An Anglo-Saxon ruin on the Lancashire coast - St. Patrick's Chapel, Heysham

Standing on a headland just outside the seaside village of Heysham in Lancashire is the ruins of a small Anglo-Saxon chapel,  St. Patrick's Chapel.

Dating back to around the 8th Century this chapel would have been a rectangular construction and is made from local sandstone.

Folklore dictates that St. Patrick once came ashore here following a shipwreck in the fifth century and set up a chapel. True or not the chapel, still visible today, was built some two centuries later in his name to encourage pilgrimage.

Interesting features:

  • The curved Anglo-Saxon doorway built into the south wall. A beautiful piece of ancient architecture.
  • The stone cut tombs. Cut from the rocks that create the headland these tombs would have held human bones. At the head of each tombs are square sockets, it is believed that this is where wooden crosses would have been placed.




Location: 1-3 Main St, Heysham, Morecambe LA3 2RN, UK

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