Medieval chapel.
Despite the uneven ground and vegetation, the foundations of a rectangular structure, lying immediately north-west of the north-west gable corner of the ruined chapel, have been reported. It is suggested that these may be the remains of an earlier chapel or keeill.
Medieval burial ground.
Graves have been found both inside the ruined chapel and outside immediately to the north and east. The presence of lintel graves suggests that the site has been in use from medieval times onwards, and intermittently until the early 19th century for the burial of shipwreck victims.
The burial ground is enclosed within a grass covered bank with an average width of 3.0 m and an average height of 0.8m. Whether this is the original enclosure of a keeill, which may have stood on the site (see record 0132.10), or a feature of the 12th century building, is not now evident.
Medieval chapel. St Michael's Chapel gives its name to the islet lying at the north end of Langness in the mouth of Derbyhaven Bay. One of the earliest references to it is found in an entry for 1250 in the Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles, and shows that it was an important strategic site. By this time the chapel may have already been in existence for about a hundred years.
The chapel is 9m long by 4.5m wide: because it was used for congregational worship it is significantly larger than the earlier chapels or 'keeills' that are so characteristic of the Island, but it was not part of the parish system that replaced them, and is shown ruinous in amid 17th century illustration. The same illustration shows the characteristic belfry on the west gable. Both the chapel and the burial ground in which it stands were used by Catholic worshippers from the 16th to the 18th centuries and for the victims of shipwreck more recently, but probably had its origins in the 12th or 13th centuries.
The coastal location of St Michael's Chapel echoes some of the churches built around the 12th century in the Western Isles and Orkney, at a time when Manx links with these islands were strongest.
Medieval chapel.
The chapel is 9m long by 4.5m wide: because it was used for congregational worship it is significantly larger than the earlier chapels or 'keeills' that are so characteristic of the Island, but it was not part of the parish system that replaced them, and is shown ruinous in amid 17th century illustration. The same illustration shows the characteristic belfry on the west gable. Both the chapel and the burial ground in which it stands were used by Catholic worshippers from the 16th to the 18th centuries and for the victims of shipwreck more recently, but probably had its origins in the 12th or 13th centuries.
The coastal location of St Michael's Chapel echoes some of the churches built around the 12th century in the Western Isles and Orkney, at a time when Manx links with these islands were strongest.
St Michael's parish church stands in Kirk Michael and the site is likely to have medieval origins.
A parish church may have existed on the site from the date of the creation of the parish in the 12th century, and is likely to have replaced an earlier keeill or chapel.
Remains of the eastern end of the pre-19th century church still stand in the north-eastern part of the churchyard, surrounded by graves and completely detached from the present church. There is no obvious indication of the former ground plan of the earlier church nor can the nature or age of the remains be determined, though it appears certain that the remains represent the chancel.
The west side of the remains has a weathered commemorative plaque dated 1695 whilst the east side has a stone inscribed, 'This chancel was rebuilt at the sole expense of the Revd Dr Thomas Wilson a native of this Parish and son of the Rt Revd Thomas Wilson late Lord Bishop of this Diocese'. 'AD MDCCLXXVI'.
Demolition of the old church appears to have begun as early as 1827, leading to the discovery of a medieval cross slab. Demolitioncontinued for some years afterward and several more medieval crosses, and a coinhoard, were found in the process. Its replacement, which stands some 45m to the south-west, was completed in 1835.
A record for a late medieval lych gate at St Michael's, Kirk Michael.
The present lych gate stands at the southeastern entrance into the parish churchyard of St Michael's, close to the present church, which was built circa 1837. The present lychgate is not shown on the 1869 1:2500 scale Ordnance Survey map and is evidently of later date.
Post medieval gun battery.
The Ordnance Survey 1:2500 First Edition mapping of 1868 shows a rectangular earthwork marked as a fort at this location.
The earthwork is believed to have been constructed on the orders of James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, as part of his modernisation of the defences of the Isle of Man during the Great Civil War. The Stanleys were lords of Man and held the island for the Royalist cause.
Stanley was responsible for modernising the adjacent round masonry fort (PRN 0075) during the 1640s. Whilst the latter covers approaches to Derbyhaven from the sea, the earthwork fort may have been constructed as a means of protecting the stone fort from attack launched from the direction of Langness to the south-west.
The earthwork encloses an almost square area 20m long and wide, and the embankments, which are now very spread and only about 1m high, are 8m wide. There are traces of an additional embanked enclosure extending from the south-west side, though its purpose is unknown.
Wheeled traffic has caused erosion of the earthwork and vehicular access is now prevented.
Site of Medieval skirmish.
The Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles describes how in 1250 Magnus, son of Olaf, and Eogan (John, king of the Isles), son of Dougal, together with some Norwegians, landed at Ronaldsway and sent envoys to the Manx. A disagreement arose, resulting in Eogan drawing up his forces in readiness for battle on St Michael's Isle.
The Manx did the same, and as the tide went out, crossed to the islet and attacked, driving the Norwegians and Hebrideans into the sea. Several were killed or drowned, and Magnus and Eogan left in their ships with the survivors.
Magnus was the rightful heir to the Manx throne, but the kingship had been usurped by Harald son of Godred Don; by the time of the skirmish, Harald had been ordered to Norway, and the Manx were in effect leaderless. The Chronicles state that the disagreement arose because Eogan, rather than Magnus, presumed to exercise control over the Manx without the necessary letters of authority from the king of Norway. Magnus would return two years later to reclaim his birthright successfully.
No physical evidence for the skirmish has yet been found.
A polished Neolithic stone axehead of Ronaldsway type (with roughened butt) found on St Michael's Isle in 1971.
There are no further details and for indicative purposes the grid reference refers to the middle of the islet.
The axehead is in the Manx National Heritage collections, accession no. 1971-0144.
Medieval chapel, burial ground and holy well.
The Ordnance Survey 1:2500 First Edition mapping of 1867 shows the location of a chapel and burial ground at this location, formerly on Colby farm, together with the annotation, 'Site of St Nicholas' Chapel & Burial Ground'. Field boundaries to the west and north, and steep slopes to the south, define the location, within which the site is marked.
The Manx Archaeological Survey (1915) records the site as lying on a knoll, and notes that the site is sometimes known as Cashtal Niglus on account of its obviously defensible position, suggestive of a fort, overlooking the lowest bridging point on the Laxey river and the mouth of a natural harbour. The Survey also draws attention to the survival of the chapel's dedication, which is comparatively rare for such sites on the Isle of Man.
The Survey makes no other comment about the site, implying that neither the chapel nor the burial ground were visible, but notes the nearby presence to the south of Chibbyr Niglus (St Nicholas' Well) which was filled in 'having been desecrated by bloodshed'.
A Royal Commission field inspector noted in 1976 that the site occupied a flat-topped plateau which was prominent enough to have suggested the idea of a fort but that there was nothing evident on the ground to support this idea. He also recorded that the summit of the plateau was uncultivated, and was unable to locate the site of the well.
LS Garrad (Manx Museum 1964-96) speculated that the well might be that recorded in OS Field no. 1897 to the east of the site; this is shown on the OS map of 1867 with a path leading to it, which would appear unlikely given the tradition surrounding it.
Medieval chapel.
The Ordnance Survey 1:2500 First Edition mapping of 1867 shows the location of a chapel and burial ground at this location, formerly on Colby farm, together with the annotation, 'Site of St Nicholas' Chapel & Burial Ground'. Field boundaries to the west and north, and steep slopes to the south, define the location, within which the site is marked.
The Manx Archaeological Survey (1915) records the site as lying on a knoll, and notes that the site is sometimes known as Cashtal Niglus on account of its obviously defensible position, suggestive of a fort, overlooking the lowest bridging point on the Laxey river and the mouth of a natural harbour. The Survey also draws attention to the survival of the chapel's dedication, which is comparatively rare for such sites on the Isle of Man.
The Survey makes no other comment about the site, implying that neither the chapel nor the burial ground were visible.
A Royal Commission field inspector noted in 1976 that the site occupied a flat-topped plateau which was prominent enough to have suggested the idea of a fort but that there was nothing evident on the ground to support this idea. He also recorded that the summit of the plateau was uncultivated.
Medieval burial ground.
The Ordnance Survey 1:2500 First Edition mapping of 1867 shows the location of a chapel and burial ground at this location, formerly on Colby farm, together with the annotation, 'Site of St Nicholas' Chapel & Burial Ground'. Field boundaries to the west and north, and steep slopes to the south, define the location, within which the site is marked. The rectilinear form of the boundaries is unlikely to represent a cemetery enclosure, as these tend to be curvilinear.
The Manx Archaeological Survey (1915) records the site as lying on a knoll, and notes that the site is sometimes known as Cashtal Niglus on account of its obviously defensible position, suggestive of a fort, overlooking the lowest bridging point on the Laxey river and the mouth of a natural harbour. The Survey also draws attention to the survival of the chapel's dedication, which is comparatively rare for such sites on the Isle of Man.
The Survey makes no other comment about the site, implying that neither the chapel nor the burial ground were visible.
A Royal Commission field inspector in 1976 was similarly silent about the possible extent of the site.
A pair of lamps on the entrance steps of St Ninian's Church, commemorating the First World War.
Information provided by the Isle of Man Government Preservation of War Memorials Committee. Image courtesy of Chris Blyth, Isle of Man Photographic Society.
42 names listed alphabetically. First World War. Mottled green and black marble with a black and white checked border around three columns of names.
Information provided by the Isle of Man Government Preservation of War Memorials Committee. Image courtesy of Chris Blyth, Isle of Man Photographic Society.
Framed illuminated display on the west wall of St Ninian's Church. Names listed alphabetically, in three columns. Each name is marked with a symbol to show whether the person was on active service, missing or deceased.
Information provided by the Isle of Man Government Preservation of War Memorials Committee. Image courtesy of Chris Blyth, Isle of Man Photographic Society.
40 names listed alphabetically. Second World War. Open paged book in glass case mounted on a four-legged stand which in turn is mounted upon a stone plinth.
Information provided by the Isle of Man Government Preservation of War Memorials Committee. Image courtesy of Chris Blyth, Isle of Man Photographic Society.
37 names listed alphabetically, First World War.
Decorative wrought iron screen and archway, embellished with brass fittings either side of the archway.
The memorial was unveiled on 4 August 1922. The plaque containing the Second World War dedication was unveiled in 1949 by Lt. Col. John Cubbon, O.B.E., The Cheshire Regt. and dedicated by the vicar. (Ramsey Courier, 11 Feb 1949, p. 4).
The findspot of a collection of Mesolithic flints including large scrapers and arrowhead of the 'Glen Wyllan/Bellacregga Complex' including one core axehead and a small group of microliths revealed as a surface scatter during building work near St Olav's or Olaf's. They are now kept in the Manx Museum.
St Patrick (c. 385-461) is traditionally credited with bringing Christianity to the Isle of Man during the fifth century. Several churches and holy sites on the Island bear his name, including the parish of Patrick in the west. While the historical details of his mission to Mann are uncertain, his association with the Island's Christianisation is a central element of Manx religious tradition.
This stone pillar was found in 1857 when the site of a keeil was cleared. It appears now to stand on, or close to, its original location, as part of a modern structure acknowledging the former keeill. It bears a simple cross on one face near its head. The cross has arms of equal length, which have been boldly pecked and gouged out. It is very similar in form to Manx Cross 7.
This stone pillar was found in 1857 when the site of a keeil was cleared. It appears now to stand on, or close to, its original location, as part of a modern structure acknowledging the former keeill. It bears a simple cross on one face near its head. The cross has arms of equal length, which have been boldly pecked and gouged out. It is very similar in form to Manx Cross 6.