Castle Semple Collegiate Church

We are having a brief respite from poor weather before the remnants of Hurricane Katia arrives tomorrow and 80mph winds and rain on Sunday/Monday

Off we went for a walk near Lochwinnoch and stumbled over this Church.

Church Semple was built in 1504 by John, Lord Sempill as a college church in late Gothic style. Following the reformation in 1560 it was left disused and is now a ruin. John Sempill was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513 along with most of the rest of Scottish Nobility.

From 1560 to the 1800's the grounds were used as a burial enclosure, the tombstone of Gariel Sempill who died in 1587 can still be seen