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Chapel Finian

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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. 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 form 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 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.

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