A fragment of an outline cross-slab kept in Kirk Christ Lezayre. It was found in 1928. It measures 26.7 centimetres x 13 centimetres x 3.17 centimetres.
A fragment of an outline cross-slab kept in Kirk Christ Lezayre. It was found in 1928. It measures 39.4 centimetres x 20.3 centimetres x 3.17 centimetres.
A fragment of cross-slab with a hexafoil cross incised on side B and a plain cross on side A. It is kept in Kirk Christ Lezayre. It was found in 1928. It measures 56 centimetres x 30.5 centimetres x 2.54 centimetres.
A fragment of a Runic inscribed cross-slab kept in Kirk Christ Lezayre. It was found in 1928. It measures 23 centimetres x 5.7 centimetres x 3.8 centimetres.
An un-numbered cross-slab kept in Kirk Christ Lezayre. It appears to have been found at Cronk yn Howe. It measures 25.5 centimetres x 12.7 centimetres x 1.9 centimetres.
An un-numbered cross-slab kept in Kirk Christ Lezayre. It appears to have been found at Cronk yn Howe. It measures 65.4 centimetres x 12.7 centimetres x 3.8 centimetres.
Medieval pinfold.
One of two pinfolds for the parish of Kirk Christ Lezayre stood on the north side of the main road between Sulby and Ramsey at the mouth of Glen Auldyn. It was annotated as such on the Ordnance Survey 1:2500 First Edition mapping of 1869, and was indentified as OS Plot no. 2263, centred at the grid reference provided.
In 1940 the pinfold was described as measuring approximately 43 feet by 27 feet, with walls standing more than 6 feet high, built of stone throughout and with frequent evidence of repair. The entrance was in the centre of the south wall facing the road, with two slate jamb-stones standing more than 5 feet high, but no sign of a lintel. A stone projected from the outer face of the wall to one side of the entrance, apparently to facilitate inspection of the animals impounded within.
The entrance has since been widened to allow vehicular access, and is presently closed by a field gate.
Each parish was responsible for the maintenance and repair of its own pinfold. Their origins are uncertain although an early statute of 1422 confirms that the customary laws relating to their maintenance and use were already well established.
Parish cemetery. The Manx parishes were created during the twelfth century and there is no evidence to suggest that the centre of Rushen parish has moved since that time.
Ordnance Survey mapping prepared in 1867 shows the graveyard defined to south and east by the adjacent highway, with a recorded area of just less that 0.6 acres. The land immediately to the west is occupied by the vicarage and its grounds, and the otherwise curvilinear boundary of the graveyard is sharply defined here by a straighter wall running roughly north-south.
The old burial ground has since been greatly extended to the west and south-west during the 20th century as a consequence of the substantial expansion of the nearby settlements of Port Erin and Port St Mary.
The grid reference provided reflects the approximate centre of the historical graveyard as depicted by the OS in 1867.
Kirk Christ is the parish church for Rushen. No earlier structure is known and it is likely that the present building incorporates masonry dating back to the medieval period.
The church was substantially repaired and re-dedicated in 1775, and with the exceptions of the small east apse added in 1869 and a south porch completed in the mid 20th century has remained largely unaltered since. It was re-roofed in 1935.
Medieval pinfold.
A stone built, sub-rectangular enclosure. The north and south walls are broadly parallel, measuring 11 and 17m respectively. The east wall is 9m long, while the west wall, running alongside a stream which provided water for the animals, is 12m long.
The pinfold was in good condition and in use until the 1930s, with walls standing 2m high. Its upper walls subsequently became ruinous, but have since been repaired and capped with cement, though the slate lintel formerly across the opening has now been lost - presumably when the latter was widened.
Documentary records for the Rushen pinfold extend back to 1665. Each parish was responsible for the maintenance and repair of its own pinfold, but while their origins are uncertain, a statute of 1422 confirms that customary laws for the impounding of stray animals was already long established.
The site is owned by the Department of Infrastructure.
Medieval pinfold.
The parish pinfold for Kirk Lonan stood on the west side of the main highroad. It is annotated as 'Pinfold' on the Ordnance Survey 1:2500 First Edition mapping of 1867-8 at this location.
In 1940 the pinfold was recorded as almost square, measuring approximately 12 by 11m, with rendered stone walls of quarried slate standing 2.1m high. The entrance was in the centre of the north (upslope) wall, where the wall was higher still to accommodate a slate lintel above the position of the gate.
The pinfold has since been heavily altered as a result of road improvements, the east and south walls being much reduced in height and cut back to widen the road junction.
Each parish was responsible for the maintenance and repair of its own pinfold. Their origins are uncertain although an early statute of 1422 confirms that the customary laws relating to their maintenance and use were already well established.
The site of a post-medieval pinfold. It is located to the west side of the road from Glenvine to the Braaid, between Ballaquinnea and Ballingan. It is a rectlinear enclosure with walls of sod hedge type, over 2 metres in height. The walls are partly faced with field stones on the outside, and more recent dry-built facing of quarried slate inside. The entrance has been rebuilt in stone, with a slate lintel against the original sod banks. Each parish was responsible for maintenance and repair of its own pinfold, but their origins are uncertain although a statute of 1422 confirms customary laws already long established by that time.
The Kirk Maughold pinfold stands on the old road from Ramsey on the east side of North Barrule. It is an enclosure which measures about 13 square metres, defined by drystone walling of mountain type with no mortar used. The walls are 1.5 metres high and in good repair. The entrance is in the centre of the eastern wall but it has no lintel stone. Each parish was responsible for the maintenance and repair of its own pinfold, but their origins are uncertain although a statute of 1422 confirms customary laws were already long established by that time.
A piece of a sandstone slab which measures 86cm high x 820cm maximum width x 16.5cmh minimum width and 15.8cm thick. It appears that the date 1681 is carved on it, which may be the original date and suggests that it could have been a post-medieval grave slab or a reused medieval slab.
This small fragment was found in the churchyard in about 1840. The left edge is decorated with a damaged bead moulding. The upper part of the fragment is filled with double-banded plaitwork, while the lower end of the fragment bears the outline of the head and neck of a dragon, all highly reminiscent of Manx Cross 117. It is displayed at Kirk Michael church.
See also Manx Cross 116.
This broken slab was recovered from the wall of the churchyard. The surviving part comprises the lower part of the cross shaft and the undecorated portion of the slab shaped for insertion into a socket stone. On one face the shaft is decorated with ring-chain pattern with twisted interlace to either side. The other face has twist-and-ring on the shaft, with key pattern to the right and the very fragmentary remains of inscription to the left, translated as '...this (cros)s in mem(ory of)..'
See also Manx Cross 102.
This broken shaft of a cross-slab was recognised in 1899: it had been turned upside down, re-shaped and carved with a skull and cross-bones in 1699 and used as a gravestone. The face bearing the skull and cross-bones also shows the remains of tendril pattern in the panel to the right of the shaft, which bears faint traces of the double twist and ring. The other face preserves remnants of a twist and ring pattern in the panel to the left of the cross shaft. The surviving edge preserves a fragment of a runic inscription translated as, '...(carv)ed runes?.' It is displayed at Kirk Michael church.
See also Manx Cross 110.
The Dragon Cross. A fine piece, each face bearing a cross set on a circle. The slab is rounded at the top, and tapers towards the foot to fit into a socket; the spaces between the limbs are pierced.
Both crosses have an expanding shaft, and a ring decorated with plait-work. Regular plaits break into looser interlacing lower on the shaft. The panels to either side are filled with interlace binding dragon figures with gaping jaws, pear-shaped eyes and long tails.
This cross slab was first recorded in 1841 near the old church, and it is therefore tempting to assume that it came to light as a result of the demolition of the previous parish church. It dates to around AD1030. The slab is damaged but was originally round-headed and pierced between the limbs.
It tapers towards its foot, and the sculpture stops short to allow for its insertion into a socket. Each face has a central wheel-headed cross, decorated with plaits-of-seven which break into looser interlace towards the foot of the shaft.
On both faces, the panels either side of the cross shaft each bear a representation of a dragon, bound by interlace, facing the shaft. The dragon's head, with open mouth, fearsome teeth and pear-shaped eye, can be seen immediately beneath the ring supporting the arm of the cross.
The pear-shaped eye is one of the classic elements of the Ringerike style, and here makes a very rare appearance on a Manx cross. A similar animal appears on a fragment of a gold ring found near Greeba. The remaining decoration is a mixture of Jellinge and Mammen styles, suggesting that this stone stands at the crossover between these art-styles. The carving bears some similarity to that on Manx Cross 122. It is displayed at Kirk Michael church.
See also Manx Cross 117.
A fragment of a slate cross-slab with carved interlace patterning, found loose in 1939 at the lychgate. It measures 15.2cm x 9.5cm x 3.8cm and is stored by Manx National Heritage.
See also Manx Cross 178.
