Blane's Chapel, St, an ancient ecclesiastical ruin, in Kingarth parish, Isle of Bute, about 2½ miles from the southern extremity of the island. It is commonly said to have been built by a priest who flourished about the close of the 10th century, was educated at Rome, and came to Scotland with a commission to rule the diocese of Dunblane. It stands amid a scene of great beauty, on an artificial esplanade a good deal higher than the ground around, encompassed with a rude wall of 500 feet in circumference, and all substructed, at the depth of 2 feet from the surface, with arches and mason work. A considerable portion of the chapel walls is standing, and shows it to have consisted of nave and chancel, divided by a perfect arch of two enriched orders from shafted jambs. The work is pure Norman, save in the extremities, where it is First Pointed, and must date, not from the end of the 10th, but the 12th or 13th century. A space of similar appearance to the esplanade of the chapel, but on a lower level and only 124 feet in circumference, is in the near vicinity, and has the reputation of having been occupied by a nunnery. Both esplanades were used as cemeteries, that of the chapel only for males, that of the reputed nunnery only for females. Not far from the chapel is a curious circular area, the Devil's Cauldron.
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