Undated shaped stone.
The Ordnance Survey 1:2500 First Edition mapping of 1867-8 shows this feature at the side of the road, together with the annotation 'Saddle Stone'.
The origin of the stone, which is built into the wall at the roadside, is unknown.
It has the appearance of a saddle, hence its name, and local tradition held that people who sit on the stone and wish have that wish granted. There was also a tradition of riding it on May-Day.
Its edges are smooth and well worn, possibly caused by people sitting on it. As a result, tooling marks are not readily apparent.
Kirk Andreas is a parish in the north of the Isle of Man. It is notable for its collection of Norse cross-slabs and carved stones, which are among the most important Viking-age monuments on the Island, and for its connections to several families who emigrated to America during the nineteenth century.
The Kirk Andreas Pinfold is found on the highroad between Ramsey and Andreas village. It is irregular in shape and measures approximately 35.5 metres from the entrance to the most distant corner, with a maximum width of 17.5 metres. It is sod walled, the walls rising to over 2.25 metres in height, with an inner facing of undressed stones. The entrance has no lintel. There is an excellent example of old Manx hedging alongside. Each parish was responsible for the maintenance and repair of its own pinfold, but their origins are uncertain. A statute of 1422 confirms customary laws were already long established by the 15th century.
The present parish church, built in 1802, stands to the south of the former church, which was taken down under the provisions of an Act of Tynwald passed 1800. Mr A.W. Moore supposes that the dedication to St Andrew is likely to date from the period of Scottish rule (1275-1334) but the Scandanavian and Celtic cross -slabs found here almost certainly suggests an early Celtic church, with which there would have been a burial ground.
Medieval and Modern pinfold.
Kirk Arbory pinfold stands close to the junction of the Douglas and Castletown roads, south of the Friary and the modern settlement of Ballabeg; routes from the village are effective in connecting the locality with the rest of the parish.
The pinfold is subrectangular, with boundaries constructed mostly from sod hedging, although rubble and drystone walling makes up the east side. The longest side is 45m, the shortest 25m, and area of the enclosure is 0.13ha or 0.32 acres.
The entrance was on the south side, close to the Douglas Road. An archive photogrpah in the Manx National Heritage collections shows a wide entrance with a lintel above head height. The approach is now blocked by a modern structure.
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.
Kirk Braddan is a parish adjoining Douglas on the Isle of Man. Its ancient church and churchyard contain significant early Christian and Norse cross-slabs, and the parish played an important role in the Island's ecclesiastical and administrative history.
Pinfold. This walled subrectangular enclosure lies adjacent to the highroad between Union Mills and the Strang, but the road network provides communication throughout the parish of Braddan. It has maximum dimensions of 18 by 17m, and is defined by high walls which show many signs of repair. A natural supply of water is derived from the adjacent field, and now feeds a water trough.
The origins of the pinfold are unknown, though historically each parish was legally responsible for the upkeep of its own pound, and for the policing of stray animals. An early statute of 1422 records the practice and confirms that it was already a customary law by that time.
Bride, or Kirk Bride, is a parish and village in the north of the Isle of Man near the Point of Ayre, its church dedicated to St Bridget. The Trafalgar veteran John Cawle, who lost an arm aboard HMS Temeraire in 1805, returned to Bride and became a schoolteacher.
This small rectangular cottage is constructed of stone cement rendered with a thatched roof (rushes from the Ayres). Set at right angles to the road the structure is somewhat renovated. But it has the original rectangular windows on either side of the single front door. There is a minor extension to the east with a slate roof and another door. No interior inspection has been performed. The cottage appears in good repair. This cottage is situated within a hundred metres of another of similar type. Having two such examples of the few remaining buildings of this early rural workers dwelling close together and adjacent to a public road lends weight to their importance.
This pair of thatched cottages has been formed into one dwelling parallel to the road. The whitewashed stone walls are buttressed on the road facade (possibly to prevent deterioration through traffic vibration). In spite of this, the authentic atmosphere is still maintained in the character of the structure and the Ayre rush thatch. Two chimneys (separate) project through the center and north gable ridge respectively and the window and door rectangular openings have been retained in their original locations although the fitments are new. No interior inspection has been performed. The state of repair seems to be very good. This cottage is within a hundred metres of another of similar type.
The site of a ring-shaped cropmark of unknown significance seen on aerial photographs in the southwest corner of a field to the southwest of Bride village. It lies in the field numbered Plot 612 on the 1870 1:2500 scale Ordnance Survey map. The site is now built over.
The Kirk Bride pinfold stands on the west side of the high road near East Kimmeragh. It measures approximately 12.5 metres long by 11 metres wide. Its walls are of stone with some parts bound by mortar. The entrance is in the east wall, with slate lintel above.
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 already long established by that time.
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.
