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Building and restoration of Iona
Abbey
Over the centuries the Abbey buildings
have been considerably altered. St Columba and his followers built
a small monastery from wood, wattle and daub. Later, the timber was
replaced with stone and in around 1200, the Columban Monastery was transformed
into a Benedictine Abbey. Numerous additions were made to the building
from then until the mid 16th Century. The architecture of the church
was determined by the demands of its monastic community, local congregation
and pilgrims, so its shape evolved to meet their needs. |
| Despite surviving many attacks from
Vikings several centuries before, the Abbey was unable to escape the Reformation
in 1560 and was left derelict. It remained so until, in 1899, the
Duke of Argyll transferred ownership of the buildings to the Iona Cathedral
Trust (linked to the Church of Scotland) but the gift of ownership to the
public was not accompanied by any endowment and funds had to be raised
by the Trust. The Boer War had made such a heavy demand on the public
purse that the first appeal for the restoration fund was not made until
1901. Work began the following year, reroofing and reglazing, for
the sum of £2,750. Rebuilding continued as and when funds allowed,
individual donors were often most generous and some have windows in the
Abbey dedicated to them. |
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| Restoration of the monastic buildings
began in 1938 when Rev George F MacLeod established the Iona
Community. The scheme was designed to unite craftsmen and trainee
ministers in the task of renovating the monastry. Experiencing the
physical renewal of the Abbey was intended to prepare the young ministers
to achieve spiritual renewal when they returned to their inner city parishes.
The monastery restoration was completed in 1965. |
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| In recent years, the Iona Cathedral
Trust found the financial burden of maintenance of the Abbey increasingly
difficult. Historic Scotland have now taken on that burden and administer
the Abbey structure and maintenance. As a result, there is an admission
charge to help with the "up-keep". "Historic Scotland" also run the Abbey
shop".
VISITOR INFORMATION
Admission: adults £2.80; child
(under 16) £1.20; reduced £2.00.
Open seven days a week. Closed
Christmas Day, New Year's Day.
The Abbey is a 15 minute walk from
the ferry. Visitors' cars are not allowed on the island.
Visitors to the Abbey who require
a wheelchair should phone 01681 700512.
Times for guided tours are posted
at the Abbey entrance.
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