St Michael's Church, Burgh by Sands

St Michael's Church, Burgh by Sands, Cumbria.
This late 12th century church was built on the site of the Roman fort Aballava, and the stones from the fort and probably Hadrian's Wall were using in the building of the church. With 2 metre thick walls, the west tower is the finest and earliest surviving example of a fortified church tower in Cumbria. A narrow window in the base of the tower provided a vantage point to protect the door. After the Reformation the church began to decay, but the tower was still needed as a defence against the looting of Border Reivers.so a firing loop replaced an earlier arrow slit..After the death of King Edward 1, his body was brought to St Michael's where it lay in state until it was moved to Westminster Abbey. Grade 1 listed