An Hour From Myrtle Beach Is South Carolina's Abandoned Chapel Ruin That Looks Straight Out Of Europe

You won't find pews or a pulpit at Prince Frederick's Chapel, but its ruins gesture at a trace of the Old World. The Gothic, shelled facade of the once-grand church appears more reminiscent of leftover towers from the Middle Ages of Europe, but it sits roughly an hour from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the iconic East Coast beach town getaway. The church occupies a quiet spot of South Carolina, however, enveloped in otherwise remote forest. Visitors can pull off the road to get a closer look at the site and piece together its interesting history — and maybe even encounter a presence from the spiritual realm.

The ruined appearance of the Prince Frederick's Chapel is more recent than you may think. Most of the church was intact up until 1966, when it was dismantled for safety concerns, per the South Carolina Picture Project. But the chapel was barely used for its intended purpose even in its operational days. It was designed to serve the Prince Frederick Parish, which covered a broad area north of the Santee River in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Construction began in 1859 but, due to a lack of funds, wasn't finished until 18 years later (after the Civil War). By then, the parish community had largely dwindled, with families moving into cities after the war as crop industries declined. The church was abandoned, having hardly seen much attendance. Luckily for visitors — although most of the church was stripped — the steeple, facade, and cornerstone were left as vestiges of a striking example of Gothic Revival architecture.

The ruins of Prince Frederick's Chapel are visitable but not to the point that you can walk through them. The site is fenced off, with some reporting cameras and signs to keep trespassers away. "I recommend bringing binoculars so you can look at the headstones and details high up on the tower," a Google reviewer wrote. Notably, there's also a graveyard next to the ruins, with graves from 19th-century locals, though these, too, are behind fencing. Rumors have swirled about the site being haunted but without much firsthand documentation to back them up. You can still watch the graves and chapel for unusual motions from behind the fence, and there's no charge to do so. There's a history marker on site to give you a refresher about the chapel's past.

Though not far from Myrtle Beach, the chapel ruins fall within Georgetown, an underrated riverside city with a historic harborwalk and eateries. Georgetown could be a good base for travelers who want to explore South Carolina's coastal backroads beyond the main cities — the city center is about a 20-minute drive from the chapel. There's limited roadside parking at the site. If you're flying in, you'll likely land at Myrtle Beach International Airport, which is an hour away by car. There are lots of other unique natural attractions worth checking out between Georgetown and Myrtle Beach, including Sandy Island (which is in fact just a 12-minute jaunt from the chapel).