There’s No Other House In The World Like This One In South Carolina
Mugdock Castle on Sullivan’s Island is a unique, one-of-a-kind house plunked down in the middle of a residential neighborhood adjacent to Fort Moultrie near the south end of the island. The dwelling has evolved over the years from its divine beginning – to the royal present.
There's a good reason why it's right in the middle of a neighborhood. The first cornerstone for the structure was laid in 1891 by the Episcopal Diocese. The street-facing side of the castle is now called the "Winter Hall." But in its humble beginning in 1891 it was known as The Church of the Holy Cross.
Then in 1905, a mere 14 years later, the federal government condemned the church and claimed it as their own, using it as the Fort Moultrie Post Chapel.
In a close call, this historic building almost got wiped right off the island, and not by a hurricane. In 2002, The Church of the Holy Cross tried to move the church approximately 15 miles to the next town over.
But the town of Sullivan's Island didn't want to lose this historic building and found a town ordinance that prevented moving it. Later that year the property was sold to another individual who had big plans for renovations.
The plans to convert the three-time church to a castle were cast. The original building, the chapel and residence would become the castle's "winter hall."
It took nearly seven years to complete all of the renovations. The romanesque summer hall was completed in 2009.
According to the Mugdock Castle website, the new name came from a “family stronghold built in the 14th century north of Glasgow, Scotland.” According to the site, the castle is a “testament to perseverance and a bastion of peace and hospitality.”
The new tower on the castle’s winter hall replaced the church’s bell tower – you can see in the photo where the top has been replaced. But in its former life, the home’s private residents were also bastions of hospitality. Each Christmas they would put a life-size Santa in the bell tower, his arm high in the air, waving to everyone who passed by.
Have you seen this castle on Sullivan’s Island? Do you know of other unique homes in South Carolina? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below or on our Facebook page.
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Robin Jarvis is a travel writer and editor for OnlyInYourState.com with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. Her love for travel has taken her to many parts of the world. She's lived in the Carolinas for nearly three decades and currently resides in Charleston. When she's not working, she loves to cook with friends and check out new adventures. General questions and FAM tours: rjarvis@onlyinyourstate.com.