- Mugdock Castle on Sullivan’s Island was originally a church built in the late 1800s, but is now a long-term rental frequented by celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Justin Timberlake.
SULLIVAN’S ISLAND — A stone castle isn’t what you typically imagine for a beach home, but this whimsical church-turned-medieval structure nonetheless sits in plain sight just a block from the ocean and is a go-to rental for those from off.
Mugdock Castle, as its owner Vince Graham named it 20 years ago, was originally a church when it was built in the 19th century. Graham decided to purchase the building in 2002 with the intention of moving it to Mount Pleasant. But when plans fell through he rolled with the punches. Instead, he renovated the neglected stone building into a livable home, cleaned out mold, added a turret and now rents it out almost year-round.
Celebrities such as Justin Timberlake and his wife, Jessica Biel, have vacationed there. Actors Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively stayed there with family ahead of their 2012 wedding at Boone Hall Plantation.
The historic part of the building was the original Church of the Holy Cross, Graham, president at I’On Group, told The Post and Courier. Its cornerstone was laid by the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina in 1891. The intent was to replace the Grace Church on Sullivan’s Island, which was destroyed by Union forces during the bombardment of Charleston…