Discovery shows Scottish monastery was larger than thought
Remains found on the island of Lismore point to an influential early medieval centre of faith, craft and learning.
Archaeologists have found remains on the Scottish island of Lismore of an early Christian monastery that was probably much larger and wealthier than historical sources suggested. The results have been published in the journal Antiquity.
The site lies beside the remains of a later medieval cathedral in Argyll. Researchers wanted to establish whether it was also home to the monastery that historical sources associate with the sixth-century saint Mo Luóc, also known as Moluag. Until recently, little archaeological evidence was available for this.
Excavations and geophysical research revealed extensive burial grounds, early buildings and decorated stone fragments. The researchers also found evidence of high-quality metalworking. This included many small crucibles, which may have been used to process metals.
According to the researchers, the finds point to a monastery of considerable wealth and influence. Lismore therefore appears to have been not merely a remote island church, but a religious and craft centre with connections beyond the island. The researchers cautiously compare its significance with that of better-known monasteries from the same period, such as Iona.
The study was carried out with the involvement of local volunteers and heritage organisations, alongside professional archaeologists. The local historical society began the research around the thirteenth-century cathedral. This approach produced not only new finds, but also made it possible to involve residents directly in research into their own surroundings.
The results primarily change the picture of the settlement’s scale and status. They do not prove that Lismore played exactly the same role as Iona, or that all the historical stories about its founder are accurate. The significance of individual objects and buildings still needs to be investigated and dated further.
The research has been peer-reviewed and published in Antiquity, giving it a different status from an isolated preprint or an initial report of a find. Further excavations and comparisons with other early Christian centres will have to establish how Lismore related to the wider spread of Christianity in early medieval Scotland.
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The article is based on a published study and two publicly available independent descriptions of the finds. Interpretive claims about wealth and influence are attributed to the researchers and are not presented as absolute conclusions.
- confirmed Remains of an early medieval monastery have been found on Lismore. — The study and the public summary describe buildings, graves and craft areas. source
- confirmed Evidence of metalworking and many crucibles has been found. — This is described in the summary of the study and by The Guardian. source
- confirmed The results have been published in Antiquity. — The public research listing refers to DOI 10.15184/aqy.2026.10379. source
- confirmed According to the researchers, the finds point to a centre of considerable wealth and influence. — This interpretation is explicitly attributed to the researchers. source
Editor's note
The finds and publication in Antiquity have been confirmed. The monastery’s precise size, dating and regional influence remain subjects of further archaeological analysis; comparisons with Iona are interpretations by the researchers.Sources
- Community-led archaeology project uncovers a major monastery of medieval Scotland — Phys.org, op basis van Antiquity
- ‘Hugely exciting’ finds on tiny Scottish island shed light on spread of Christianity — The Guardian
- Onderzoek gepubliceerd in Antiquity, DOI 10.15184/aqy.2026.10379 — Antiquity
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „archeologie lismore”
- AD — „archeologie lismore”
- de Volkskrant — „archeologie lismore”