 On Thursday, November 7, 1850 James Finn future British Consul to Jerusalem and Palestine, visited the village and found it and the castle in a very dilapidated condition, he met Sheikh Al Sadiq family, and slept in the castle for a night, he surveyed the church attached to the castle and saw the Greek inscription upon the lintel signifying "Martyr Memorial Church of the Holy Herald".On leaving Mejdal he descended to "Ras el 'Ain" ("head of the springs") at half an hour's distance, a site which he believed to be identical with the ancient city of Antipatris.When Edward Robinson visited in 1852, he reported that the fortress had been rebuilt and also served as a palace for the ruling "sheikh".