easily led into it from the neighbouring burn. To the west of this stand the walls, 3 feet high, of a nearly detached edifice, with a separate outer doorway, which may perhaps have been an infirmary. To the north-east, the low walls are observable of a detached structure 58 feet 9 inches long by 21 feet 6 inches wide. The only wall opening traceable is the doorway, which has been of simple design. This is supposed by some to have been the kitchen, but it seems doubtful. There is no appearance of a fireplace.
A small detached chapel, 38 feet in length by 20 feet 9 inches in width over the walls, lies to the north-east of the chapter house. It has had a doorway in the north wall, a small centre window in the east wall, and a similar window in each of the side walls near the east end. The windows are trefoil headed and cusped, and appear to be late. The doorway had two orders, with a bead on each. The orientation of this building is different from that of the cathedral.
Adjoining the south-west angle of the cloister, and built out from it, is a small enclosure containing stone coffins (see Fig. 994). Immediately beyond this are the remains of another enclosure, connected with a Celtic cross (called St. Martin's) near the west end of the cathedral (see Fig. 995). The inner of these chambers, which encloses the stone coffins, is called "St. Columba's Tomb." Dr. Skene is of opinion that it is actually the structure which contained the body of St. Columba, the coffin of that Saint being placed on the right or south side, and that of St. Blathmac (a martyr who died in defending the abbey against the Northmen in 825) being placed on the left or north side. This view is, however, controverted by Sir Henry Dryden in a MS. of 1879, deposited in the Antiquarian Museum in Edinburgh.
There is also a well in the same locality as the above enclosures.
The ruins of a chapel of some size (48 feet long by 30 feet wide over the walls) lie at a short distance to the west of the cloister. The walls are reduced to a few feet in height, and are partly rebuilt in a rough manner. There seems to have been a doorway in the east end, but this is doubtless not original. A turret can be traced at the south-east angle and another at the south-west angle.
To the north-east of the cloister lie the total ruins of what is called the Abbot's House, and at some distance to the south-east of the church may be observed the greatly demolished remains of a chapel.
In the choir are preserved several monuments. On the south side, close to the sedilia (see Fig. 986), lies the well sculptured effigy of Abbot Kenneth; and on the north side, near the door of the sacristy, is the effigy of Abbot M'Kinnon, the last abbot of Iona (the head being visible in Fig. 987), around which is legible the following inscription, "Hic jacet Johannes MacFingone, Abbas de Hy qui obiit anno Domini Millessimo Quingentessimo cujus animae propitietur Deus Altissimus. Amen."
