The Church the Buggane Wouldn't Let Be Roofed
On the Isle of Man stands a little medieval church that has never had a roof for long. Legend says a monster tore it off every time.
What was reported
St Trinian's Church, in a field below Greeba Mountain, is a small roofless ruin from the 14th century. Manx legend says that whenever builders put a roof on it, a buggane, a huge, hairy ogre with tusks and claws, burst up through the floor and tore it off.
A tailor named Timothy once bet that he could sew a pair of breeches in the church overnight, buggane or not. As he worked, the monster rose from the floor, and Timothy ran, with the buggane behind him, until he reached holy ground. In fury, the buggane tore off its own head and threw it after him.
Explanations offered
Historians think the church was simply never finished, perhaps for lack of money, or because the roof failed. The legend explains a strange ruin in a vivid way. It's a protected monument.
- When
- Told for centuries
- Where
- St Trinian's Church, Marown, Isle of Man
- Witnesses
- Manx folklore
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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