St Ninian's Chapel
A stop for medieval pilgrims
St Ninian’s Chapel would have been a stop for medieval pilgrims on their way to Whithorn Priory. The chapel sits in a wild, windy landscape that helps you imagine all the people who once walked up from the shore and gave thanks to God for arriving safely.
The original chapel on this spot was built in the 1100s. It had a small main room (a nave) and a narrower room at the front (a chancel). It was surrounded by a stone wall, apart of which is still standing today. Inside, there was also a stone bench, probably used by weary pilgrims.
A house for a priest and a small burial ground were also probably contained within the wall.
This chapel was one of several places where pilgrims would stop on their way to Whithorn Priory. Other stopping points included:
The chapel is still a stopping place for modern pilgrims. People walking the route today can place a stone on the “Witness Cairn” at the entrance to the field where the chapel stands. Beside it is a bench that commemorates young fishermen from the Isle of Whithorn who died when their boat, the Solway Harvester, sank in 2000.
Statement of Significance
You can find out more about St Ninian's Chapel in our Statement of Significance, part of a series of special documents outlining the history and development of Historic Scotland sites.
Discover more on trove.scot
See archive photographs of St Ninian's Church plus archaeology notes and more.
