At Clachan Comar we find a ruined 17th century church set within a graveyard which was still in use into the 20th century. (Clachan, meaning stones, is the Gaelic word for a graveyard). The church is built on the site of an earlier church, possibly 10th century, which was dedicated to Saint Bean and known as Kilbeathan.
Today the burial ground appears quite isolated in the midst of farmland but this was not always the case. Prior to the Clearances in the early 19th century the locality was well populated – a map from 1809 shows upwards of 80 buildings in four townships in what was known as the Davoch of Clachan.
The centuries and often unkind Highland weather has taken a heavy toll on the fabric of this ancient site. Stonework has suffered bulging in some places, totally collapsing in others. Fencing erected in the modern era was also collapsing allowing intrusion by livestock.
SCF funding has contributed to restoration work repairing the walls and erecting new fencing. The site requires ongoing maintenance carried out by a small team of volunteers.
