Earthwork enclosure. The place-name, Round Ellan, means 'round island' which gives some indication of its irregular oval shape. The site is raised slightly above the immediately surrounding land, but is overlooked by higher ground nearby to the north and east.
The eastern part of the site is best preserved, with a peripheral bank rising 2m from a ditch up to 0.7m deep and 10m wide. A weak outer bank is apparent in places. Ploughing has undoubtedly reduced the height and clarity of the banks since first surveyed by the Ordnance Survey in 1869. No trace of other interior structures has been surveyed.
Antiquarian opinion as to its origin was mixed, compounded by contradictory and misleading identification with other fortifications in the north of the Island, most notably the 17th century earthwork artillery fort at Kerroogarrow (see 0370), and coastal defences at Ramsey of similar date. The name 'Loyal Fort' is unlikely to relate to this site. The Duke of Wellington considered it similar to English Iron Age hillforts.
A small amount of worked flint and medieval pottery has been recovered as surface finds from inside and around the site.
Fundamentally, its poorly defensible topographical location make interpretation and dating difficult.
The plaque is made of marble and is engraved with the Royal Airforce crest. It was originally located in the porch of All Saint's Church (from September 2000) and in 2018 it was relocated to a wall in the Chapel of Remembrance at St George's Church, Douglas.
The site of a brewery which is shown on the Ordnance Survey's 1:2500 scale map of 1870, which names it as the 'Royal Albert Brewery'. The building was located on Tower Street. It is likely to have been named in honour of the visit of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1847, and the latter's ascent of the hill 1km to the south, which was further marked by the erection of the Albert Tower in 1848. The brewery company was dissolved in 1923. The site is now partially occupied by a modern office building.
Modern watermill.
The Ordnance Survey 1:2500 First Edition mapping of 1867 depicts a water mill at this location, annotated as 'T. Mill'.
The mill has been demolished and the site redeveloped for residential purposes.
Modern mill leat.
The Ordnance Survey 1:2500 First Edition mapping of 1867 depicts a water mill at this location, annotated as 'T. Mill'.
A leat led water 370m from a millpond at the Chasa to the mill. The upper end of the leat is still visible for a stretch of about 80m north of Church Road, but to the south it is culverted below ground.
The grid reference marks the midpoint of the course of the leat, for indicative purposes.
Modern millpond.
The Ordnance Survey 1:2500 First Edition mapping of 1867 depicts a water mill at this location, annotated as 'T. Mill'.
The millpond for the Howstrake mill lay in an area of wetland to the north of the parish vicarage. It was originally quite extensive, covering almost 1 acre, but has now been landscaped as part of a residential development and is considerably reduced in size.
The grid reference marks the former centre of the pond, for indicative purposes.
Marble sculpture of a serviceman displayed within a wall-mounted glass cabinet. Dedicated in 1920 to all those who gave their lives in the First World War, in care of the Gurney family . Previously taken to garden parties and fetes to raise funds for full-size marble memorial for New Bradwell Cemetary in Buckinghamshire. Designed by W.A.W. Gurney. Donated by the family to Castletown branch of the Royal British Legion in 2003.
Roll of Honour in book form. First World War, names listed alphabetically. Second World War, names listed alphabetically. Book designed by Marjorie Knapton. Constructed from calf leather, with gold blocking worked by Cathy Roberts of Delta Design, London. Calligraphy on Fabriano cotton paper in red and black inks with gold leaf, written by Satwinder Sehmi of Alphabet Soup, London. Presented to the Royal British Legion and the people of Castletown by the Knapton family. Display cabinet made by Colin Craine of Castletown.
First and Second World War. This small area in St Columba's churchyard is a double grave size bounded by a kerb. The area is sown with grass and on days such as Remembrance Day the congregation can come out of church and plant their crosses into the lawn. There is a plaque set into the ground on stone tablet, erected by the Royal British Legion Colby Branch.
Roll of Honour compiled by the British Legion, Onchan Branch, and executed by J.N.H. Kelly (vice chairman) in 1939. It is believed that the Roll is of those who served in the armed forces.There are six columns, totaling 176 names, mostly alphabetical. The warden at St Peter Church advises that the memorial has been de-consecrated, as it was not a comprehensive memorial in terms of those killed during the wars and contained names of those who served but did not die during service. It has been returned to the Onchan RBL for long-term retention. First World War.
Burial ground. This small, walled enclosure served as a burial ground for Quakers from 1672, and is the only example on the Isle of Man. Tradition states that lintel graves have been found, and that the site of a medieval chapel lies nearby, but neither can be confirmed.
The possible site of an early medieval cemetery at the site of a post-medieval Quaker Burial ground. A small, walled enclosure at the site served as a burial ground for Quakers from 1672, and is the only example on the Isle of Man. Tradition states that lintel graves have been found here, and that the site of a medieval chapel lies nearby, but this has never been confirmed.
The possible site of an early medieval keeill or chapel at the site of a post-medieval Quaker Burial ground. This small, walled enclosure served as a burial ground for Quakers from 1672, and is the only example on the Isle of Man. Tradition states that lintel graves have been found here, and that the site of a medieval chapel lies nearby, but this has never been confirmed.
Medieval burial ground.
The site was investigated by the Manx Archaeological Survey (1915) and the remains of a medieval chapel were found, lying within a well-defined enclosure about 45m long by 40m wide. The remains are now rather more fragmentary.
The findspot of a single flint flake found at the keeill at the Barony. It is now in the Cowley Collection at the Manx Museum. It is thought to probably be associated with a bowl barrow or cairn at this location.
Bronze Age barrow cemetery; medieval chapel and burial ground. Approximately fifteen burial mounds have been surveyed on the Barony hilltop. Amongst them are the remains of a medieval chapel which was investigated by the Manx Archaeological Survey (1915) and found to measure 7.2 by 3.8m internally. The Survey noted that the western end of the chapel was largely destroyed and the structure is now obscured by field clearance stones. It lies within an enclosure about 45m long by 40m wide.
Cistercian abbey founded in 1134, the only abbey on the Island. The monks of Rushen compiled the Chronicon Manniae et Insularum, the chronicle that preserved the Island's history from the Norse period onward. A Manx document, produced on Manx soil, preserving a Manx understanding of the past. The manuscript now sits in the British Library in London. There have been campaigns to bring it home. It has not come home yet. Henry VIII dissolved Rushen Abbey in 1540, its assets stripped and sold off in three months.
A two storey tower, provisionally identified as the abbot's private lodging. Now known as the Pigeon Tower, owing to its later conversion to a dovecote.
