The church of Kilmun, on the Holy Loch in Cowal, is an attractive 19th century building built not just for local parishioners but for the hordes of tourists and visitors who came on holiday in southern Argyll. At the west end of the church stand the remains of a stone tower dating to the 1450s, when the medieval parish kirk of Kilmun was made into a Collegiate Church by the grant of the Earl of Argyll.

But there is evidence of a much earlier church presence here. An early Christian cross-carved slab has lain in the graveyard for many centuries, possibly dating to the sixth or seventh century.Kilmun, or Cill Mhunnu ‘the church of [Saint] Munnu’ may even be as early as St Munnu himself – he died in AD 635 – though it is not known whether he visited the site.

To protect this important ancient stone it has now been brought inside the church and mounted on a plinth. It will be an inspiration for the parishioners and an attraction for visitors, especially those who come as pilgrims in response to the Faith in Cowal project, exploring the early Christian landscape of Cowal.

For more on Faith in Cowal, see www.faithincowal.org