Description
Close-up of St Martin's Cross, that stands beside the abbey on the island of Iona, on the northwest coast of Scotland. Dating back to the 8th century, the cross is the only surviving intact cross on the island, having been carved from one piece of red granite stone, in the years following St Columba's death in 597AD. It stands at 16'8" high and is thought to have marked the way for pilgrims to find the route to St Columba's grave on the site of the abbey he founded on the island, having arrived on Iona from Ireland. The cross has Bible stories carved into the stone, which are weathered after so many hundreds of years.