Medieval chapel.


The Ordnance Survey 1:2500 First Edition mapping of 1867 marks the site of a chapel and burial ground, with the annotation 'Site of St Martin's Chapel & Burial Ground'. The neighbouring farmstead, Ballakilmartin, perpetuates both the dedication, and knowledge of the existence, of the chapel.


The Manx Archaeological Survey (1918) investigated the site and found that the farm road and the adjacent hedge cut through the chapel, leaving the remains of the south and east walls. Traces of the foundations also survived beneath the hedge.


The south wall was most complete and survived up to a height of 0.6m; it had been 1.2m wide, and built of stone. The south end of the east wall, 1m wide, survived for a length of 2m, but was reduced to foundation level to the north. The north wall was entirely destroyed, but traces of the west gable survived sufficient to suggest that the doorway may have been located off-centre towards the SW corner. The surviving structural remains suggest a building measuring 5.5 by 2.7m overall.


The Survey found the base of the altar centred against the east wall; it had been about 1.5m wide and 0.6m deep. Some evidence for stone paving survived, and white quartz pebbles were also present close by the foundation of the altar.