[Illustration: FIG. 723.--Chapel on “The Isle.” View from South-East.] “The Isle” is a rocky promontory, formerly an island, but now connected with the mainland at low tide. It stands near the south end of the main part of Wigtonshire, about two miles north from Burrow Head and three miles south-east of Whithorn. On this isle stand the ruins of an ancient chapel. It is roughly built, with walls 2 feet 8 inches in thickness, and, from its pointed arches, appears to be of first or second pointed date. The structure (Fig. 722) measures 37 feet 6 inches in length by 22 [Illustration: FIG. 724.--Chapel on “The Isle.” View from South-West.] [Illustration: FIG. 725.--Chapel on “The Isle.” Font.] feet in width externally, and has originally been very exactly measured off. The doorway has been in the south wall, but it is now broken down and the freestone dressings removed. There has been a tall pointed window in each of the north and south walls, and a similar window, though apparently wider, in the east end wall. The dressings have been torn out, but the pointed sconsion arches still remain (Figs 723 and 724). There is a small square ambry in the north wall, and a similar, but larger, one in the south wall. The exterior is quite plain, and without buttresses or break of any kind. The simple bowl of the font has been recovered, after having served for generations as a trough to bruise whins in for food for horses (Fig. 725). It is now preserved at Whithorn. Much discussion has taken place regarding this chapel, some supposing it to be the original _Candida Casa_ of St. Ninian. The style of the structure puts that view out of the question; but it is still thought by some--amongst others by Mr. T. S. Muir[114]--that the isle was a much more likely place for St. Ninian to fix his first settlement on than at Whithorn, where he would be in the midst of a probably not very friendly people. In that case the Chapel on “The Isle” would be the successor of the original _Candida Casa_. But there is nothing at either place to determine with any degree of certitude the site of the first Christian edifice in Scotland. CHAPEL, DUNSTAFFNAGE CASTLE, ARGYLESHIRE. [Illustration: FIG. 726.--Chapel, Dunstaffnage Castle. Interior.] A plan and detailed drawings of this first pointed chapel are given in connection with the description of the castle,[115] but the general view of the interior (Fig. 726) is now illustrated, in order more fully to explain the description above referred to. The ruin is densely covered with ivy, but the jambs of the chancel arch, enriched with rows of dog-tooth ornament, are distinctly visible (see Section). The arch is now built up, and the chancel is converted into a tomb-house. A section of the window jambs and shaft between is also shown in Fig. 726. This edifice is one of the few examples of enriched first pointed work to be found in the Western Highlands and Islands.