[From List of Manx Antiquities, 1930]

KIRK SANTAN.

Pre-Christian Remains.

MEGALITHIC.

1. Ballachrink. In the ‘Giant’s Field’ is a Stone Chamber of large granite boulders surrounded by others. A.M. The monument stands 135 yds. s.w. of Ballakelly house. Cup-marks on one face and on the back of one of these boulders were first recorded by Prof. Babington in 1865 and described in Report, Arch. Camb. At a later date, an Urn was found near by and reburied in the w. hedge of the field 117 yds. w of the monument. O.S. XVII/1

A large mound on the top of the hill above Mount Murray and overlooking Douglas Bay is recent, and was erected about 1812 [? 1782], by Sir Wadsworth Busk, Attorney-General, to commemorate the recovery of King George III from illness. At a Triangulation mark, 728. 4. O.S. XIII/9

2. Oswald, Mx. Soc. v, p. 64, states that ‘Another small circle of short, grey pillars, having a Mound adjoining it in a manner similar to that at Billown, stood at one time on the declivity of Mount Murray.’ This may refer to a circle which can still be traced on the S. face of the hill, at a point about 200 yds. s.w. of the large mound. (O.S. XIII/9)

3. Oswald, Mx. Soc. v, p. 54, also mentions a tumulus 300 yds. w. of the Fort known as the Broogh. There is no trace of this now nor is it remembered locally. (O.S. XIII/13)

4. Standing Stone of granite, 7½ft, high, about 200 yds. S.E. of Ballalona Bridge. Urn found. O.S. XVII/1

This may be the ‘rude monumental stone at Ballachrink near Kirk Santan’ of Train, i. p. 266. Other burials have been found at Cronk Leaman and at Cronk Ashen. O.S. XVII/1

5. When the old highway quarry at Ballavale was being cleared, there was found a small Cist of thin slabs, 2 ft. 9 in. square by 2 ft. deep, with ashes. This was close to the O.S. Triangulation mark, 393. (O.S. XIII/13)

6. In the granite quarry, about 1900, Mr. T. W. Moore on clearing the ground found Stone Axe-heads, 600, 591, and Pounders, 620, 1654, M. in what appeared to have been a Circle of Stones. (O.S. XIII/13)

7. When the Oatland road was made, a ‘Giant’s Grave’ was found at a point 13 yds. S. of the Bench mark at the field gate, about 150 yds. from the corner with the highroad to Castletown. (O.S. XIII/13)

8. ‘Cist Vaen with Urn’ found at Crogga, mentioned by Oswald, Mx, Soc. v, p. 51. (O.S. XIII/14)

9. ‘Stone Cists’ found about 200 yds. S.E. of the Parish Church. O.S. XVII/1

10. An Urn was found at the quarry on the Cronk, E.N.E. of last. (O.S. XVII/1)

11. Remains of a Tumulus surrounded by granite boulders, Arragon mooar, about 315 yds. N.N.E. of house. O.S. XVII/5

12. Tumulus surrounded by white quartz boulders, about 230 yds. S.S.E. of last, O.S. XVII/5

13. A large Urn filled with ‘black stuff’ was found about 1896, on the broogh at the back of Faragher’s thatched cottage in Glengrenick. (O.S. XVII/5)

14. Cronk ny Merriu above Port Grenick, is marked o,n the Ordnance Sheet as a ‘Tumulus.’ This was partly excavated some years ago but nothing was found in it. An earthen mound crosses the isthmus tor a length of 40 ft. by 20 ft. wide and 12 ft. high. It suggests a fortified position rather than a Tumulus. Mx. Soc. v, p. 51. O.S. XVIII5

Earthworks.

1. The Broogh, on the Reast, A.M., 200 yds. w. of Mount Murray. A simple motte of Norman type, flat on the summit, with surrounding ditch and two rings. (About 66 yds. diam.) Proc. I, p. 81. O.S. XIII/13

2. On a small rocky peninsula, 470 yds. N.E. of Santan Head, opposite the road from the Mill on Meary veg and ¼ m. N.N.E. of Santan Head. A low embankment crosses the neck on the w., to which a path and causeway have been built of rock and rubble; N, of this the rock has been scarped. The entrance is marked by a slab on edge. (O.S. XVI 1/6)

3. Cronk ny Merriu, though not proved, may here be marked provisionally as a Fort. O.S. XVII/5

4. About 270 yds. E. of last, at Purt ny Ceabagh, is a good example of a peninsula Fort. O.S. XVII/5

5. On the top of an isolated rock, almost 70 ft. high, off Arragon mooar, are three or more circular depressions, with embankment on the w. edge. Y.L.M. ii,p. 149. (O.S. XVI 1/5)

6. Fort overlooking the stream at Cass ny hawin. About 100 yds, S. of this, another similar earthwork on the Malew side of the stream. O.S. XVI/12

The name ‘Pistol Castle,’ on the coast off Ballacregga, refers merely to a natural feature in the rock. O.S. XVII/2

Keeills and Chapels.

1. Ruins of Ch. and B.G., Sulbrick, Treen of Sanrebrek. About 300yds. S. of the farmstead. Many lintel graves within the Ch. and under and beyond its walls. An early Cross-slab, 62, now set up by the Museum Trustees at the Parish Church, was for long lying about 500 yds. S. of the Keeill. O.S.XIII/9

2. Site of Ch. and B.G., Ballavale, Treen of Bendoill. About 80 yds. N.N.W. of house; where many lintel graves were found. O.S. XVII/1

3. Site of Ch. and B.G., Ballacregga, Treen of Hawe. O.S. XVII/2

4. Site of Ch., Ballnahow, Treen of Hawe. The fragment of a Cross-slab, 68, was found here. O.S. XVII/2

5. Site of Ch. and B.G., Ballafurt, Treen of Aros Rogan. O.S. XVII/5

6. Site of Ch. and B.G., Cronk ny Merriu. Mx. Soc. V, p. 51. Rogaine beg, Treen of Aros Rogan. Lintel graves. (O.S. XVII/5)

The Parish Church must occupy an early site. The inscribed stone AVIT- MONOMENT- 29, was found in digging foundations for the present building. O.S. XVII/1

Fair Grounds.

Field with the large standing stone, (4), above Ballalona bridge and about 200 yds. N.W. of it.

Sacred or Healing Wells.

1. On Ballacorris (Ballahawin), w. of the Clenagh road about half way between the crest of the hill and Stuggadoo, was a reputed Healing Well. (O.S. XIII/9)

2. Chibbyr Vael, known as the Holy Well and the Fairy Well. In Crogga glen, s.w. of the house. (O.S. XIII/14)

3. Santan Well, on the Vicar’s Glebe. (o.s. XVII/1)

4. Betty’s Well, known locally as the Wishing Well and the Dropping Well. East bank of stream through Seafield. Fishermen used to visit it for luck on their nets and lines— W.W.G. (O.S. XVII/5)

Watch and Ward Stations.

Hill for the Day Watch, Knockloghan (Oatland). Port for the Night Watch, Gren Vicke (Grenick), C.R.P.

Loose Relics.

Flint implements, Ballachurry, Ballacutchall, Cass ny hawin. M.

Polished-stone Axe-heads, M. 600, 1333, 590, 591, 1653.

Hammer stones, 3.

Bronze Leaf-shaped Sword, discovered when laying pipes in a field, Crogga, 1929. M.

Cup-marked Boulders, Ballaglonnay, Y.L.M. III, p. 434.

Ballavilley, defaced, Y.L.M. p.358. Ballavale, in wall opposite Wesleyan Chapel on the old Castletown road. The Ballachrink (?Ballakelly) megalithic monument.

Bog-oak Canoe. M.

Cross-slabs in Shelter against the w. gable of the Parish Church, 29, 62, 95.

Sundial, 1700. M. 883.

Coins. Silver Pennies, nearly all of Edward I, York, Canterbury, Bury S. Edmund’s, Bristol, Newcastle, Durham, and of an Irish Mint. Also Alexander III and Robert I of Scotland. Mx. Soc. XVII, p. 40. Roman Coin, bronze, found 1889. Y.L.M. II, p. 122.