Medieval Fieldtrip: Exmagirdle Church

I think this was my favourite part of the fieldtrip. Every aspect of this place was intriguing and compelling, beginning with the name. When I first heard the word, I thought it was amusing and interesting, until I learned that its proper name is Ecclesmagirdle, the eccle coming from the Greek word for assembly or church. It occurred to me that some Gaelic words have Latin roots (and the medieval folks in Scotland got the Greek word via Latin: Ecclesia), and that the Gaelic word for church fits in to that: Eaglais (pronounced, roughly, ecklish).

Anyway, the church is on private land, that we ne'er the less were able to access (via our standing in the university, I recon). Apparently, due to the name and the dedication to St Grillán (a companion of St Columba), it tentatively dates this area as far back as the 6th or 7th century. Some foundations remain on the south-east side, but I don't remember how far back they date. There are later phases of building, spanning from the 13th to the 17th century. 

This is difficult to make out, but is a skull & cross-bones w/ initials.

Most of the gravestones were in fabulous repair - protected by the overhanging branches of the yew trees which grew in the churchyard.

Covenanter's grave

The other side of the grave above. There were a few Wrights in the graveyard.

More Wrights.

More Wrights - with the tools of their trade at the top of the stone (I should have taken a detail of it - apologies!)

Where the altar used to be.

A blocked-up window

A niche - I can't remember what it would be used for.

The old approach to the church would have been in the wall to the left of the photograph.

This was changed in the 1650s, and we now approach the church this way (the wall is still to the left - just out of sight in this photograph.