Ballakilley Chapel
The site of an Early Medieval keeill or chapel, thought to have been in use between circa AD 500 to AD 1000. The chapel building measured 6.5 metres by 2.75 metres internally with walls up to 0.80 metres thick and up to 2.5 metres high when recorded. The walls, built of rounded granite boulders, were removed in 1912 and its site is occupied by a farmyard, with no visible trace of a chapel or burial ground enclosure.
A doorway flanked by monolithic jambs was positioned in the south wall and there were splayed window openings in each of the four walls. The building did not appear to be of the early keeill period, but a pre-parochial treen or district church and a direct successor of the original keeill.
Bruce stated that 'A date early in the 11th century may not be too wide of the mark'. The burial-ground had completely disappeared by 1860 although the Reverend William Gill recalled a visit to the site in 1828 when there were numerous flat stones protruding from the ground to a distance of 80 yards or more westwards from the church. Graves were frequently ploughed up in the area according to Oliver and a lintel-grave was seen in 1878 and another between 1912 and 1963.
Connections
Book Chapters
- Parish: Malew
- Sheading: Rushen
- Grid Ref: SC2835073170
Sources
- Isle of Man Heritage Environment Record