Further to my researches into the development of the Celtic Church in Britain new finds in Scotland suggest Christianity arrived before St Ninian set up his church at Whithorn in Wigtownshire in southern Scotland in 397 AD.
Archaeologists and volunteers from AOC Scotland undertaking a three-year excavation of a site at Black Loch of Myrton in Dumfries and Galloway have discovered evidence of a group of round houses dating back to the fifth century BC (iron age). They now think that the history of how Christianity came to Whithorn and southern Scotland may need to be rewritten.
Originally it was thought (though not by me) that Ninian came to an empty area although the close proximity of the forts along Hadrian's Wall always suggested to me that he came to an area where Christianity already had a foothold in communities along and under the wall. The new finds suggest a strong native community in Whithorn itself, possibly a high status secular site where there were Christians already.
The site being excavated was originally thought to be a crannog consisting of a single dwelling built out over the loch but the archaeologists are now claiming to have discovered the best-preserved loch village known in Scotland comparable with Glastonbury and Meare in Somerset.
Source: http://www.BBC.co.uk/news/uk-scotland
13 July 2015
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