Editing Iona (section)

== Iona Abbey ==
{{main|Iona Abbey}}
[[File:Iona Abbey. Panorama.jpg|thumb|center|750px|Panoramic view]]
[[File:Iona.showing.monasteries.jpg|thumb|Enlargement, showing the location of the abbey and monasteries]]

Iona Abbey, now an [[ecumenical]] church, is of particular historical and religious interest to pilgrims and visitors alike. It is the most elaborate and best-preserved ecclesiastical building surviving from the Middle Ages in the [[Western Isles]] of [[Scotland]]. Though modest in scale in comparison to medieval abbeys elsewhere in [[Western Europe]], it has a wealth of fine architectural detail and monuments of many periods. The enabling endowments, the core economic strength and life-blood of the Abbey came from successive Clan Donald Lords of the Isles and for 300 years were regularly confirmed, honoured, protected, increased and expanded. Endowments had "carta confirmations" and additional ones made by them during the 14th and 15th centuries as late as 1440 and 1485. Donald of Harlaw (1386-1421): "gave lands to the monastery of Iona, and every immunity which the monastery of Iona had from his ancestors before him" – MacVurich. It might be expressed that Iona Abbey had been acting as a "(holy owned) land trust" for Clan Donald from Somerled who built St. Oran's Chapel.<ref>Ian Ross Macdonnell, Clan Donald & Iona Abbey 1200-1500, at p. 18.</ref>

The [[8th Duke of Argyll]] presented the sacred buildings and sites of the island to the Iona Cathedral trust in 1899.<ref name=Smith/> Historic Environment Scotland also recommends visiting the Augustinian nunnery, "the most complete nunnery complex to survive in Scotland".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/iona-abbey-and-nunnery/ |title=Iona Abbey and Nunnery}}</ref> The nunnery was founded by Somerled's son, Reginald, as was Iona Abbey and Saddell Abbey. Reginald's sister, Beathag, was the first Prioress of the Iona Nunnery.<ref>Ian Ross Macdonnell, Clan Donald & Iona Abbey 1200-1500, at pp. 132 and 34.</ref> The nunnery declined after the [[Scottish Reformation]] but was still used as a burial place for women.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.welcometoiona.com/places-of-interest/the-nunnery/ |title=The Nunnery}}</ref>

In front of the Abbey stands the 9th century St Martin's Cross, one of the best-preserved Celtic crosses in the [[British Isles]], and a replica of the 8th century St John's Cross (original fragments in the Abbey museum).

The ancient burial ground, called the Rèilig Odhrain (Eng: Oran's "burial place" or "cemetery"), contains the 12th century chapel built by Somerled where the Lords of the Isles were buried and named after [[Saint Otteran|St Odhrán]] (said to be [[Columba]]'s uncle). It was restored at the same time as the Abbey itself. It contains a number of medieval grave monuments. The abbey graveyard is said to contain the graves of many early [[Scotland/Monarchs|Scottish Kings]], as well as Norse kings from Ireland and Norway. Iona became the burial site for the kings of [[Dál Riata]] and their successors. Notable burials there include:

* [[Cináed mac Ailpín]], king of the Picts (also known today as "Kenneth I of Scotland");
* [[Domnall mac Causantín]], alternatively "king of the Picts" or "king of Scotland" ("Donald II");
* [[Máel Coluim mac Domnaill]], king of Scotland ("Malcolm I");
* [[Donnchad mac Crínáin]], king of Scotland ("Duncan I");
* [[Mac Bethad mac Findlaích]], king of Scotland ("Macbeth");
* [[Domnall mac Donnchada]], king of Scotland ("Donald III");
* [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]], Labour Party Leader.

In 1549 an inventory of 48 Scottish, 8 Norwegian and 4 Irish kings was recorded. None of these graves are now identifiable (their inscriptions were reported to have worn away at the end of the 17th century). Saint [[Baithin]] and Saint [[Fáilbe mac Pípáin|Failbhe]] may also be buried on the island. The Abbey graveyard is also the final resting place of [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]], the former Labour Party leader, who loved Iona. His grave is marked with an epitaph quoting [[Alexander Pope]]: "An honest man's the noblest work of God".<ref name=rowe>[http://travel.independent.co.uk/uk/article625010.ece ''Walk Of The Month: The island of Iona''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022054221/http://travel.independent.co.uk/uk/article625010.ece |date=22 October 2007}} ''[[The Independent]]'' 4 June 2006</ref>

Limited archaeological investigations commissioned by the National Trust for Scotland found some evidence for ancient burials in 2013. The excavations, conducted in the area of [[Martyrs of Iona|Martyrs Bay]], revealed burials from the 6th–8th centuries, probably jumbled up and reburied in the 13–15th centuries.<ref>{{cite news |last=Alistair |first=Munro |date=17 May 2013 |title=Isle of Iona may be ancient burial site |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/isle-of-iona-may-be-ancient-burial-site-1-2934998 |work=The Scotsman |location=Edinburgh, Scotland |access-date=7 April 2019}}</ref>

Other early Christian and medieval monuments have been removed for preservation to the cloister arcade of the Abbey, and the Abbey museum (in the medieval infirmary). The ancient buildings of Iona Abbey are now cared for by [[Historic Environment Scotland]] (there is an entrance charge to visit them).