Sophie Younger acted as Project Manager in a programme to protect and conserve important prone and erect early medieval grave monuments, working with Ardtalla Estates Ltd, Historic Environment Scotland (HES), stone conservators (Will Cotter from Graciela Ainsworth’s studio), contractors and volunteers. A scheduled ancient monument, the Kildalton Cross , dating from the 8th Century, is one of  the very few complete early Celtic ringed cross to survive in Scotland. It is associated with the Columban Church’s Iona school of carving.

The project included the development of a costed work programme, application for grant funding for the conservation work, management of contractors and participation in training on stone cleaning offered by Will Cotter. Volunteers were trained to continue with stone cleaning and maintenance, removing grass and weeds from around the monuments. A sympathetic barrier was installed to protect the most vulnerable prone medieval monuments and geo-technical plastic matting laid to control the mud from the ever-increasing number of visitors’ feet.

Communications included writing articles in the Local paper, The Ileach. Work is continuing to keep the site safe and well maintained– the next stage is the stabilisation of a nineteenth century grave stone.