Lismore Historical Society uncovers medieval monastery site in Scotland

The Lismore Historical Society conducted a research project in 2016 to investigate a 13th-century cathedral on the island of Lismore, Argyll, in Scotland.

The team aimed to assess the state of preservation of the medieval structure and clarify the results of previous excavations from the 1950s. The project provided new evidence regarding the site of Lios Mòr, a monastery founded in the 6th century by St Lugaid.

While historical records and local traditions long suggested the monastery occupied the same space as the later cathedral, previous archaeological work had failed to find clear traces of the early medieval site. The researchers successfully documented the building plan and confirmed the construction date of the cathedral. These findings helped clarify the history of the monastic site, which was part of the Dál Riata kingdom.

This kingdom was a Gaelic-speaking region that covered parts of modern-day Argyll, the Hebrides, and Northern Ireland.