St Patrick's Chapel, Heysham, Lancashire
N 54° 02.842 W 002° 54.161
30U E 506371 N 5988796
These ruins of a chapel dedicated to St. Patrick look out on to Morecambe Bay at Heysham Head and date from 8th century. A popular place to walk and just sit, admire the view.
Waymark Code: WMCAVP
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/17/2011
Views: 4
There is an information board attached to one of the walls explaining the site features. There were over a hundred graves here, now reburied in nearby churchyard. Although some bones are in Lancaster Museum. There are 8 stone coffins carved from the bare rock of the headland. Must have been important people. The stone coffins would have held only the bones. Although the soil is thin here, many others chose to be buried nearby. One of the excavated graves had a Viking hair comb.
The site was excavated by Lancaster University in 1977 and 1978. Initial tidying of the site was achieved by Rev. Royds in 1860s and further investigations took place in 1903. The earliest parts of the chapel date from 8th century, later additions were added a hundred years after, and post dates St. Patrick's arrival on these shores. The chapel's use is unknown. Was it a private chapel with the associated rock coffins or was it a place of sanctuary?
The site is a protected ancient monument and is
grade 1 listed.