St. John's Church in Newton Arlosh, officially known as St. John the Evangelist's Church, is a rare example of a fortified church in Northwest England. It was built in 1303 by the monks of Holmcultram Abbey in response to the unsettled border situation with Scotland.
Built of red sandstone and cobblestones, it features a massive west tower with arrow slits and a vaulted ground floor. The tower has a narrow entrance, a stone spiral staircase, and a hearth room, possibly used as a waiting room or priest's quarters.
Newton Arlosh was founded after nearby Skinburness was destroyed by the sea; the monks built a new settlement and church there. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, the church fell into disrepair and remained a ruin for over 250 years. In 1844 and again in 1894, the building was repaired and extended, with the chancel being placed perpendicular to the nave. Today it is a working Anglican parish church within the Diocese of Carlisle.