A chambered tomb and cremation cemetery were discovered in 1971 at Ballaharra in a sand quarry. An inhumation burial was also found, close to the north-east side of the tomb, containing the remains of three individuals.
A chambered tomb and cremation cemetery were discovered in 1971 at Ballaharra in a sand quarry. The chambered tomb was situated on undulating pasture, rising to a gentle hillock westwards. The tomb was placed at the foot of the slope - not above ground in the usual fashion, but sunk into a capacious grave-pit that contained the chamber and its adjuncts. Above this rested a metre of earth, with no tell-tale signs above the ground today. The chamber comprised at least four megaliths which originated from the coast near Peel, the roofing slab having been since displaced. The chamber was covered with a cairn of cobbles and boulders extending as far as a kerb a few metres to the east. In the chamber there was an early inhumation, followed by deposits of burnt material, including cremated bone and sheep and cattle teeth along with pots and other grave goods of late Neolithic type. The chamber was used for later burials, one perhaps with a beaker, another with a food vessel. It is likely that the chambered tomb predates the 2275-2283 BC of the cremation deposits, but probably not by a very long time. The site has now been completely quarried away.
A chambered tomb and cremation cemetery were discovered in 1971 at Ballaharra in a sand quarry. In the zone round the tomb there were several interments which were much less elaborate, both unburnt and cremated, within a yet wider area characterised by soot-blackened sand and numerous hollows. There were two cremation deposits near the tomb. The first was 3-4 metres to the east and consisted of a small circular hollow, 0.8 m in diameter, densely packed with the cremated bones of at least 31 individuals, probably 34 and possibly up to 40. Radio-carbon analysis of charcoal from this cremation gave a date of 2275-2283 BC. The second cremation deposit was a few metres away and contained the burnt bones of three people.
The site of an Iron Age round house. The enclosure has been ploughed out and only slight traces now remain, although it is seen as a cropmark from the air. It is located in a pasture field which slopes down to the west. Its topographical position resembles the sites of stone roundhouses rather than those of the earth-built type, which are found in marshy situations. If it were a stone constructed rath, as seems likely, it is probable that the stones have been incorporated in the field walls which have been entirely re-built since the survey of 1867-8. Several small stones are scattered around the site.
The site of a burnt mound or cooking place which was partially excavated circa 1983-1984 but produced no evidence other than patches of intense burning. OS Field No. 1963: the grid reference is located at the centre of the field for indicative purposes.
The findspot of a scatter of early prehistoric flints, including Mesolithic Heavy-blade type missile heads, a scraper, blades, flakes and a knife of polished purple igneous stone.
The findspot of a scatter of early prehistoric flints, including Neolithic tanged and leaf-shaped arrowheads and Heavy-blade missile heads, scraper, blades, flakes and a knife of polished purple igneous stone.
The site of a post medieval horse engine. The circular horsewalk is shown on the 1870 1:2500 scale Ordnance Survey map to the south of the farm buidings here. A 20th century building now occupies the site.
Prehistoric worked flints, including a blade and a retouched flake, have been recovered from Ordnance Survey Field no. 2788 at Ballahick, Malew.
The precise findspot is not recorded and the grid reference refers to the centre of the field.
Modern lime kiln.
The Ordnance Survey 1:2500 First Edition mapping of 1868 shows a lime kiln at this location. The annotation marks it as a 'Limekiln', implying that it is active at this date.
The structure is thought to have been destroyed.
The site of an early medieval chapel or keeill and burial ground, thought to have been in use between circa AD500 and AD1000. The name of this keeill is lost and only the foundations remain now on a mound measuring 15 metres by 9 metres and standing 1.2 metres high. The dimensions of the keeill building appear to have been 4.5 metres by 2.75 metres, with only low wall bases surviving.
Graves have been noted when ploughing in the fields both north and south of the keeill indicating the extent of the associated burial ground.
Two worked flint flakes were found measuring 2.5 centimetres and 5.0 centimetres long. It is thought that this was an artificial mound used for Bronze Age burials before the site was selected for a Christian church.
Prehistoric flint scatter.
A single worked prehistoric flint was recovered from Ballahimmin by CH Cowley, from the 'Little Chapel Field'.
The description refers to OS Field no. 0813, which is centred at the grid reference provided.
The antiquary Charles Harry Cowley was an avid collector of worked flint and coarse stone artefacts revealed by agricultural activity, mainly on farms located around Peel, and occasionally from further afield. He was active from 1900 until 1943. His entire collection of artefacts, together with a daybook cataloguing his discoveries, was later donated to Manx National Heritage.
The site of a post medieval horse engine, which was recorded in the 1980s as a two-horse structure, the wooden beam of which survived and the building had been reroofed.
The site of an early medieval chapel or keeill and burial ground, thought to have been in use between circa AD500 and AD1000. The name of this keeill is lost and only the foundations remain now on a mound measuring 15 metres by 9 metres and standing 1.2 metres high. The dimensions of the keeill building appear to have been 4.5 metres by 2.75 metres, with only low wall bases surviving. The wall in the southwest corner is up to 1.5 metres thick. The doorway was in the west wall and there appeared to have been another in the northwest. The floor had been paved with thin polygonal slabs averaging 0.45 metres x 0.35 metres. 0.8 metres from the East wall, two upright slabs 0.6 metres high, one crossing the other, appeared to have formed the front and south side of the altar.
Excavation by Kermode in 1909-10 in the southwest corner exposed a small quantity of charcoal with fragments of thin pottery. More pottery remains were found to the east, and in the centre of the keeill 0.6 metres below the surface, as well as a pile of calcined bones. Excavations were also made near the east wall, where a layer of white quartz stones was noted and thought to perhaps have served as the base of the altar. Stones of a similar character supporting these to a depth of 0.9 metres. A few inches below the quartz stones was another pile of calcined bones.
Two worked flint flakes were found measuring 2.5 centimetres and 5.0 centimetres long. It is thought that the mound was an artificial mound used for Bronze Age burials before the site was selected for a Christian church.
Graves have been noted when ploughing in the fields both north and south of the keeill indicating the extent of the associated burial ground.
