St. Finan’s Isle
St. Finan Isle on Loch Shiel in the Lochaber district of the Scottish Highlands, which translates to Eilean Fhianian in Gaelic, is located 200-yards from the shores of Loch Shiel. In the early medieval period, it used as a Christian burial ground. On the island is a 16th century stone church that now stands in ruin. It called St. Finan’s chapel, it believed to the first of in Scotland of the Irish saint who later became known as Finan of Lindisfarne. He died in 661. And somehow, the location of Medieval Bell is here.
Christian Pilgrimage
The island, later used as a burial site for the Scottish chiefs in the region, and it is famous as a place of Christian pilgrimage. According to the Moidart History Group, the island used for burials long before the Christian period, and it used for burials today. According to the group, for years, the island had just a handful of visitors each year. Over the last five, the number has dramatically increased because it is a popular kayaking destination.
Harry Potter
Thanks to the popularity of the Harry Potter movies, the island became very popular. Loch Shiel was the location of the Black Lake on the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry Potter fans often travel to the island to see it for themselves.
Medieval Bells
Bells played a significant role in medieval Christian churches. Even today, bells used to call people to prayer services. Since people in the medieval times didn’t have watches and clocks, they needed something to let them know that it was time for prayer. It believed that the ringing of the bells could drive away demons. Handbells were common with early Irish missionary monks who would visit Scotland.
A Stolen Bell
There’s a medieval bell on the island that is said to be cursed. According to the legend, anyone who takes the bell from the island will be cursed. The bell is over 1,000-years-old, and it appeared in the Harry Potter movies. Recently, the bell is missing. As soon as it discovered that the bell is missing, the Modiart History group immediately called the police. According to a spokesman for the group, the theft of the bell is a tragic event. He hopes that the curse of the bell is real and that the thief will be cursed for life.
A Previous Theft
This isn’t the first time that the bell is missing. Although the bell is said to be cursed, it was taken right after the Jacobite rising of 1745 in the Highlands. During this time, Charles Edward Stuart, also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, was attempting to restore his family to the British Crown. After the revolt, one of the British soldiers stole the bell as loot. After a chase along Loch Shiel, the bell comes back. The thief who stole the bell was flogged severely, which is a curse in itself. The bell returned to its original place when it recovered, and it remained there until the recent theft.
Not An Easy Task
After the first theft, the bell comes back to its original place, but it isn’t tightly secured to prevent further thefts. Officials believed that the legend of the bell and its curse would be enough to keep thieves away. In 2017, officials and the Modiart History Group decided that the myth and the curse of the bell might not be enough to keep thieves away. This is why they secured the bell with a heavy, hand-forged bronze chain. They hoped that this would keep the bell from being stolen. After the recent theft, the police believe that it must have been difficult for the person who stole it. They think that it would have taken a set of very heavy bolt cutters to cut the chair and remove the bell.
No Suspects
Sadly, there are no suspects so far in the case. Since there is no surveillance equipment on the island, the authorities have no idea who could have stolen the bell. The person in charge of the investigation says that the case is not closed, and they will continue looking for clues.
Why?
Many people who have heard about the theft wonder why the thief stole it. It is one of the most famous bells in the world; therefore, they cannot sell it for profit. Just letting people know that they have the bell will open them up for an easy arrest. This had led people to wonder why they took the bell in the first place.
A Harry Potter Fan?
Thief steals ‘cursed’ medieval bell from ‘Harry Potter’ Island in Scotland. Since the bell is in the Harry Potter films, the only possible reason for the theft was that the thief is a Harry Potter fan. Hopefully, the thief will realize they cursed and return the bell to the island. For now, it is gone.
