Iona Abbey (HS)

One of Scotland's most historic and venerated sites, Iona Abbey is an important Christian centre. It was on the island of Iona in about 563AD that St Columba and twelve other monks from Ireland established a monastery. This celtic church soon became a respected seat of learning. The monks compiled a great library of illuminated manuscripts and are credited with the creation here of the famous Book of Kells.The island suffered from Viking raids, the worst being that of 806 when 68 monks were massacred on the sands of Martyrs Bay. In 1263, Reginald, son of Somerled, Lord of the Isles, established an Augustinian nunnery and a Benedictine monastery here. Some three hundred years later during the Reformation, both nunnery and abbey were ransacked and all but three of the island's 360 crosses destroyed. In ruins for over 400 years, the abbey was restored and the cloisters rebuilt at the beginning of the last century.St Oran's Chapel to the south of the abbey dates from the 12th century. It stands at the centre of Reilig Odhrain, the sacred burial ground, said to contain the remains of sixty kings of Norway, Ireland, France and Scotland.The museum at the rear of the abbey houses a collection of medieval graveslabs