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Chapel Finian is in Galloway southwest
Scotland, 15 miles southeast of Stranraer, 67
miles west of Dumfries, 5 miles south of Glenluce
village by Luce Bay.
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Chapel Finian is the first historic
attraction on this peninsular in Galloway known
as the Machars. The drive around the Machars is
around 45 miles, a full day when visiting the
many attractions.
The image top is of the road running down
the west side of the Machars, a great scenic
drive.
The image second top is of the roadside Car
Park at Chapel Finian.
The image third top shows the entrance with
the information board.
Information given is such as: This small
Chapel was named after Finnian of
Movilla (Findbar), a 500s Irish Saint.
The Chapel was built around the 900s,
thought to be for pilgrims on route to Whithorn
Priory to visit the Shrine of St Ninian 13
miles southeast. The site was excavated in
1950.
Chapels of this kind were common in Ireland
by that time, a rectangular room with a south
facing door, built of rough stone and mortar.
The two longer side walls had buttresses.
The site had a dry stone wall around it with
a timber built house for the priest, a well,
and graves.
397 - Saint Ninian
was a local from Galloway that set up
Christianity in the region after his travels to
Rome, the start of Christianity in
Scotland.
Many Irish were known to have traveled to
the St Ninian Shine at Whithorn in Galloway, as
well as Scots from all over Scotland.
400s early - Christianity took hold in
Ireland, spread by missionaries such as
Palladius, and Saint Patrick.
The many small Chapels would have been used
as resting places on the pilgrim journeys.
563 - Saint Columba traveled
from Ireland to the Isle of Iona in northwest
Scotland to set up a Christian Church.
Christianity soon spread throughout all
Scotland, helping reduce fighting amongst the
many Scottish Picts tribes, allowing
the whole country to become united and run by
one King.
It is unknown what the Picts worshiped
before this time, probably the Sun and Legends
associated with the weather.
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