[From Annals of Kirk Christ Lezayre]

APPENDICES

APPENDIX I

CRONK YN HOW

An early Christian and Viking Site By W. Cubbon, M.A.

Probably the most fascinating archaeological site in the parish of Kirk Christ Lezayre, is the one locally known as Cronk yn How, on the quarterland of Balleigh in the Treen of Alkest.

It is interesting to note that Prof. Marstrander, of Oslo University, who visited the place with me in 1927, equates the name Allkest with Old Norse Helgastadr, " Holy Estate," and yn How as " a burial mound " or Hof, Old Norse " a heathen temple."

In the Chronicon Manniae written in the early part of the fourteenth century, the mound was a boundary of the Abbeyland, and the name given to it was Leabba Aukonalhay, " the grave or tomb of O'Conley," a well-known early Manx personal name in the north. Who that figure was, whether a saint or a chieftain, we do not know.

The Treen of Alkest, a tribal or family division, consists of a peninsular plateau formed like a tongue running east and west from the high land at Ballachrink, near North Ramsey, to the Garey in the west, which overlooks the curragh of Lough Mallow. The Sulby river formed a navigable highway in the early history of this area (see plate 7). It is certain, therefore, that in Viking times the bands of Norsemen worked their long-ships up the estuary of the Sulby river and not half a mile from Cronk yn How. These Viking settlers also gave their names to the nearby Treen lands, Grest, Auste, Brerick and Altadale.

The site was excavated and examined by Messrs. J. Ronald Bruce and W. Cubbon in 1928. A detailed report by them appears in Archaeologia Cambrensis, and it is from that report this summary is made. The site did not look nearly so promising as it turned out to be. The scanty description in the Ordnance Survey record of 1864 reads : " A circular mound of earth situated in a field north of Balleigh. It is about 40 ft. in diameter and 5 ft. in height and said to be sepulchral."

The size of the mound and the position of the objects and structures revealed in excavation will be seen from plan, plate 8. The transverse dotted lines represented the successive sections removed as the work proceeded.

The excavation yielded an abundance of material and data, in the shape of occupational levels, with hearths and charcoal layers, human burials with their associated grave structures and memorial stones, iron and wood objects, incised stones, and the foundations of a small rectangular building thought to have been a Keeill. All these point to a very extended period of human occupation, and the use of the site for a succession of purposes.

Numberless flakes and cores of flint, as well as finished weapons, scrapers and knives, testify to the presence of Neolithic Man. It was a place of settlement in the Bronze Age, for a fine example of a bronze sickle had been found nearby several years ago.

The discovery of a large smoothed engraved pillar stone (plate 10) has raised a problem of some magnitude. The late Mr. P. M. C. Kermode has described the animal and other figures, etc., engraved on the stone, and likened them to Scandinavian examples of the Bronze Age.

It is evident that the Cronk yn How Stone is a monument unique in the British Isles. Its discovery points to the importance of the Isle of Man as a central position in the path of invading peoples at an earlier date than had hitherto been recognized, and " throws new light on the relations of the Scandinavian people in the Bronze Age with the British Isles."

Although no certain trace of a Keeill or Early Celtic Chapel was found, it is assumed that there was one. A number of Early Christian lintel graves were found, as well as ten plain incised crosses, linear and in outline. They are of seventh century date and are now exhibited in the parish church.

A remarkable feature was the number of rounded white pebbles. One group had over I6o stones, the largest being six and a half inches.

One of the finds was of exceptional interest, an Early Viking glass bead which was found within the crushed remains of an iron-hinged wooden casket. The bead is three quarters of an inch in diameter pierced by a cylindrical hole, iridescent greygreen glass, decorated by two wavy bands of enamel, red on white, crossed three times and having a design of three or four dots of the same colours in each of the interspaces.

Fragments of a sickle and of a knife and other objects of iron were found. The chest in which the bead had lain had been fitted with two iron hinges.

Finally, the number of iron rivets of the exact type of those associated with a Viking boat-burial-found lying so as to conform, more or less, to the outline of such a vessel-seem to point to the conclusion that here on this spot, over one thousand years ago, took place a Viking boat-burial ceremonial-adding one more to those already known in Man.

APPENDIX II.

From the "Chronicle of Man and the Sudreys " by Munch and Goss, Manx Society. Vol. XXII, p. 50.

Anno autem MLVI (1075).1 Godredus Crouan collegit multitudinem navium et venn ad Manniam, proelium cum populo terrae commisit, sed superatus et fugatus est. iterum exersitum et naves coadunavit, venit ad Manniam, pugnavit cum Mannensiums, victus et fugatus est.-Tertio congregavit multitudinem copiosam et venit noctu ad postum, qui vocatus est Ramsa, et trecentos vinos occultavit in silva, quae erat in devexo montis supercilio, qui vocatur Scacafel. Onto lueis sidere, Mannenses conctruxerunt aciem suam, et magno impetu facto, congressi sunt cum Godredo.

Cumque pugna vehemens esset, trecenti vire, surgentes de insidiarum loco a tergo, Mannenses debilitore coeperunt et din fugam compellere. Cum aute)n vidissent se superatos nec aliquem diffugii sibi locum patere,-nam reuma maris Ramso am-nis alveuni impleverat - et hostes ex altera pante constantes se persequentes, qui tune remanserant, clamore misenabili postulabant a Godredo vitaet sibi donari. Ille autem Plexus misericordia et miserans calamitatem eorum, quum apud ipsos per aliquod tempus nutritus fuerat, revocavit exercitu n, et prohibuit ne eos diutius persequerentur.

Godredus sequenti die op'tionem exercitui suo dedit, vel si mallent Manniant inter se dividere et in ea habitare, vel cunctam substantiam terrae accipere, et ad propria remeare. Illis autem magis placuit totan insulam vestane et de boais illius ditari, et sic ad propria reverti. Godredus autem paucis qui secum remanserant de insulanis australem partem insulae, et reliquiis Mannensium aquilonarum tali pacto concessit, ut nemo eorum aliquando auderet jure haereditario sibi aliquam partem terrae usurpare. Unde accidit ut usque in hodiernum diem tota insula solius regis sit, ey omnes redditus ejus ad ipsum per'tineant.

1 The correct date is probably 1079. F. Moore, His. Vol. I, p. 98.

APPENDIX III (a)

King Alexander's Grant to Whithern Donacio ecclesie sancte Trinitatis apud Ramsey per Alexandrum regem.

Omnibus Christi fidelibus presentes literas visuris vell audituris Alexander Dei gratia vex Scotorum salutem in Domino sempiternam. Noveyit nos divine caritatis intuitu et pro salute nostra ac libenoyum nostrorum antecessorum et successorum noste rorum atque omnium fidelium defunctoyum dedisse concessisse et hac presente carta nostra confirmasse Deo et beato Niniano confessors ecclesie Candide case in Galualia et cononicis ibidem Deo servientibus et servituris in puram et perpetuam elemosinam jus advocationis ecclesie sancte Trinitatis apud Ramswathl in Mannia cum omnibus libertatibus et justis pertinencias suis ad sustentacionent divine seyvitii ibidem sancto predicts as Religiosorum dicti monasterii ad inensarn eorundem libere et quiete plenarie at honoyifice in omnibus. Testibus: Johanne Cumim de Buchan Ricardo Kynayd Patricio de Barklay Andrea de Morzania et Davide de Dorthoryuld, militsbus. Apud Glenlus vicesimo quarto die Maii anno regne nostri tricesimo sexto.

APPENDIX III (b)

Bishop Mart's Confirmation of the Grant.

Confinacio episcopi Sodorensis super donacionem regis Alexandri.

Universis sancte matris ecclesie filiis presens scriptum visuris vel audituris Marcus miseratione divina Sodorensis ecclesie minister humilis salutem in Domino sempiternam. Noverit universitas vestri nos divine caritatis intuitu concessisse et per pyesentem cartam auctoritate nostra confirmasse pro nobis et successoyibus nostris Deo et sancto Nipiano et pyioti et conventui Candide case Premonstratensis ordinis ibidem Deo servientibus et im,peyperuum servituris ecclesiam sancte Trinitatis apud Ramsey ad pios et proprios usus perpetuis temporebus possessendum cum omnibus libertatibus justis et confuetis pertinenciis tempore concessionis presentes scyipti, salvis nobis et successoyibus nostris tertiana dicte ecclesie et omnibus aliis junibus et rectitudinibus ordinaries in pyedicta ecclesia. In cujus rei testimonium presens scyiptum sigilli nostri munimine fecimus roberayi. Datum apud Kirkandream in . . . . die Martii proxima post nativitatem sancte Johannis Baptisti anno Domini M° IJ° LXX quinto. (?LXXX? )

APPENDIX III (C)

Confirmation of the King's Grant by Pope Nicholas IV. Bulla Papalis (Nicholas IV).

Nicolaus episcopus servus seyvoyum Dei dilectis filiis priori et capitulo ecclesie Candidecase Premonstratensis ordinis salutem et apostolicam benedictionem. Cum a nobis petitur quod justum est et honestum tam vigor equitatis quam ordo exigit rationis ut id persolicitudinem offlcii nostri ad debitum perducatur effectum sane petitio vestri nobis exhibita continebat quod clare men2orie Alexander rex Scotie de propria salute cogiyans ac cupiens terrena pro celestibus et transitoria pro eternis (commercio) felici commutare, jus patronatus ecclesie sancte Trinitatis in Ramsay Sodorensis dioceses tune ad ipsum pertincns vobis et ecclesie vestre contulit intuitu pietatis prout in patentibus literis inde confettis ipsius regis sigillo munitis, plenius contineri.-Nos igitur vestris supplicationibus inclinati quod super hoc ab eodem Tege pie et provide factum est ratum et gratum habentes, id auctoritate apostolica confirmarnus et presentes scripte patrocinio communimus. Nulli ergo omnino hominum liceat hane paginam nostre confirmationis infringere vell ei ausu temerarie contraire. Si quis autem hoc attemptare presumpserit indignationem omnipotentis Dei et beatorum apostolorum

Petri et Pauli (apostoloruni) ejus se noverit incursuyum. Datum apud Mariam marturum idus Aprilis pontificatus nostri anno tertio.

1 Ramsaych is the better reading.

APPENDIX III (d)

John Donegan's Confirmation of the Rights of Whithern

Nos igitur Johannes episcopus supradictus eorum petitione et supplications (e) in hic parte graciose inclinati, cartas et instrumenta diversorum regum mannie ac comitum et pioyum dominoruna ejusdem necnon plurium predecessorum nostrorum Sodorensium episcoporum super approbantibus et confirmantibus exhibitis ad eorum intentionem probandum e~t declayandum, ipsisque palpatis inspectes et diligenter examinatus, jurisdantes contenta in eorum petitione seu supplicatione sunt Alene probata, Pyonunciamus et declaramus prioren et conventum predicatos ac monasterium eorum predictum dictas ecclesias tum omnibus suis, (junibus) et universis pertinenciasut premattitur, rite, legittime et honoyifice possedisse et de cetero debere ac ipsas et monasterium eorum predictum quoad pregnissa, salvis tamen nobis et successoribus nostris tercianis et junibus ordinaries dimisimus per decre'tum et ab officio nostro presentes predictos admittimus. Ac ipsas ecclesias supradictas priori et conventui et monasterio supradictis tepore presentium perpetuis temporebus de consensu et assensu Glei nostro Mannie ratificantes et confirmantes. In cujus rei fidem et testimonium sigillum nostrum unacum sigillo commune cleri postri Mannie presentibus est appensum. Datum in capitula postro generals in ecclesia sancte Lupi in Mannia nostre Sodorensis dioceses quinto die mensis Februaris, Anno Domini M°CCC° septuagesimo sexto., indictione decimaquinta, Pontificatus sanctissimi in Christo partis et domini nunc Domini Gregoyii divina providenta Pape XI anno septimomet nostre consecrationis anno tertio.