[From Annals of Kirk Christ Lezayre]

CHAPTER IV - THE ABBEY LANDS

THE Chronicle of Man states that in the year 11761 " Vivian Cardinal Legate of the Apostolic See, came to Man, and in discharge of his office caused Godred to be united in lawful marriage with his wife, the daughter of MacLoughlin, son of Muircheartach Murrough, King of Ireland, who was mother of Olave then three years old. They were married by Silvanus, Abbot of Rivaulx.

On the same day Godred gave to the Abbot Silvanus a piece of land at Mirescoge, where he soon built a monastery ; but in the process of time the land and the monks were made over to the Abbey of St. Mary of Rushen." According to the Cartulary of Furness the transference took place in 1238?

This Vivianus Cardinal-priest of St. Stephen, in Monte Coelio, had been appointed to collect the papal dues. He performed his office with much harshness and rapacity. The Chronicle o f Melrose mentions his arrival in Scotland in this year, saying of him conculcans et comminuens omnia quaeque, expeditus capere nec impeditus tapere. He created so much dissatisfaction by his avarice that the Pope was obliged to recall him.3

Fingola had hitherto been the " hand-fasted " bride, not the wedded wife, of Godred. Such unions were not uncommon in Ireland and Scotland, and the children were considered legitimate, even though the connection were dissolved. Possibly Reginald, who succeeded Godred, by the choice of the people, was the issue of such a marriage.4

Mirescoge is a Scandinavian word-Myrarskogr-meaning " miry wood." In the addition of the Chronicle it is called Myrosco. The present name for the undrained lands is curragh, meaning swamp.

We do not know if many or even any of the monks lived on the Lezayre Abbeylands. There were only the abbot and six brethren when they were removed from Rushen Abbey on St. John the Baptist's Day, 1541.5

After the dissolution of the Abbey the property was arbitrarily vested in the Crown .6 It fell into the hands of various people, but in 1610 it was formally granted to William, Earl of Derby and Elizabeth, his wife, with the reservation of a certain rent charge to the Crown.

The Chronicle, for the year 1249, tells the following pretty story.

" A Miracle wrought by the Blessed Virgin Mary.'

There was a certain person called Donald, a veteran chieftan, and a particular favorite of Harald Olaveson. This man, flying from the persecution raised by Harald Godredson, took sanctuary, with his infant child, in St. Mary's monastery at Russin. Thither Harald Godredson followed; and as he could not offer violence in this privileged place, he, in flattering and deceitful language, addressed the aged man to this purpose: " Why (lost thou thus resolve to fly from me? I mean to do thee no harm." He then assured him of protection, adding that he might depart in peace to any part of the country he had a mind. The man relying on the solemn promise and veracity of the king, followed him out of the monastery.

Within a, short space, however, his majesty manifested his sinister intentions, and demonstrated that he paid no regard to truth, or even his oath. He ordered the old man to be apprehended, bound, and carried to an island in the lake at Mirescog, where he was consigned over to the charge of a strong guard.

In this distress Donald still had confidence towards God. As often as he could conveniently bend his knees, he prayed the Lord to deliver him from his chains, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, from whose monastery he had been so insidiously betrayed.

The divine interposition was not withheld. One day as he was sitting in his chamber, and guarded only by two sentinels, for the others were absent, suddenly the fetters dropped from his ancles, and left him at full liberty to escape. He reflected, notwithstanding, that he could elope more successfully during the night while the sentinels were asleep, and from this consideration attempted to replace his feet in the fetters, but to his astonishment found it impossible.

Concluding, therefore, that it was wrought by the might of heaven, he wrapped himself in his mantle, and taking to flight made the best of his way. One of the sentinels, a baker by trade, observing him, immediately started up and pursued. Having run a good way, eager to overtake the fugitive, he hit his leg a severe blow against a log; and thus while he was running at full speed, he was so arrested by the power of the Lord that he could not stand. Hence the good man, by the help of heaven got clear, and on the third day he reached St. Mary's Abbey at Russin, where he put up thanksgivings to God, and the most merciful Mother for the deliverance. This declaration we have recorded from the man's own mouth.

Two points' need investigation. (I) The site of the monastic buildings, (2) The extent of the Abbeylands.

THE ABBEY LANDS

(I) It is usually stated that the buildings were on an island in the Curragh, and that the island is Ballamona. There is no ancient authority for that statement. The first writer to mention it is Sacheverell, who wrote about 150 years after the Dissolution. His words are "Perhaps the place might be Ballamona in Kirk Christ Lez Ayre, so uncertain are ancient places that are delivered to us with most certainty."' Sacheverell may be reporting the tradition current when he wrote, or may be merely giving his own conjecture as to a suitable site. The Chronicle simply has " apud Mirescog." Oliver in his notes on the Chronicle has "Now Ballamona ; formerly an island in a lake of the same name. Both have long since disappeared."2 Munch and Goss accept this view.; Ballamona was formerly named " Tallan Mooar " the big island.

(2) There certainly was a building on one of the islands, as the story of Donald (see above) clearly shows, but that building could not have belonged to the monks. King Harald Godredson would hardly entice Donald from the protection of the monks at the Abbey and then imprison him in a building belonging to the same monks in Lezayre. In 1098 Magnus, king of Norway, built some forts, importing timber from Galloway for the purpose. These forts still existed when the Chronicle was written, and bore the King's name.4 The Welsh Chronicles state that he got permission from Griffith, Prince of Anglesea to cut timber for this purpose.5 It is possible that the building in which Donald was incarcerated was one of Magnus' forts. The site-a small island in the middle of a swamp-would have been easily defended, but it was a most unsuitable place for a monastic establishment. Even to-day it is liable to inundation ; what must it have been like in olden times

(3) The name of the estate called the " Grangee" throws some light on the subject. It means the " Barn " or " Granary." In the Malew Abbey Lands Ballagrangey was the monks' storehouse. Very probably the Grangee was the storehouse of the Lezayre Abbey Lands. The buildings are on a site well raised above the low lands, but quite close to them, and are well sheltered from the prevailing winds-in every way a suitable position for the monastic buildings.

(4) A letter which appeared in the Manx Advertiser of June 4, 1818, throws much light on the subject. It is worth reproducing in full.

The tenants of the Abbey Lands farms in Lezayre " were antiently accustomed to pay their rents and abbey customs unto a religious house, which was erected on the estate of the Grange in that parish. The site of this building was in a small valley from the eastern side of Primrose Hill,1 between it and Glione Dowin. It was in 1801 that the present proprietor dug up and cleaned away the foundations and ruins of this old nunnery, when was found also in digging about two feet under ground, near the spot, an earthen urn or crock, containing a black mould, as if it were the ashes of an inhumed body, besides a very antient small piece of coin or medal of silver bored through, that the finder could not well decypher, and has since unfortunately lost.

There is a tradition that the sequestered avenue in which the nuns were permitted to walk is that space, now overflown with water, to the south of the nunnery, and present orchard of the Grange. The walk alluded to is still called Lag-ny-cailley, ' the walk of the young women.'

As another peculiarity belonging to this estate, the northern abbey courts (which had jurisdiction and cognizance of causes, civil and criminal, over the abbey demesne tenants in that division) were antiently held in a castle built on the eastern summit of Primrose Hill, adjoin to which, on the western side of the hill, stood a wooden frame or gallows, for the execution of criminals. The Castle is fallen, but there are evident traces of its foundation and it is not long since that the stump or remainder of this old gallows was removed from the hill."

The weight of the evidence, such as it is, is in favour of the Grangee site.

THE EXTENT OF THE ABBEY LANDS

The boundaries of what, to-day, is regarded as abbey land, are well known. They do not seem to coincide with those of pre-Reformation times. Our authority for these latter is an appendix to the Chronicle of the Kings of Man and the Isles. The text is as follows :-

" Hic est divisa inter terram de kyrkchyist et terram monachorum de myrosco lacu qui dicitur Hesca na appayze et ascendit per sicscetum directe a loco qui dicitur munenyrzana per Boscum qui dicitur Kor et per locum qui dicitur Leabba Aukonalhay et ascendit juxta Rozelean usque in rivulum qui dicitur Bryseth et ascendit ita per Glenna-droman.

" Et ascendit inde per regiam viam et per saxum quod dicitur Karraycketh et vix Leath kostray et sic usque ad locum qui dicitur Duppolla et descendit inde per ryvulum et Hath Arygegormane et ita descendit per eundem rivulum in amnem de Sulaby in Boscum myrosco et circuit tres insulas in bosco de myrosco et descendit, pe rveterem siccam in Dufloch. Et sic circuit et concludit in loco qui dicitur Hescanakeppage."

It is noteworthy that the scribe never writes the word myrosco with a capital initial. It did not denote a special locality but a condition-swampy rough ground. It is called the mires in later times.

It is not easy to follow this boundary line. In most cases no trace of the ancient names remain. Dr. Oliver's' translation is fairly correct but his identifications valueless. The valuable articles on the subject are by P. G. Ralfe2 and W. Cubbon.3 The view of the latter I have followed below.

From the lake which is called Hesca na appayze. " The water of the Abbot," perhaps the lake which formerly extended from Ellanbane to Lough Mallow.

And it ascends by the dry ground directly from the place which is called Munenyrzana. Mr. J. J. Kneen thinks the word means

" The shrubbery in the bull-rushes," and identified it with Molynlawne treen in Kirk Andreas.4

By the thicket which is called' Kor. Kor is a small, rounded hill. According to Kneen, " Ardonan " is in the treen of Regaby.;", There used to be a small church on Ardonan called Keeill Trale, indicating that it was situated on the lake shore.

And by the place which is called Leabba Aukonalhay. " The tomb of O'Conoly." This is perpetuated by " Cronk Knowle," of the Ordnance Survey of 1867. It means " Cronk Conoly." It was excavated in 1928 with interesting results.'

And ascends near Rozelean as far as the rivulet which is called Bryseth. " Rozelean " means " Red Island," to disting- uish it from " Ellanbane," the " White Island," and " Close yn Ellan," which was also called the " Green Island." It is the present Cronk Ruagh, the " Red Hill."

As far as the rivulet which is called Bryseth. Here we are on sure ground. Bryseth is the Glentrammon stream which forms the present boundary.

And ascends thus by Glennadroman. This is clearly Glentram- mon, the present boundary.

And ascends thence by the Royal Way and by the rock which is called Karraycketh. The Royal Way is still in existence. The named Karraycketh may mean the "Ford of the Rock" or, according to Ralfe, simply " The Rock,"' the final syllable representing the Norse post article-et. The Rock may be a large quartz boulder near the source of the Block Eary stream,2 or a very large quartz crag near the summit of Sheau Maynagh-" The Hill of the Monks.' 13

And near Leath Kostray. A difficult name. It seems to mean " Grey foot of the brook "-possibly the Block Eary stream.

As far as the place which is called Duppola. " The place of black pools "-some of which are found in this stream.

And descends thus by the rivulet and Hath Arygegormane. The ford of O'Gormane's Shieling," probably Block Eary.

And thus descends by the same rivulet into the river o f Sulaby. After the ford of O'Gormane's Shieling the boundary follows the rivulet to the point where it joins the Sulby river at Ballaskella.

And thus descends by the river of Sulaby into the thicket of Myrosco, and goes round three islands in the thicket o f Myrosco. The islands are Close yn Ellan or " Green Island," Tallan Moar or "Big Island" now Ballamona and Ellanbane or "White Island." There were many other islands-such as Ellan y Foillan in Loughan ny Guiy and the Ellan in the Gl_ebe-but these lie too far to the east.

And descends by the old dry (ground) into Dufloch. The old ground is Close Chirrym, which means the "Dry Close";

Dufloch is the Dollagh or Black Lake. The property known to-day as the Dollagh lies on the western edge of the Curragh in Ballaugh.

And thus goes round and ends in the place which i's called Hescanakeppage, the point at which it began.

This explanation of the boundaries gives rise to certain difficulties. They contain very much more land than the present Abbey Lands. The land omitted in the latter consists chiefly of Intack-mountain and curragh. Perhaps, as Mr. Ralfe suggests, the poorer land was omitted, as being untaxable or unoccupied, and so of no real value for the compilers of the Manorial books or, as Mr. Cubbon suggests, the Kings or Lords of Man had taken possession of this land before the beginning of the sixteenth century when the Manorial Roll was written down.

The story of Donald seems to prove that in 1249 the islands, or one of them, did not belong to the Abbey.

In the year 1257 Magnus, the last King of Man, made the following grant to the Bishop of Man and the Isle :- ' I have granted, also and by this my present charter have confirmed to the said Lord Richard, and to his successors for ever . . . the villagel of Kellcrast2 near Ramsa, entirely, with clergy and laity, and breweries and other appurtenances, without any restraint, together with half the fishery there, in Muschoh."3 Sir John de Stanley confirmed this grant on July I 1, 1423,4 and Earl Thomas on March 28, 1505.5 This proves quite definitely that the Abbey did not possess full rights over the whole of Mirescog. It may be that the Bishop's fishing rights extended over the western portion, which adjoined his Barony, while that of the Abbey comprised the eastern half.

A. W. Moore states that on St. John Baptist's Day, 1540, the Abbot and his brethren were removed from the Monastery of Rushen and the tithes were leased for the King's benefit.

At the time of the Dissolution the income from these Abbey lands is returned as follows :-

" Comput' Ministrorum Domini Regis. Temp. Hen. VIII.

Russhing nuper Monasterium infra Insulam de Man. Soulbye-lZeddit' et firm' tenentium ad voluntatem 11 4 8 Soulbye-Firma unius molendini nunc vast, et

inoccupat. ............................................. 6 o

Soulbye-Rents and farms of tenants at will ......... 11 4 87

Soulbye-The farm of a mill now waste and unoccupied .......................................... 6 o

11 10 8 "

After the Earl had obtained possession by the grant of 1609, a statement of the Abbey Lands receipts was drawn up.

"A Waste Booke for ye Drawinge of ye ould names Anno Dni 1611.1

This is a booke contaynonge all ye yearely Rents payd forth of the Abbey Lands, viz: ffarme land, demesne, cottage and Mylnes, delivered up to me John Halsall by the bands of Thomas Bruckfield to be kept uppon record for a true booke thereof, wch Bruckfield is servant under yr Right Honrable Lady Alice Countess Dowager of Derby, and officer for her in the Accompts touching these lands, May 29, 1611,

The names of the Demayne Tennants with their yearly Rente: Solbie in ye P'ish of Kk.Christ in ye Aire.

The names of the Tennants which give yearly Rente.

s. d. s. d.

Willm Crowe and Edmond Kewny xj -

Ewan Crowe xij - John Kynred xij -

Robt. Curghie and Jo:Kewny and Uxr.

Widow Crowe vj - Willm. Kewny xij -

John Crowe senr. and Hugh Kyssage vj -

Edmond Crowe vj - John Kewney, junr. vj -

John Crowe junr. x.vj Mallony Kewny ij -

Phillip Crowe iiij.vj ffinlo Kewny iiij -

Willm Kyssage xxviij - John Carrett ij -

Robt. Casement xv - Willm Killip vij.vj

Thomas Skillicorne vj - Christ:Carrett viij -

Ffinlo Skillicorne vj - Willm:Carrett xiiij -

John Cotter vj - Willm:McYlcarrane xiiij -

John Carrett ii - Hugh Kyssage ix -

Malloney Kewny iiij - Willm:Standish vüj.vj A total of {II 3s. od.

On March 17th, 1606, King James " in consideration of a fine Of 1101 151. IId. paid into the receipt of His Majesty's Exchequer, by Sir Thomas Leigh, Knight, and Thomas Spencer, Esquire, and for other considerations, demised to them, all those Houses, Scites, Circuits and precincts, formerly the Monastery and Priory of Rushing and Douglas, and the Fryers Minor ot Brymaken, with all their appurtenances in his Island of Man, etc., etc.2

On July 7th, 1609, the Abbey Lands, along with the rest of the Island, were granted to William, Earl of Derby, Elizabeth his Countess, and James Stanley, Lord Stanley.'

On March 14th, 1626, this sum of £:101 15s. 11d. was granted by King Charles I, to his wife, Queen Henrietta Maria.4

The Abbey Lands at the present time consist of the following quarterlands :-Glenduff, Nappin, Kerrowmoar, Grangee, Knockshamick, Kella, Narradale, East Ballamanagh, West- Ballamanagh, and Carrick.

When the Lord's Rent was redeemed by the Act of 1913 the sums paid by the tenants of the Abbey Lands were as follows :- Manx British Tenants Glenduff. 30s. Szd. 27s. 21 7

Nappin 22s. 10d. 20s- 741 to

Kerrowmoar 16s. 6d. 13s. 101 8

Grangee I5s. od. 12S. 10J 2

Knockshamick 18s. id. 15s. 612 5

Kella 28s. 8Id. 24s. 2 to

Narradale 24s. od. 21s. 24 4

East Ballamanagh 2os. 8d. 17s. 6jé1 5

West Ballamanagh 17s. rid. 16s. 01 12

Carrick 38s. 6d. 33s. 2 2 6

2325. 1Id. 202s. 31 71 Thus the Lord's Rent in 1913 was little more than in 1611,

while the tenants were much more numerous.. Seventeen, how- ever, held land or cottages rented at 6d or less.

The Customs, or Tithes in kind, paid by the several quarter- lands in 1913, were as follows

Glenduff : I boll Wheat, I boll Barley, 4 Lambs, 4 Geese, 4 Hens, 12 Boon Days.
Nappin : I boll Wheat, I boll Barley, I Lamb, I Goose, I Hen, I Boon Day.
Kerrowmoar : boll Wheat, I boll Barley, I Lamb, I Goose, I Hen, 3 Boon Days.
Grangee : boll Wheat, I boll Barley, I Lamb, I Goose, I Hen, 3 Boon Days.
Knockshamick : boll Wheat, I boll Barley, 3 Lambs, 3 Geese, 3 Hens, 9 Boon Days.
Kella : boll Wheat, I 1/4 bolls Barley, 3 Lambs, 3 Geese, 3 Hens, 9 Boon Days.
Carrick : I boll Rye, I boll Oats, 4 Lambs, 4 Geese, 4 Hens, 12 Boon Days.
Narradale : 2 boll Oats, 4 Lambs, 4 Geese, 4 Hens, 12 Boon Days.
East Ballamanagh : Y boll Wheat, Y4 boll Barley, I Y Lambs, I Geese, I Y, Hens, 4 % Boon Days.
West Ballamanagh : Y4 boll Wheat, Y boll Barley, I % Lambs, I Geese, I y Hens, 4 Y, Boon Days.1

These tithes in kind were collected by the Lord's agent and brought to the Grangee, where they were sold by auction (a further proof that the Grangee was the Monk's headquarters).' Later, for sake of convenience, they were sold at the Mart in Ramsey.

Footnotes

1 Manx Soc., vol. XXII, p. 76.

2 Moore, Dio. Hist., pp. 34-5.

3 Manx Soc., vol. XXII, pp. 178-9.

4 Manx Sec., vol. XXII, pp. 76-7, notes.

5 Moore, Hist., p. 351.

6 Manx Soc., vol. XXII, pp. 54-64.

1 Chronicle of Man. Manx Soc., Vol. XXII, pp. 102-5. Translation from The Church Historians of England, Vol. V, part I, pp. 402-3.

1 W. Sacheverell, An Account of the Isle of Man, etc., London, 1702.
2 I. R. Oliver, "Monumenta, vol. 1, Manx Soc., vol. IV, p. 161.
3 The Chronicle of Man, vol I. M. S. vol. XXII, p. 77.
4 The Chronicle of Man, vol. I, M. S., Vol. XXII, p. 50.
5 The Chronicle of Man, vol. 1, M. S., Vol. XXII', p. 162.

1 In the Manorial Roll of 1703 it is called Knock Shemerick. Scandinavian Skammhrygger, ' short ridge,' with Gaelic ' knock ' or ' crook added. Popular etymology is responsible for its present form ' Crook Sumark ' meaning ' Primrose Hill.' Kneen, Place Names, p. 589. Wood's Atlas has Knock Shamerk.

1 Oliver, Monumenta, etc., vol. I, Manx Sec., vol. IV, pp. 207-8.
2 P. G. Ralfe, Proc. Ant. Soc., vol. 1, No. 8, pp. 485-494.

3 W. Cubbon, " The Lands of the Monks of Myrosco." Proc. Antiq. Soc., vol. III. No. 2, pp. 147-151 (with map).

4 Place Names, p. 602.
5 Ibid, p. 532.

6 Proc. Ant. Soc., vol. III, pt. 4, pp. 282-297, also Journal of the Museum, vol. V, No. 17, p. 131.

1 Proc. Ant. Sec., vol. 1, No. 8, p. 490.

2 Ibid, vol. III, No. 2, p. 150.

3 Kneen, Place Names, pp. 530, 544.

1 Better 'the estate ' or farm.'

2 Kirk Christ Lezayre.

3Oliver's Monumenta, vol. il. Manx Soc., vol. VII, p. 90.
4 Oliver's Monumenta, vol. HI. _Manx Soc., vol. IX, p. 15.
5 Oliver's Monumenta, vol. 111, Manx Sec., vol. IX, p. 30.
6 Moore, Hist., vol. I, p. 351.

7 Oliver's Monumenta, vol. III, Manx Soc., vol. IX, p. 226.

I From Lib. Mon., 1579 to 1654, in the Registry of Deeds, Manorial Roll of the Isle of Man. Appendix„ p, 89.

2 Oliver's Monumenta, vol. III, p. 87. Manx Soc., vol. Ix. Oliver's Monumenta, vol. III, p. 102-113.

4 Oliver's Monumenta, vol. III, p. 133.

i Including a mill, 2s. 6d. Manx, 2s. 1;d. Brit.

2 Ineluding a mill, 15s. Od. Manx, 12s. 101d. Brit.

1 From the books of the late Mr. R. C. Cottier of Kerrowmoar, the last Steward of the Abbey Lands, whose 'forefathers had held Kerrowmoar for centuries.

2 Notes of the Rev. A. E. Clarke, Chaplain of St. Stephen's, Sulby, 1802-1903.