344 



ANTIQUITIES OF BUTE. 



cross, of which the head is broken off, that has been at 

 least seven feet high, and possibly a large squared stone in 

 which a mortice one foot four inches deep has been sunk was 

 the base of the cross. This large stone lies at present about 

 fifty feet from the shaft. Some fragments of crosses are 

 preserved at a farm house near the chapel ; they do not differ 

 essentially from the others. 



The chapel of St. Blane, or St. Blaan, an Irish saint who 

 flourished in the seventh century, is later in date than the 

 crosses in question, the present nave being built A.D. 1100, it 

 is said, by Malcolm Canmore. A chancel was added to the 

 nave at the close of the thirteenth century. The arch divid- 

 ing the nave from the chancel has been originally the door- 

 way into the twelfth century church, as there are two stones, 

 one on each side of the archway, and next the chancel, 

 morticed to receive a door frame, and the impost of the arch 

 is cut away for that purpose, so that the door might close 

 against it tightly. 



The archway is five feet two inches wide, and is a 

 good example of early twelfth century work. The impost 

 moulding runs round the nave walls, and is carved with 

 a variety of the nail-head pattern. The nave walls are 

 faced inside and out with carefully built sandstone ashlar, 

 in courses of varying heights. The gables over the chancel 



arch and the east window are 

 the only ones standing ; they 

 have been evidently repaired 

 lately. The chancel has been 

 lighted by two lancets in 

 the east gable, and one in each 

 side-wall ; a large window has 

 been inserted on one side, 

 blocking up the lower part of 

 the original window, and is of 

 fifteenth century date. The 

 piscina, a pointed arch cut out 



Fig. 44. 



View of Chancel Arch, 

 St Blanc's. 



