Visiting Iona Abbey – A Complete Visitor’s Guide
Visiting Iona Abbey is one of the most rewarding experiences in Scotland. It takes a lot of effort (and two ferries) to get there, but the feeling when you arrive is more than worth it. This isn’t just somewhere for those seeking something spiritual, it’s a place packed with history.
This ancient site has been at the heart of Scottish history for more than 1,400 years. Some of our most famous figures were buried here and although not the earliest Christian site, it played a key role in shaping Scottish Christianity.
In this guide to Iona Abbey, I’ll take you through the most important parts of the site’s history and point out key things you shouldn’t miss. It’s somewhere very special to me and hopefully, with this information, you’ll feel the same!
This post contains some links that I may make commission from at no cost to you
If you’re spending time in Oban before or after visiting Iona then this Travel to Oban Itinerary & Planning Guide is going to be a massive help.
For just £10 you get all of my expert knowledge around this underappreciated part of Scotland!
How To Get To Iona
Getting to Iona is part of its magic. This tiny island, just a few miles long by one mile wide, sits just off the coast of the Isle of Mull. The route to get there isn’t quick and it isn’t the easiest either, with at least two ferries involved!
For most people, the journey to Iona begins in the town of Oban on Scotland’s west coast. A 50-minute ferry from there to Craignure on Mull is then followed by around an hour drive to Fionnphort. The Isle of Iona is easily visible across the water and one more ferry takes you over in less than ten minutes.
Visitors aren’t allowed to take their vehicles onto Iona, but it’s an easy island to walk around. There are also bicycles to hire from the Iona Craft Shop if you’d rather pedal than plod!
For anybody using public transport, you can book the entire trip with West Coast Motors here. If you do have a car, I’d highly recommend spending some time exploring the Isle of Mull too!
St Columba and the Birth of Iona Abbey
The obvious place to start with any guide to Iona Abbey is the story of St Columba. He landed on Iona in 563AD with 12 companions after banishing himself from Ireland. Legend says that he had originally landed in the south of Kintyre, only to realise he could still see his homeland and forced himself to keep on moving.
The King of Dalriada gifted Iona to the saint and the monastery began to grow. Much of Scotland was already Christian at this point, but Columba set out to convert the Northern Picts. Iona became known as one of the most important religious communities in Europe and the spiritual heart of what would become Scotland.
Columba’s monastery would have looked very different to Iona Abbey today. His collection of wooden buildings were laid out on the same spot, but things were much more humble. Sadly, none of those early structures survive.
By the time Columba died, his fame and cult following had grown enough to ensure his place in history. Recognised as a saint shortly after death, he had set up an important centre for learning and art that stretched much further than just Gaelic Scotland
The best place to learn about Columba and the early days of Iona Abbey is in a book called the Life of Columba by a later abbot Adomnan – pick up a copy here!
Reilig Odhraìn
Just before you reach Iona Abbey itself, you’ll come to the Reilig Odhraìn. This is one of the most important burial grounds anywhere in Scotland. It’s said that 48 Scottish, 8 Norwegian and 4 Irish Kings are buried in this quiet spot. That’s testament to how important Iona became.
Alongside historical figures like Kenneth MacAlpine, and Macbeth are chiefs of some of Scotland’s greatest clans. MacLeans, MacLeods, MacNeils, MacKinnons and many more were honoured to lay here for eternity. That’s not forgetting the MacDonald Lords of the Isles who used the small chapel as their burial aisle.
The graveyard is named after one of Columba’s followers who, legend says, sacrificed himself for the monastery. Every morning the monastery’s builders would find their work mysteriously undone in the night. Then Columba had a vision – somebody would need to be buried beneath the foundations.
Oran volunteered and the church finished in no time. Days passed and Columba’s guilt didn’t fade away. He decided to uncover his friend’s face just to say goodbye once more. Oran suddenly opened his eyes and began to scream wildly that he had seen no evidence of heaven or hell! That wasn’t something Columba had been expecting, so he picked up a shovel and quickly filled the grave back in…
Sraid Na Marbh – Street Of The Dead
You’ll need to pay to go any further into Iona Abbey. Tickets can be bought at the door, but it’s slightly cheaper to pay in advance on the Historic Scotland Website.
Once inside, it’s easy to miss one of favourite things to see in Iona Abbey. Leading from the Reilig Odhraìn to the door of the church is the Sraid Na Marbh. That translates as the Street of the Dead – the last road Kings and Clan Chiefs would travel.
Amazingly, the cobbles are still visible through the grass and not blocked off behind barriers. You can walk along this medieval road, following in the footsteps of thousands of pilgrims before you. I can’t help but imagine some of those people, great Gaelic chiefs, their closest warriors and maybe even a storyteller or two!
Tòrr an Aba – Hill Of The Abbot
Not far from where the Sraid na Marbh ends, you can’t miss the small lump of Tòrr an Aba. Rising just west of the abbey, this is the Hill of the Abbot. This small mound is believed to have been where Columba had his writing hut – a place of solitude and contemplation.
A structure was excavated here in the 1950s and radiocarbon dating places it exactly during the time of Columba. They found hazel charcoal buried here, so we know the saint was keeping himself warm at least! He picked an excellent spot and it’s one of my favourite viewpoints of Iona Abbey. Note the stone with the socket on the ground, showing there was a cross erected here at some point.
The High Crosses of Iona Abbey
No guide to Iona Abbey would be complete without mention of the High Crosses. What many don’t realise is that Celtic crosses were actually invented right here. The earliest examples appeared on Iona in the 700s and they soon became iconic symbols of Scottish & Irish Christianity.
There’s plenty of debate about the meaning behind the circle that joins the arms of the cross. While it seems to have taken on certain spiritual meanings, it seems it originated as something purely functional. As the stone crosses at Iona were made bigger and bigger, eventually the arms snapped! The ring helped hold them in place!
There were once hundreds of crosses on Iona, now there are just a handful. Outside of Iona Abbey, you’ll see two of the large “High Crosses” standing proud.
St Martin’s Cross
Near the abbey, St Martin’s Cross has stood in this very spot for around 1200 years. It’s in remarkable condition and an excellent example of the “Snake & Boss” design that’s closely linked with Iona.
St John’s Cross
Outside of St Columba’s Shrine stands a reproduction of St John’s Cross. The arms seem impossibly long and the top heavy weight means that the original fell over in the wind. You can find its broken remains pieced back together inside the abbey museum.
Viking Raids and the Abbey’s Darkest Days
As Iona Abbey grew in stature and in wealth, it became a target for people who cared little for Christianity. In 795, the first Viking raids came to Iona and that was only the beginning, those Scandinavians would return in 802, 805, 806 and 825. Monks were killed, buildings burned, and treasures stolen.
Every time, the monks would rebuild and carry on worshipping God, but it was clear how vulnerable Iona was. Soon, Columba’s sacred relics were moved far inland to Dunkeld in an attempt to keep them safe. Another treasure that had been created on Iona, the Book of Kells, was moved to Ireland where it remains today.
The constant attacks reduced Iona’s importance considerably. It remained an important burial place and it seems that some monks did remain, but it wouldn’t regain its status for centuries.
The Main Abbey Church: The Spiritual Heart of Iona
The main attraction on your visit to Iona Abbey will no doubt be the main church building. This was constructed around the year 1200 by Ranald, son of the great warlord Somerled. He invited Benedictine monks to establish themselves here and that began the next chapter of Iona’s story.
Take your time inside, don’t speak too loudly, just take it all in – it’s a special place where I’ve seen people literally burst into tears on entering. The stonework is beautiful and the weight of history enormous. Note the big marble base holding the font in front of you. That green streaked stone is Iona marble, quarried on the island and highly prized by local artists!
Closer to the front of the Abbey church you’ll spot two effigies on either side of the room. These are both Abbots of Iona who had a lasting impact on the church. The first is Dominic Mackenzie who was in charge from 1421-65 and raised funds for renovating the abbey. He petitioned the Pope to grant time off purgatory for anybody who made the pilgrimage to Iona for Columba’s feast day on the 9th June!
The other effigy is Abbot John Mackinnon his successor who carried on his work renovating the abbey. Those Mackinnons had a close connection with Iona Abbey, providing many more abbots throughout history.
The Cloister and Carved Graveslabs
Head through a wee door from the main church into the cloister and prepare for something spectacular. Lining the walls are dozens of West Highland Graveslabs, carved with swords, ships and Celtic knotwork. Most of these have been moved in from the Reilig Odhrain to protect them, but we have no idea who most of them belonged to.
There is one stone that does have a name on it, just on the left as soon as you enter the door. It says in Latin, “Here lies the body of Angus, son of Lord Angus MacDonald of Islay”. That makes us think this is the grave of Angus Og MacDonald, the Lord of the Isles who’s support was so important to Robert the Bruce!
The Abbey Museum
Tucked away back outside and round the back, make sure you don’t miss the Abbey Museum! There’s so much information packed in here that I can’t fit it all into this guide to Iona Abbey, but I’ll point out some highlights.
The remains of the early Celtic crosses dominate the space, pieced together perfectly and held secure. Don’t be so in awe of them that you miss the earliest cross found on Iona though. It’s a small, equal-armed cross known as the stone of Echoid, carved in the early 600s. It’s a grave marker, possibly for a King of Dalriada or one of Columba’s original 12 followers!
One of my favourite pieces is nearby and it’s one of the smallest in the museum. A tiny fragment of a shrine (replica) made from gold that was found in Denmark. The snake and boss design hints that it was originally made on Iona and no doubt stolen during a Viking Raid!
On the other side of the museum, the best of the grave effigies line the walls. You’ve got warriors staring at you blankly, dressed in armour, holding swords and shields. Clearly the warrior culture was important to these men, although we can’t know if they were Clan Chiefs, tacksmen or swords-for-hire
The Reformation and the Abbey’s Ruin
Iona had been at the heart of Scottish Christianity for around 1000 years by the time of the Reformation. In 1560, Scotland officially became a Protestant country and had no need of monks or abbeys anymore. The roof came off the abbey, cut stone was quarried for other projects and this great religious centre became a romantic ruin.
For over 300 years, Iona Abbey stood quiet, until the Duke of Argyll did something about it. He transferred the abbey to the Iona Cathedral Trust and the restoration began. You can find his effigy along with the Duchess, who’s buried here, inside the main church. It was then passed to the Iona Community who finished bringing Iona back to life and still manage the religious side to this day!
Worship In Iona Abbey Today
Iona is once again a site of religious worship and I’ve had the privilege of attending a Sunday service in the Abbey Church! It’s a place for all denominations and I found it incredibly welcoming. After the service, we were invited into the cloister to share an oatcake with a stranger – a great way to get people talking!
There are daily services, but the one on Sunday is slightly later which lines up with the ferry timetable better! You can find all the information on the worship schedule here! There are even opportunities to volunteer with the Iona Community and stay in the abbey for a while!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide to Iona Abbey and that it helps you with your visit! If you want to know more about the rest of the island then read this post about all of the Isle of Iona. For those looking to visit Iona, then why not visit on a Scotland’s Stories tour?
For those travelling Scotland on their own but looking for some help, you’ll find a copy of the Scotland’s Stories Book helpful!
0 Comments