St.Columba's Pillow, Abbey Church of St.Mary, Iona, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. - Stone Church Artefacts on Waymarking.com

Transcription of the information sheet adjacent to the stone artifact.

               'ST.COLUMBA'S PILLOW'

               [Columba] returned to his lodgings and
               rested on his bed, where at night instead
               of straw he had bare rock and a stone
               for a pillow, which today stands as
               a memorial beside his grave.'
               Adomnán, Life of St Columba, 690s.
        [written some 90 years after Columba's death, my wording]

               Around 1870 crofter Dugald MacArthur
               noticed something bumping the wheel
               of his cart every time he brought seaweed
               up from the shore. Eventually he decided
               to dig it up, discovering the cross-marked
               oval stone you see to your left.

               People at the time were very excited,
               believing this could be the stone Columba
               had used as a pillow, and which later
               marked his grave. It was secured within
               an iron cage and has been known ever
               since as 'St Columba's Pillow'. However,
               it is unlikely that this is the real pillow
               stone. Carved with a ringed cross, it is
               a grave marker probably dating from about
               200 years after Columba's death in 597.

Born on December 7, 521 A.D. to Fedhlimidh and Eithne of the Ui Neill clan in Gartan, Donegal. Columba entered the church and set-up several monasteries in Ireland. After a dispute with St. Finnian over his copying Finnian's psalter and later his refusal to hand over the copy, King Dermott forced the issue militarily but Columba's family and clan defeated the king at the battle of Cooldrevny in 561. Escaping Ireland Columba arrived on Iona in 563 with twelve disciples, and founded a new monastery. After founding several more monasteries, confounding the local druids, and participating in another battle (this time against St. Comgall over who owned the church of Colethem), Columba died on Iona on June 9, 597.

The 'pillow' can be found in the north transept chapel, and the co-ordinates given are for the west door of the Abbey.

Approximate Age of Artefact: 800AD Relevant Website: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please supply an original picture when visiting this waymark.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.