Slí Cholmcille

6.2 Kilmartin House Museum

Kilmartin Glen

© David Neumeyer

Kilmartin House Museum is housed in the former manse of Kilmartin Church at the centre of Kilmartin village.

Kilmartin Glen has an extraordinarily rich collection of 350 ancient monuments, all found within a six-mile radius of the museum. The area has a strong early Christian history and is closely connected to the story of Colmcille.

The museum explores the archaeology, landscape and history of the glen. Inside you can see artefacts excavated at nearby Dunadd, the principal fort of the Dál Riata. Colmcille is said to have visited the king when he first arrived in Scotland in 563.

Artefacts discovered in Kilmartin and the surrounding area are on display here in at the museum. Other collections from Kilmartin are kept at the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, Glasgow Museums and the British Museum in London.

Graveslabs, Kilmartin Museum.

© Alan Sproull

More on Kilmartin House Museum...

The Kilmartin House Museum web site.

The Dalriada Project was supported by Kilmartin House Museum.There are two video trails exploring the history of the local area.

Getting there

From Dunadd, head back to the A816. Turn left towards Kilmartin and follow signposts to the museum car park.

You will be able to visit both the museum and graveyard from here.

more on…

6.1 Dunadd

Colmcille is thought to have visited the king of the Dál Riata at Dunadd when he first arrived in Argyll.
6.2 Kilmartin Museum

Kilmartin House Museum is housed in the former manse of Killmartin Church at the centre of Kilmartin village. Kilmartin Glen has an extraordinarily rich collection of 350 ancient monuments, all found within a six-mile radius of the museum.
6.3 Kilmartin Church

Kilmartin Glen is the site of more than 350 ancient monuments. These sites - which include 150 prehistoric monuments - lie within a six-mile radius of Kilmartin village.
6.4 Keills Chapel

The chapel is home to a large collection of early and late medieval stones. The most striking is the Keills Cross which stands 2 metres tall.
6.5 Kilmory Knap Chapel

Kilmory Knap Chapel was built in the first half of the 13th century and now houses a collection of early and late medieval gravestones and cross-slabs which used to be in the church and graveyard.
6.6 Chapel & Cave, Ellary

This peaceful location on the shores of Loch Caolisport is said to be where Colmcille stopped for a few days on his journey north from Ireland in 563.
6.7 Southend

Southend is said to be Colmcille’s first landing place in Scotland. He left Derry on the north coast of Ireland in 563 with 12 companions and landed here before heading up the Argyll coast to meet the king of the Dál Riata.