and well worthy of 

 a visit by the Society. 



The Chapel at the Isle of Whithorn, it is reported, says 

 Andrew Symson, who was Episcopal minister of Kirkinner 

 in 1684, was the first that was built for the service of Al- 

 mighty God in this part of the kingdom-yea, as some say, 

 in the whole kingdom. 



The building is of small size, about 12 paces by 6, and is 

 composed principally from the blocks of stone in the imme- 

 diate neighbourhood. 



In the town of Whithorn the ruins of the Cathedral are 

 thickly covered with creeping plants, and the accumulated 

 mound of debris is so great that entrance into the building 

 IS now by the eastern window of the edifice. 



To the east of the Cathedral are traces of vault.^ which 

 probably belonged to the Priory. In Andrew Symson's time 

 several large and capacious vaults were firm and entire. 



The earliest account of St. Ninian appears to be that of 

 the venerable Bede, who died in 735, which was nearly 300 

 years after Ninian's death. And his next biographer is 



c 



