Family Holidays in the Isle of Man
The Isle of Man does not have any single theme park such as Alton Towers, however the island itself is one massive park with many things for you to enjoy during a family holiday to the Isle of Man.
We detail below some of the many interests that you can enjoy whilst on the Isle of Man.
The Ayres Visitor Centre
The visitor centre in the north of the Isle of Man is open from the end of May to the end of September from 2 - 5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday inclusive.
The Manx Wildlife Trust maintains a visitor centre and nature trail. The centre has attractive displays about the ecology, geology and history of the Ayres. The nature trail leads to the visitor centre from the shore through the dunes to the lichen heath. The Ayres has been designated an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) and a National Nature Reserve.
A great variety of birds frequent The Ayres including gannets, shags, cormorants and terns. The common lizard, the Island's only native reptile, feeds on the many grasshoppers that live amongst the marram. Seals are often sighted out to sea and basking sharks are sometimes seen as they cruise the surface feeding on plankton.
Please take care when visiting The Ayres. Much of the vegetation is fragile and easily damaged by vehicles or fire. Nesting birds are easily disturbed. Keep dogs on a lead during the breeding season.
How to get to the Ayres Visitor Centre: If you have your own car with you on your island holiday the visitor centre is signposted on the Ballaghennie Road west of Bride. It has a car park adjacent to it.
More information can be found here: www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/manxwt/Ayres.htm
Scarlett Visitor Centre- Castletown
The visitor centre in the south of the Isle of Man is open from the end of May to the end of September from 2 - 5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday inclusive.
Scarlett has spectacular geological formations with pavement-like limestone strata near the visitor centre contrasting with the rugged volcanic rocks in the vicinity of the Stack. There is a disused limestone quarry and old limekilns. The Trust Visitor Centre is the former office for the quarry. There are displays about the rocks, fossil and limekilns as well as the plant life and seashore life.
The nature trail starts by the quarry and leads on to the limekilns and maritime heath. The plants in the area include sea campion, birdsfoot trefoil and the beautiful blue spring squill. Fennel pondweed grows in the freshwater pool, near the storm beach and rock samphire can be found nearby in saltier pools. On a clear day it is possible to see almost the entire mountain chain of the Island at the furthest point on the nature trail from the visitor centre.
A great variety of birds can be seen at Scarlett including shag, cormorant, gulls and auks. Waders and ducks include oystercatchers, ringed plover, turnstone, mallard and shelduck. Herons are often standing in the shallow waters watching for fish and sometimes basking sharks can be seen. Along the nature trail the meadow pipit, wheatear and stonechat are often seen.
How to get to Scarlett Visitor Centre: Turn down the coast road west of Castletown. There is a car park by the disused quarry.
Steam Packet Holidays can tailor make a ferry inclusive package which includes your car, however if you are on your Isle of Man family holiday without a vehicle there are regular bus services from Douglas to Castletown. For the more adventurous, the kids always love to take the Steam Railway from Douglas to Castletown.
More information can be found at: www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/manxwt/Scarlett.htm
Curraghs Wildlife Park
The park's natural wetland environment is a haven for endangered wetland wildlife from around the world. There are more than 100 species of birds and animals, of which many rare species are part of international breeding programmes.
Animals and birds displayed in geographical walk-through enclosures so that you see them as you would in the wild.
Areas represented: African Bush, Asian Swamp, European Marsh, Amazon Forest, American Trail, the Outback and the Pampas.
Other attractions include a nature trail and butterfly trail of Manx wildlife, the Rainforest Theatre and the Orchid Line miniature railway. Facilities include parking, cafe serving hot and cold meals and refreshments, picnic area and toilets with baby-changing facilities.
Situated in the northern half of the island between Ballaugh and Sulby, the Wildlife Park can be located by following the world famous TT Course in your car. For those of you on a short break without a vehicle , there are regular bus services which pick up and drop off in the car park.
More information can be found at: www.gov.im/wildlife/
Mann Cat Sanctuary- Santon
A Manx charity providing a rescue and shelter service for cats on the Isle of Man. Self Funding the charity aims to rehabilitate and re-home cats and kittens after losing their home. To promote responsible pet ownership, animal welfare and care. Taking care of unwanted animals is a big task and can be reduced by neutering, therefore all the cats that enter the sanctuary are neutered before re-homing. There is a 24 hours emergency rescue vehicle available if needed and the sanctuary is opened to the public for viewings.
There are many rescued cats and kittens (inc. Manx) in a pleasant country setting. Also rabbits, a sheep, ducks and goats. Gifts can be purchased.
If you are on a family holiday with your car then the sanctuary is only a ten minute drive from Douglas on the main Castletown road. Bus services to the south of the island all stop within a few hundred yards of the sanctuary.
For more information about the sanctuary, please log on to: www.manncat.com/welcome_main.htm
Mooragh Park - Ramsey
Mooragh Park was not always a park for it was built, but then its lake was not always a lake. In 1881, the Ramsey Town Commissioners bought a 200 acre tidal swamp. The Land was purchased for £1,200 with the intent to build the site into a pleasure park. Six years later the site was opened to the public and included many of the facilities it does today. The park and lake proved to be a great success for Ramsey, bringing visitors and tourists alike. Events were held there as they still are now and Mooragh remains a popular public gathering place for the island.
This large municipal park offers bowling, putting, tennis, a 12 acre boating lake, children's playground, BMX track and cafes.
If you are travelling by car, follow road signs to Ramsey in the north of the island. Other modes of transport serving the area include the Electric Railway from Douglas via Laxey and regular buses run along the coastal route or via the TT course. From the railway and bus stations you are just a short walk from the park which can be accessed by crossing the harbour bridge.
Nobles Park - Douglas
The park was given to Douglas Corporation by the Noble Trustees in April 1909 and is one of the many good works done for the Island with the money of Henry Bloom Noble, who died in 1903.
This large municipal park includes 18 hole mini golf course, tennis courts, bowling greens, an aviary, two children's play areas, large open spaces and refreshment kiosk. Latest additions to the park include a skate and BMX area.
A beautiful and well maintained park, set between Douglas and Onchan. Children and adults will find a bit of everything from mini golf to the bowling green. Easy to find parking and the paved paths make access around the park very easy. Well worth a visit, especially since most of the park is free!
Located adjacent to the TT Grandstand the park is served by a number of regular bus routes which start out at the main bus station in Douglas. For those of you who are feeling energetic on your island holiday the park is a 15 minute walk from the central promenade in Douglas.
Onchan Pleasure Park
In the immediate post Second World War years the Onchan Village Commissioners embarked on an ambitious scheme to purchase farmland on the south side of Summerhill Road to provide new homes and a large open area for the residents of the village.
Ten commissioners' bungalows and a close of twelve attractively designed two-bedroom houses were complete by 1950. In between the two groups of dwellings private plots were sold for those who could afford to build their own homes. This was the first integrated housing scheme the Island had seen.
The main feature of Onchan Park was of course the stadium with the first ever banked cycle track around the perimeter of a grassed area which was to become the eventual home pitch for Onchan AFC and the location for many other events.
By 1948 men were employed on the task of levelling the hedges and filling the ditches - there were no JCBs in those days! Work continued through 1949/50 with the finishing touches being put to the stadium and its environs ready for the 1951 summer season.
The opening of Onchan Park was timed to coincide with the International Cycle Week and invited guests assembled on the afternoon of Tuesday 19th June 1951 to be welcomed by the Chairman of the Commissioners Mr Jack Nivison JP, MHK who performed the opening.
The cycle track was opened in the evening by Reg Harris, World Champion Sprint Cyclist and Britains Sportsman of the Year who completed a lap of the stadium track after cutting the tape.
Many cycling events were held in the stadium and in 1961 it was chosen for a world cycling championship and a women's championship which brought competitors from all over the world. Elsewhere in the park a bowling green, tennis courts, putting green, miniature golf course and a children's play area were provided. The original scheme, which also incorporated changing rooms and a café set beneath a grandstand cost a total of £60,000 and was the envy of the rest of the Island.
Since that time there has been a rolling programme of improvements which has seen the creation of a boating lake on the site of the original tennis courts and the provision of new tennis courts close by. The café has been rebuilt with a restaurant above which is now incorporated into a facility including squash courts. A flat bowling green has been added to the crown green as well as bumper boats, crazy golf and electrically operated kiddie cars being additions to the facilities available.
The children's playground has been greatly improved thanks to the generosity of the Isle of Man Lady Taverners who provided equipment which is suitable equally for disabled children as able bodied children. To the average person this integrated facility is not immediately apparent. The toilet facilities have been improved including the provision of two disabled persons toilets and an aviary has been added to the children's play area.
In the stadium, cycling unfortunately faded away to be replaced by stock car racing which takes place throughout the summer season.
Other activities include:
Motorboats
Bumper boats
Putting
Crazy Golf
Miniature Golf
Swing Ball
Battery Operated Kiddie Cars
Mini Marina
Crown Bowls
Flat Bowls
Tennis
Most visitors , even those on a short break opt to visit this delightful family friendly park at some point in their holiday, its location on the headland above the northern end of Douglas Promenade makes it easily accessible, regular bus services stop just outside.
Silverdale Glen - Ballasalla
Set at the start of the Silverburn River lies this glen. It consists of two main parts, each acquired at different times. The first part contains the play area, boating lake, and famous water powered merry go round (believed to be the oldest example of its type in the world). The merry go round was popular in the Victorian age and its horses date back to the early 1900's. There is no cost for riding on the merry go round and the lever control can be operated by the public.
The Cafe building and Cregg Mill buildings were bought a couple of years later. The mill is long dormant, though adds to the character of the area. The Cafe serves a large variety of hot and cold meals, snacks and ice cream.
The second part of the glen was given to the Manx National Trust and is mostly dense woodland and streams. It has well laid out paths leading past small waterfalls and over wooden bridges near shallow lily ponds. Also found in this part of the glen is Monks Well, a perfect place to make a wish with a few coins.
Located in the lovely village of Ballasalla, the glen can be accessed by car using the main Douglas to Castletown road. There are regular bus services from Douglas which drop off in Ballasalla and you can also catch the Steam Railway, a short walk through the village takes you to the glen.
Railways
Thomas the Tank Engine was created in the 1940s by an Anglican clergyman, the Rev WV Awdry. Shortly after publication of the first books, Wilbert began receiving letters from children asking where the engines actually lived; it was a difficult question to answer. Just where could a bunch of imaginary-talking engines live? Certainly not in a real place. The answer came to him during a family holiday on the Isle of Man. He discovered that the Anglican Bishop of the region was known as the Bishop of Sodor and Man, the region of Sodor being a defunct name for an area of Southern Scotland. Thus was born the Island of Sodor, slap bang in the middle of the Irish Sea, stretching from the Isle of Man in the west to the Cumbrian coast in the east, linked to the mainland by a bridge at Barrow in Furness in Southern Cumbria.
The Rev Awdry had obviously seen some of the transportation network whilst holidaying on the Isle of Man, this network remains to this day and delights visitors, both young and old.
Steam Railway
The Isle of Man Steam Railway, founded in 1873, operates throughout the summer and runs from Douglas to Port Erin in the south, passing through some magnificent countryside.
Situated adjacent to Port Erin Station is the fascinating Steam Railway Museum which houses locomotives, carriages, memorabilia and relics going back to the opening of the Island's first passenger steam railway in 1873. The Museum is open daily in the main season and has an extensive souvenir shop too
The Great Laxey Mine Railway
In 1999, the Laxey and Lonan Heritage Trust began the restoration of the surface section of the former tramway. A bequest from the estate of the late Lt Col R S Glenn funded the building of two fully working replicas of the original Ant and Bee. The restored Great Laxey Mine Railway was officially opened on 25th September, 2004. Passengers can now ride in a tiny carriage along the line where loaded wagons of ore were once hauled from the mine. The railway, a quarter of a mile in length, runs up the valley from the former Washing Floors, now the Valley Gardens, to the main adit entrance where there is a picnic site, footpath and information boards explaining the mining features. The Laxey Wheel is only a short five minute walk away. The line runs beneath the main Laxey to Ramsey road and the Manx Electric Railway through the longest railway tunnel on the Island.
Groudle Glen Railway
The Groudle Glen Railway still uses the original 2 foot gauge engine "Sea Lion" to carry its passengers along the 3/4 mile line which bursts out from the picturesque glen to the spectacular Groudle clifftops before reaching journey's end at the former polar bear and sea lion enclosures.
1996 saw centenary celebrations for this fine little railway which can be enjoyed on Sundays throughout the summer and also Wednesday and some Tuesday evenings in July and August. Operated by a group of volunteers Groudle Glen demonstrates what hard work and enthusiasm can achieve.
Manx Electric Railway
Built in 1893, the Manx Electric Railway boasts the world's oldest regularly operating electric tram cars.
The 18 mile journey from Douglas to the northern town of Ramsey is regarded as one of the most scenic in the British Isles, hugging the coast for much of its route with occasional forays inland through pretty Manx villages. Sit back, relax and enjoy the view as you pass by the glens and hills and around rugged coastlines and clifftops.
Along the way stop off at Laxey and explore the famous Wheel and mines or connect with the Snaefell Mountain Railway for a ride to the summit. Alight at Ballaglass and walk through one of the Island's prettiest glens. From Ballajora walk to the fascinating village of Maughold.
This tramway uses original rolling stock and perfectly sets the style for a relaxed exploration of the northeastern coast of the Isle of Man.
Snaefell Mountain Railway
The Island has just one mountain - Snaefell (Norse for snow mountain). The only way to reach the 2036 foot summit if you choose not to walk is by the splendid Snaefell Mountain Railway.
Built in 1895 the six original tram cars still climb the steep 1 in 12 gradient to the top. En-route take in breathtaking views of the Island's largest glacial valley, the beautiful Sulby Reservoir and spectacular glimpses of the north of the Island over Tholt-y-Will to the sandy plains of Jurby, the sandcliffs of Bride, and on to the Point of Ayre.
Old Manx tradition tells that on a clear day from the summit of Snaefell you can see six kingdoms - England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Mann and for those whose eyes are clear of hate and full of love, the Kingdom of God.
The Snaefell Mountain Railway may be taken from Laxey Station or from the Bungalow on the TT Course.
At the peak of your journey enjoy the refreshment in the Summit Cafe where an exhibition recounts the construction of this the oldest operating mountain railway in the British Isles.
Conceived and constructed in some seven months, back in 1895, an extra rail was laid to enable steam loco "Caledonia" to haul rail to the summit of Snaefell. For many, a walk from the summit to the Bungalow before re-boarding the tram for its homeward journey to Laxey is a must and forms part of the pilgrimage to the Island for railway enthusiasts.
With breathtaking views outside the windows, it's hard to concentrate on the display of historical memorabilia which describe the inception and completion of this, the oldest operating mountain railway in the world. The whole process from start to finish took some seven months to complete and used the steam loco Caledonia in a third rail to haul building materials to the summit.
The Summit Cafe is a welcome sight as one alights from the Snaefell Mountain Railway which has just climbed through nearly 2,0000 feet of rugged moorland revealing views of the Island across the Irish Sea.
Douglas Horse Trams
The world's oldest horse tram service dates back to 1876 having operated continuously with only war-time breaks. Linking the MER terminus at Derby Castle with the Sea Terminal, the line runs for nearly 2 miles along Douglas Promenade forming an important public transport function.
Some 42 horses provide the motive power and the 23 tramcars are fitted with roller bearings to ease the load.
Horses are bred specifically for the service and on reaching retirement graduate to the Home of Rest on the outskirts of Douglas, where they can be viewed by the public.
At Derby Castle, a restored Douglas cable car is displayed in the Horse Tram Depot - the only bogie cable tramcar outside San Francisco.
Steam Packet Holidays can put together an all inclusive family package price that includes a Rail Rover ticket for the duration of your short break on the Isle of Man.
Heritage
This is another area that fascinates most children, many of whom learn about the Vikings in their history classes at school , the Isle of Man is steeped in Viking heritage and has a number of sites around the island which are operated by Manx National Heritage.
The Story of Mann is the main public presentation of the work of Manx National Heritage.
It is a unique portrayal by Manx National Heritage of cultural and heritage assets across 227 square miles (588 square kilometres) of historic and scenic landscape.
The Story of Mann concept preserves, presents and promotes a combination of historic properties, ancient monuments, natural landscapes and formal museums, by emphasising the inter-linked nature of these assets in the historic story of the Island’s development.
The Story begins at The Island’s Treasure-House (‘Thie Tashtee Vannin’ in Manx), otherwise known as The Manx Museum headquarters of Manx National Heritage in the Island’s capital, Douglas. Here, award-winning museum displays and the latest video technology introduce 10,000 years of Manx history. This initial show-case of Manx history is your invitation to explore the rest of the Island’s rich heritage.
We aim to present the historic story of the Island in a visually stimulating and memorable way, to the highest professional standards, in a way which stimulates and encourages visits to major heritage sites throughout the Island, providing a heightened understanding and appreciation of the Manx inheritance.
The Manx Museum
With the celebration of their centenary in 1986, the Trustees revealed plans for an ambitious programme of development including a major new £1.3 million extension scheme which would greatly enlarge the facilities on offer to the public.
The following two years saw the opening of a new Prehistoric Archaeology Gallery which won the ‘Museum of the Year’ award as the best new Archaeology Gallery in the British Isles, and a very successful temporary exhibition gallery, forming part of a phased redesign of all the Museum’s major galleries
The new extension to the Manx Museum in Douglas had a royal opening in 1989 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Lord of Mann. The new building houses a lecture/film theatre with seating for over 200 people. From here the new National Art Gallery and dramatic Map Gallery link through into the redesigned galleries of the original building. Also accommodated are the Manx National Heritage Educational Services unit, a fully equipped conference area and a modern technical services area for the organisation’s hard-working technical team.
Today, this ‘Treasure House of Mann’ is the National Museum of the Island and headquarters of the Trust’s Island-wide services. Now the ability and skill of Manx National Heritage in co-ordinating all the Island’s heritage assets, together with greatly improved facilities and services, enables the Trust to effect a complete interpretative and marketing strategy for Manx heritage
The House of Manannan
Using state-of-the-art display techniques, the House of Manannan explores the Celtic, Viking and Maritime traditions of the Isle of Man. This exploration of themes essential to Manx nationhood was declared British Museum of the Year and given an award by the Society for the Interpretation of Britain’s Heritage for the Interpretation of Britain’s Heritage. Sitting by the harbour in the City of Peel, the award-winning building draws upon Manx vernacular architecture and looks across to the stronghold of Peel Castle.
Manannan is the Island’s great mythological sea god and protector who could shroud the place with a cloak of mist to protect it from its enemies. As a shapeshifter, Manannan could appear in many guises and in his ‘House’ he himself acts as the visitor’s guide sometimes a god, sometimes a sailor, sometimes in other forms.
The story begins with the pagan Celts who built great roundhouses and responded to the Christian missionaries who fished the Irish Sea for souls. The Christian Celtic Island was threatened by the force of the pagan Viking incomers who settled, married into the local families and converted to Christianity themselves.
Throughout its history the Island has sat like a roundabout in the middle of the Irish Sea and was the heart of the medieval Kingdom of Mann and the Isles. The Island and the Manx people play a fascinating part in maritime history with ships and sailors travelling all over the world. For such a community, the sea is an important partner in many activities be it fishing, travelling or even smuggling and shipping companies act as one of the Island’s lifeline links with the neighbouring islands.
The House of Manannan explores and presents the dramatic story of the Island’s history. It brings to life themes which are both ancient and modern, and encourages the visitor to go out and explore the richness of the Manx landscape in all its wealth of history
Please see the Visitor Information page for details of opening hours and admission charges where applicable. Family passes are available.
Peel Castle
Peel Castle, one of the Isle of Man’s principal historic monuments occupies the important site of St Patrick’s Isle at Peel. The Castle’s Curtain Wall encircles the ruins of many buildings which are a testimony to the site’s religious and secular importance in Manx history. These include St. Patrick’s Church and the Round Tower from the 11th century, the 13th century Cathedral of St. German, and the later apartments of the Lords of Mann. The importance of the Isle as a centre of Manx Christianity was established in the 6th century and this role was to survive the arrival of the ‘pagan’ Norse Vikings at the end of the 8th century. In the 11th century it became the ruling seat of the Norse Kingdom of Man and the Isles, first united by Godred Crovan.
A major six year programme of archaeological excavation commencing in 1982 emphasised the prime importance of the site. The most dramatic find was the Norse-period grave of a lady of high social status; the jewellery and effects buried with her can be seen on display with other excavation finds in the Manx Museum.
After 1333, the construction of the best preserved building, the Gatehouse, was followed by the completion of the Curtain Wall and later by the emplacement of artillery. St German’s Cathedral was remodelled and the adjoining residential block of the Vicars Chorale became the ‘Lords House’, the apartments of a succession of Lords of Mann installed at this time.
The Revestment of the Sovereignty of the English Crown in 1765 found the importance of Peel Castle in decline and its buildings were allowed to decay through a period of limited military use which ended in the latter half of the 19th century.
Castle Rushen
Castle Rushen is probably the finest medieval castle in the British Isles.
The Castle is situated at the centre of Mann's historic capital, Castletown, and is one of Europe's most finely preserved medieval castles. It's origins can be found in the Norse period when Norse Kings fortified a strategic site guarding the entrance to the Silverburn River. The Castle was developed by successive rulers of Mann between the 13th and 16th centuries, and its towering limestone walls would have been visible over much of southern Mann - a continual reminder to the local population of the dominance of the Kings and Lords of Mann.
The Old Grammar School
This small whitewashed building has witnessed many changes in the life of the community that it was built to serve over 650 years ago. It was the first town church for the settlement that grew up around Castle Rushen, fortress of the Norse Kings of Man and the Isles. The main wing is the oldest roofed structure in the Island—older than all but the lowest courses of masonry of the Castle itself.
St. Mary’s Chapel was also used as a school from at least 1570 and served exclusively in that capacity after 1702. It is best known for the Academic School, the forerunner of King William’s College, and the Grammar School which finally closed in 1930.
The building was only saved from demolition by the Museum Trustees nailing a preservation order onto its door in 1950 with the Museum later purchasing and restoring it.
The Nautical Museum
Situated on the harbourside in Castletown this fascinating building originates from the discovery in 1935 of the 18th century armed yacht, the ‘Peggy’, walled up in her contemporary boat cellar. Built for George Quayle in 1791, she had remained undisturbed for a century after the death of her owner. The ‘Peggy’, in her original home, was generously given to the Manx Museum by a family descendant and is now seen as being of 'extraordinary' maritime importance on the National Historic Ships Register.
The boathouse over the cellar reveals the personality and interests of its designer, Mr Quayle. Here are trap doors, secret panels, and architectural jokes, plus a replica stern cabin from a naval warship of the ‘Nelson’ period. The loft houses the reconstruction of a sail-maker’s workshop and the fishing gallery includes boat models, equipment and photographs reflecting the importance of the fishing industry.
Rushen Abbey
Rushen Abbey is the most substantial and important medieval religious site in the Isle of Man. Sitting by the Silverdale Burn in what is now Ballasalla, the Abbey lies less than two miles from Castle Rushen, the main seat of political power during this period. Acquired by the Manx Government in 1998 it was transferred to Manx National Heritage and forms a major presentation which examines not only the important story of this site but also the Christian heritage of the Island. Parts of the Abbey buildings still survive and over several years will be enhanced through expert consolidation as more of the archaeological remains are exposed through excavation and brought to public view.
King Olaf I, the statesman son of Godred Crovan, granted the land on which the Abbey was built in 1134. Originally home for monks of the Sauvignac order, the Abbey soon came within Cistercian control. It developed as the Island’s seat of religious power and would have housed the main body of knowledge and literacy for the Island. With the Abbey are associated the most important medieval documents relating to the Island, including the Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles.
The Abbey church and cloister lay at the heart of a range of buildings which followed the requirements of the life of worship and work which the rule of St Benedict laid down. The Abbey was surrounded by an estate or demesne which extended for over a mile to the south and west and was directly operated from the Abbey itself. Land holdings further afield in the parish of Malew and north into Lezayre and Lonan were under its control and the whole arrangement formed an agricultural and economic unit far in excess of any other estate on the Island at that time.
Visitors to Rushen Abbey will have the chance to learn about Christianity on the Island and what life was like for the Cistercian community here. They can walk through the remains of substantial medieval buildings and see where archaeological research has revealed traces of buildings below ground. Archaeological excavations and a long-term programme of building conservation continue to enhance our knowledge of this important site.
Cregneash Folk Village
Cregneash Folk Village provides a living, working illustration of family life in a typical 19th century Manx upland crofting community.
Nestling under Meayll Hill and overlooking the Calf of Man, Cregneash is isolated from the rest of Mann and at the beginning of the 20th century was one of the last strongholds of the traditional customs, crafts and skills which characterised the Manx Crofter’s way of life.
The threat posed by modern developments initiated practical steps by a small band of Manx patriots, scholars and enthusiasts towards preserving this unique site.
Professor Carl Marstrander, Professor of Celtic at the University of Oslo, made the first sound recordings of Manx speech with Harry Kelly, a crofter and fluent Manx speaker, and as a result of this work and through the efforts of William Cubbon, the Director of the Manx Museum at the time, Harry Kelly’s cottage became the starting point of the Cregneash Village Folk Museum, when it was restored and opened to the public for the first time in 1938. The subsequent addition of other buildings together with large areas of the surrounding countryside have further enhanced this authentic picture of traditional Manx crofting life.
The village now forms a centre for traditional farming practices and skills. Visitors can see the fields being worked with horse-drawn equipment, thatching of the roofs, dying of wool, spinning, weaving, wood-turning, black-smithing and a range of skills in the growing and preparation of food.
The Grove House and Gardens
The Grove House near Ramsey was developed in the mid 19th century by Duncan Gibb, a Liverpool shipping merchant, as a summer retreat for himself and his family. This modest sized Victorian villa presents a series of period rooms containing mostly original furnishings and fittings, a costume room, and general displays which include the accumulated possessions of three generations. At the rear, the complex of outbuildings would have mainly served the substantial adjoining farmland and contains early vehicles and agricultural equipment including a restored horse-powered threshing mill.
The existence of the Grove today owes much to the desire of Duncan Gibb’s granddaughters, the Misses Janet and Alice Gibb, that their lovingly preserved legacy be maintained as a period museum after their demise.
The Great Laxey Wheel and Mines Trail
The Great Laxey Wheel was named ‘Lady Isabella’ after the wife of the then Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man. It is now the largest surviving wheel of its kind in the world.
Designed by the Victorian engineer, Mr. Robert Casement, the wheel was built in 1854 to pump water from the Glen Mooar part of the ‘Great Laxey Mines’ industrial complex. The impressive 22m (77.5 feet) diameter structure found immediate popularity and has remained one of the Island’s most dramatic tourist attractions for over 150 years.
The ‘Lady Isabella’ survived by courtesy of private endeavour until its purchase by the Manx Government in 1965 when a programme of complete restoration eventually returned the great wheel to its former glory. Subsequent acquisition of a neighbouring area of Glen Mooar made possible the extensive programme of surveys and clearance which established the Laxey Mines Trail.
The Old House of Keys
The history of The Old House of Keys building is one chapter in the long, and often turbulent, history of Manx politics which stretches back to the 9th and 10th centuries when the Viking Kings ruled the Isle of Man. After it ceased to be used by the Members of the Keys, the Old House of Keys building led a chequered life.
It has been occupied by various banks, the Castletown Commissioners and the Rural Library, until finally lying empty for nearly twenty years from the 1980s. Manx National Heritage took over responsibility for the building in millennium year 2000 and commenced a careful conservation programme to restore the original features of the building.
The Old House of Keys has been restored to its appearance in 1866; a milestone in Manx history, when the old self-elected House of Keys took its first steps along the road to modern democracy by passing the 'House of Keys Election Bill' and thereby becoming a popularly elected body.
Inside The Old House of Keys debating chamber you can vote on various crucial issues which the Manx Parliament has faced in the past, and some it may have to face in the future. This provides an opportunity to see how democracy developed in the Island, sometimes years ahead of England, and the effect that political decisions have had and can continue to have on the Manx nation.
Manx National Heritage has restored The Old House of Keys to provide visitors with an insight into the political life and times of the Island. We hope that you enjoy this chapter of 'The Story of Mann' and will discover the other sites of political interest, past and present, around the Island.
Physical evidence of the Island's political history can be found throughout the Manx landscape from Tynwald Hill at St Johns through to the majestic castles at Peel and Castletown.
As the heritage sites are situated all around the Isle of Man we would suggest that you bring your own vehicle with you on your family holiday, Steam Packet Holidays can put together a package which includes all of your needs.