Cruggleton Old Church

Today we went to the peninsular next to where we are staying. We visited a number of little coastal places as we drove around and had a walk along the coastal path at Garliaston.

We saw this tiny church in a stone enclosure in the middle of the field and had to have a look!  It's Cruggleton Old Church which is approached through a gate or over a ladder stile.  The churchyard is full of wild flowers - red campion ,bluebells and cow parsley as well as trees and there were green veined white butterflies and bees enjoying them.

It is built of stone and has just three arrow slit type windows and two doors with ornate reinforcing metalwork (extra).  The building was locked up but must have been very dark inside.  

I looked up information about it and it was built in the early 1100s but was rebuilt in the 1890s as it was in ruins.  No-one is sure of it's origins but it could have been a private church for the nearby castle (now also in ruins).  There are also lines of rocks outside and no-one is sure of their purpose either.