General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in that year. In 2000 the Iona Cathedral Trust handed over the care of the Abbey, Nunnery, and associated sites to Historic Scotland. In June 2021, the abbey reopened following a £3.75M renovation, fund-raised by the Iona Community over three years, and including a renewable energy system and high-speed broadband. List of abbots Items of Interest Many early Scottish kings (said to be 48 in total), as well as kings from Ireland, Norway and France, are said to be buried in the Abbey graveyard. However, modern scholars are sceptical of such claims, which were likely mythic associated with increasing the prestige of Iona. Numerous leading Hebrideans, such as various Lords of the Isles and other prominent members of West Highland clans, were buried on Iona, including several early MacLeod chiefs. The site was much loved by John Smith, 20th-century leader of the Labour Party, who was buried on Iona following his death in 1994. Several high crosses are found on the island of Iona. St Martin's Cross (dated to the 8th century) still stands by the roadside. A replica of St John's Cross is found by the doorway of the Abbey. The restored original is located in the Infirmary Museum at the rear of the abbey. The contemporary Jedburgh-based sculptor Christopher Hall worked for many years on carvings on the cloisters of the abbey, which represent birds, flora and fauna native to the island. He also was commissioned to carve John Smith's gravestone. See also Abbot of Iona, for a list of abbots Inchcolm Abbey, so-called "Iona of the east" Dunkeld Cathedral, chief centre of the Columban cult in later medieval Scotland References Meyvaert, Paul. "The Book of Kells and Iona." The Art Bulletin, Vol. 71, No. 1 (Mar. 1989), pp. 6–19 JSTOR External links Iona Community Iona Abbey website School of Iona Catholic Encyclopedia article Benedictine monasteries in Scotland Category A listed buildings in Argyll and Bute Listed monasteries in Scotland Abbey 563 establishments 6th-century establishments in Scotland Christian monasteries established in the 6th century Tourist attractions in Argyll and Bute Museums in Argyll and Bute Religious museums in Scotland Historic Scotland properties in Argyll and Bute Burial sites of the House of Ivar