A badly worn slab with traces of a Celtic ring cross. It was found in Maughold barn in 1885 and is now kept in the Maughold Cross House. It measures 96.5 centimetres x 51 centimetres x 10 centimetres thick.
Cleveland is a city in north-east Ohio, United States, known as the "Manx Capital of America". From the 1820s onwards, large numbers of Manx emigrants settled in the Cleveland area and the surrounding Western Reserve, with the population of Manx origin estimated at 25,000 to 30,000 by the mid-twentieth century. It is the headquarters of the North American Manx Association, founded there in 1928.
The site of a deserted farmstead known as 'The Close' is situated on the high moorland in the northern extremity of Braddan parish. It was the home of a celebrated preacher 'Illiam y Close' or William Cowley, who died in 1848.
The farm was possibly established before 1706 as the earliest date associated with the site is an inscription 'IC:1706' on one of the slate stones of the existing stable. Presumably this refers to a member of the Cowley family who built (or rebuilt) the stable in that year.
The layout of The Close farmstead can be described as scattered, as no attempt was made to group the buildings. 50 metres north of the house, on the left bank of the streamlet which flows from the Flax-dub, are the remains of a corn-drying kiln (PRN 0718.10), which measures 6.4 metres x 3 metres overall (SC 36768927). A lime kiln is located at NGR SC 36578819 (PRN 0718.20). All the buildings of the Close, except the stable, are shown as roofless on the 1870 1:2500 scale Ordnance Survey map. The fields around the farmstead are ridged in long broad butts.
The findspot of a Mesolithic flint scatter found by the mid-20th century. A considerable amount of worked flint was found, including 4 boxes of Bann or Heavy-blade type tanged points, blades and flakes, other Mesolithic blades and some later iron objects. OS Field No. 2660.
Iron Age defended promontory. A massive bank and ditch forms the defences of this promontory fort. On the southern side a natural gully leading from the sea was enhanced and then extended to form a deep, semi-circular ditch protecting the promontory on the landward side. Material from the ditch was used to construct an earthen rampart, the inner face of which retained by a stone wall.
Excavation suggested that the first phase of the defences were constructed during the early Iron Age. No obvious trace of occupation was found associated with this phase of defence.
Iron Age defended promontory. Excavation showed that the first phase of the defences, constructed during the early Iron Age fell into disrepair and was replaced and enhanced during the late Iron Age. These are the defences visible today. The earlier defences were enlarged, the ditch being excavated to a depth of around 3m and the rampart widened to about 3.5m. The investigations also found four well-constructed stone roundhouses with paved floors and central hearths, which were occupied until 100 AD. A range of personal items was recovered, including a bone comb, a bronze brooch, glass beads and a fragment of a black jet ring and bracelet, as well as weaving and sewing tools. The promontory fort then fell out of use until reoccupied during the Viking Age.
Medieval defended promontory. This substantial, well-defended Iron Age promontory fort was reoccupied duriing the Norse era, when a rectangular building 12.5m by 5m was constructed. A narrow stone bench against the south wall would have served for sitting and sleeping.
No evidence of a hearth was found, implying that the structure was not permanently occupied. The limited evidence for domestic use, coupled with the lack of a hearth, has led to the suggestion that the building formed part of a 'watch and ward' system of coastal defence (which continued until at least the early 17th century), or may have policed a coastal beach market.
Iron Age and medieval defended promontory. A massive bank and ditch forms the defences of this promontory fort. On the southern side a natural gully leading from the sea was enhanced and then extended to form a deep, semi-circular ditch protecting the promontory on the landward side. Material from the ditch was used to construct an earthen rampart, the inner face of which retained by a stone wall.
Excavation showed that the first phase of the defences were constructed during the early Iron Age, but this had fallen into disrepair when it was replaced in a second phase of activity during the late Iron Age, the remains of which can be seen today. The earlier defences were enlarged, the ditch being excavated to a depth of around 3m and the rampart widened to about 3.5m. The investigations also found four stone roundhouses with paved floors and central hearths, which were occupied until 100 AD. A range of personal items was recovered, including a bone comb, a bronze brooch, glass beads and a fragment of a black jet ring and bracelet, as well as weaving and sewing tools.
The promontory fort then fell out of use until the Viking Age, when a rectangular building 12.5m by 5m was constructed. A narrow stone bench against the south wall would have served for sitting and sleeping. No evidence of a hearth was found, implying that the structure was not permanently occupied. The limited evidence for domestic use, coupled with the lack of a hearth, has led to the suggestion that the building served men undertaking watch and ward duties along this stretch of coastline.
A small Wesleyan Methodist chapel which is shown on the 1869 1:2500 scale Ordnance Survey map. The chapel is now closed and in an overgrown, derelict condition.
Prehistoric flint scatter.
A small quantity of worked prehistoric flint was recovered from 'Close y Garey Curragh' by CH Cowley.
No further details concerning the circumstances of the discovery were recorded and the grid reference relates to the centre of the curragh for indicative purposes only.
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.
A findspot of a scatter of 'Bann' type Mesolithic flints and a spherical stone, which measured 2 1/2 inches in diameter and may be a slingstone. The finds are from Ballaharra, particularly near 'Bill Sill's Curragh' and were confirmed by B.K. Corlett. They are now held in the Cowley Collection at the Manx Museum.
The site of a post-medieval horse engine. The circular horsewalk is shown on the 1870 1:2500 scale Ordnance Survey map, located at the southern end of the L-shaped building range at the western side of the complex.
