Iona Nunnery

The Iona Nunnery stands on the island of Iona in the Inner Hebrides. It is an Augustinian convent founded after the nearby Benedictine monastery in 1203. Ranald, son of Somerled, established the nunnery. His sister Bethóc became its first prioress. The ruins sit beside Iona’s main village, Baile Mor. They are the most complete medieval nunnery remains in Scotland.

The nunnery was one of three Augustinian women’s monasteries in Scotland. The others were at Perth and North Uist. A headstone fragment of Anna MacLean, a prioress who died in 1543, is displayed in Iona Abbey’s museum. The site was restored in 1923 and again in 1993. Historic Environment Scotland now manages the nunnery as a scheduled monument.

The ruins show a typical Irish-style church with three bays and a small chapel. A 14-metre-square cloister once stood at the centre. The east wing held three ground-floor rooms and a dormitory above. The south wing contained the refectory. A floor was added in the 16th century. The west wing, likely for guests, lies below the modern road.