[From Thwaites' Directory, 1863]

Santan

KIRK SANTAN, the smallest parish (in population) on the Island, is bounded on the north by Braddan, on the south and east by the sea, and on the west by Malew. In length from north to south, it is about four miles; and in breadth from east to west, about one mile and a-half. The parish church is situated on the old road, between Castletown and Douglas, about four miles north east from the former. The surface is diversified with hills and valleys: the latter are very fertile. The parish is noted for the salubrity of its air. In the church yard are several tombstones to the memory of persons who have lived to an advanced age. The principal owners are Messrs. W. Anderson, James Blyth,Thos. Brew, P. Bridson, Wm. Callister, Eredk. B. Clucas, Geo. W. Dumbell, Wm. Gick, J. P. Harrison, Ridgeway Harrison, J. L. Kermode, Cleave Finley, Edw. and John Kissack, William Kneale, Frank Matthews, T. McNeal, John Moore (Snlbrick), John floors, (Glengrenough), R. Moore, Wm. Moore, Mark 11. Quayle, Wm. Quine, Thomas Quinney, and J. Taubman, Major Caesar Bacon and Major Hy. Murray. In 1861, Santon contained 119 houses and (194 inhabitants. Of the houses 116 were inhabited. Of the population, 353 were males and 341 females. During the interval from 1851 to 1861, there had been a decrease of 12 houses and 20 inhabitants; the returns being in 1851, 131 houses and 714 inhabitants. The parish church is a small, ancient, and unpretending structure, dedicated to St. Anne. It was erected in 1773-4, in the place of a former edifice, which was enlarged in 1725. The present building is calculated to accommodate 250 hearers. A gallery was added in 1829. While the workmen were engaged in preparing the foundations, they discovered about six feet beneath the surface, an ancient whinstone, bearing an inscription of which the late Dr. Jamieson,of Edinburgh, remarks: " It seems evident that N. is a combination of A.V., and that = is the contraction of U. M. Thus I read it as barbarous Latin for Avitum,Monumentum. The characters seem pretty nearly to resemble the old Teutonic as given by Astle, Table I, page 64; and Table I 1,page 84, which inscription he asserts to have been written in Italy, above eleven hundred years ago, by some Latin priest." A portion of a flat pillar, formed of a slab of hard greenstone, was found some years ago at Port Soderick, near the ruins of an old chapel which stood there. The stone bore a representation of a man on horseback, but there was no cross. It is supposed to have belonged to the earliest age of this description of Manx relics. In the church yard lie the remains of six clergymen named Cosnahan, four of whom held the living of this parish. The grave in which they are interred is covered by a massive rudely hewn stone, which in the register on the adjoining tomb, is called the great broad stone. In the parish register is an entry from which we find it was the will of these persons they should be so buried. On another gravestone in this church yard, is the following inscription:–

" Here, friend, is little Daniel s tomb–
To Joseph's age he did arrive,
Sloth killing thousands in their bloom,
While labour kept poor Dan alive–
Hove strange, yet true, full seventy years
Was his wife happy in her tears! "

Daniel Tear died December 9th, 170t, aged 110 years. The epitaph is supposed to have been written by Sir Wadsworth Busk, who for many years was the Attorney General of the Island, he resided at Newtown, now called Mount Murray. The living is a vicarage, value £140; Patron the crown. Incumbent, the Rev. Saml. Gelling. The vicarage is an ancient building, near the church yard. It was built in 1792, and rebuilt in 1769. In the garden of the vicarage is an ancient Romanesque font removed from the church. Here are about eight acres of glebe. In the rolls of Scotland, under date 1291, we find, " Odo, clerk, has letters of presentation to the church of Santon, in Man, vacant by the death of Donald, the late rector thereof, and in the gift of the King on account of the land of Man being in the King's hands, and letters are directed to the Bishop of Sodor.–Witness, the King, at Berwick-on-Twede, 16th day of June."

The Wesleyan Chapel, on the old Castletown Road, -was erected in 1810, at a cost of £100, raised by subscription. It will accommodate about one hundred and forty. The Primitive Methodist Chapel is on the New Road, about halfway between Douglas and Castletown. The Parochial School, a small building at Ballanahowin, is under the superintendence of Mr. Robert Gilmour. An annual fair is held at Oatland on the 26th of May. In the year 1651, John Moore, of Kirk St. Anne, made unlawful and wrong use of the Governor's token, and converted it otherwise than he had directions for; for which he was imprisoned, during the Governor's pleasure.

In this parish is Cronk-na-Marroo, ye., the Hill of the Dead, one of the largest mounds in the island. It is upwards of twelve feet high, forty feet in length, and twenty in breadth. It is situated on the sea cliff, across the isthmus of a small insulated crag overhanging the beach. The neighbouring lands, in some old records of the Duchy of Lancaster, are called Torkilstadt, from which it is supposed the celebrated Danish Viking. Thorkell the Tall, once settled here. If this be correct, perhaps Cronk na Marroo may have something to do with his excursions. Near Cronk na Harrow is the small Bay of Greenick from the Norsk, Greenvig, or Green Bay, and a little south of Greenick, the Creek Saltrrik. The rocks in this vicinity are very grand. There are several caverns on the beach. A very remarkable one galled Wallberry, which, from its stygian character, is sometimes alluded to in maledictory expletives by the neighbouring peasantry, On the headland, above Greenick, are two small ancient fortifications; probably used in former times as posts of observation. A little north of St. Anu's Head is Port Soderick, or the Bay in the South. From its secluded situation, and the beauties with which it is surrounded, it is a favourite resort during the summer months. It derives its name front Sudr, south–and Ok, an inlet, or bay. In the rocks on the south side of the bay is a large cave, the entrance to which is very narrow. According to tradition, an islet was submerged by enchantment near this place. It makes its appearance septennially. A gentleman writing on this subject, in 1844, says–" Are you aware that the septennial appearance of the island, said to be submerged in the sea by enchantment near Port Soderick, is expected about the end of this month ? Though the spell by which this fancified island has been bound to the bottom of the ocean since the days of the great Fin McCoul, and its inhabitants transformed into blocks of granite, might, according to popular belief, be broken by placing a bible on any part of the enchanted land when at its original altitude above the waters of the deep, where it is permitted to remain only the short space of thirty minutes: no person has yet had the hardihood to make the attempt, lest in case of failure the enchanter, in revenge, might cast his club over Mona also." Near Port Soderick is the estate of Ballashamrock, upon which, a few years ago, in ploughing a field, there was discovered a large stone, beneath which, was a cavity containing a stone coffin. In the coffin were found the remains of a human skeleton, measuring about seven feet in length. It was in a good state of preservation. The remains were reinterred and the kistvane fixed in the same place in which it was discovered. In King William's College, Castletown, is a singular ancient stone basin or lamp, which was found about ten years ago, on the estate of Seafield. The remains of a small stone circle may be seen on the estate of Ballakilly, near Oatland. The parish is divided from Malew by the river Santonburn, which is crossed at Ballalona by the Fairy Bridge. The scenery in the vicinity is extremely wild and picturesque. The Fairy Bridge is seldom ventured over by the inhabitants of the neighbourhood after sunset, it being said to be the scene of his satanic majesty's frequent exploits.

CHARITIES.–Rev. Wm. Crebbin, vicar of Jurby, by will, 1803, left £10 to the Vicar and Wardens of Santon, in trust, to be laid out in building a school house, in some convenient place near the church, and in sight thereof The Rev John Nelson gave a piece of land, on which was built in the year 1811, a convenient school house, by subscription together with the sum be queathed by the Rev. Wm. Crebbin; as also a dwelling house for the master. The deed conveying the said parcel of land was executed by Mr. Nelson, but it does not appear to have been recorded. Wm. Leece, of Liverpool, Merchant, by will, 1805, bequeathed to his nephew John Leece, of knock friery, his executors, adminstrators, and assigns, £100 upon trust,.to place out the same on interest; the yearly interest thereof to be paid to some person residing in St. Ann's parish, for instructing poor children belonging to the said parish, and none other, in reading, writing, and arithmetic. The said sum of £100 British was paid over to the Vicar and Wardens, as appears by their receipt dated 16th March, 1812, and was in the hands of the Rev. John Nelson, a former vicar, who paid interest (Five per cent,) to the master. The schoolmaster has also a small sum from Lady E. Hastings' legacy. Various small sums of money from time to time bequeathed to the poor of this Parish, amounting in the whole to the sum of £22 Manks; which sum is placed out at interest, as appears by bond and mortgage from John Kissack, to the Vicar and Wardens, on certain lauds called the Biggarey in Kirk Santon, dated 12 July, 1823, bearing interest at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum.

BLACKSMITHS.

Gale Henry, Davy's Croft
Kinvig William, Ballacurry
Kinley John, Oatland

FARMERS.

Blythe Jas., Glentraugh or Ballachrink: John Clague, farm blff
Brew Thomas, Mullen e quinney
Bridson Jas., Ballachrink & Blkely
Bridson Robert, Tuck Mill
Bridson Thomas, Ballaquiggin
Cain John, Ballafurt
Caugherty James, Arragon-moar
Caugherty John, Keigs' Croft
Calder –, Ballahowen moaney
Callister John, Oatland
Christian William, Ballavagher
Clague Wm.,(& shomk.,) Ballakelly
Clague Wm.,(&ovrsr.,) Ballacurry
Clucas Thomas, Mary voar
Corlett Daniel, Ballakissaok
Cowell Robert, Garey
Cowin Benj.,Cregga: Wm.Kewish, farm bailiff
Cowin John Wade, Oatlands
Cowin Robert, Ballacregga
Cowin William, Knock e laughan
Cretney James, Lhergy
Cunningham Robert, Park
Curphey William, Ballacorris
Daugherty Danl. C., Balladhoo
Fargher Paul, Great-Gate
Fargher Thomas, Ballacostain
Fargher William, E. Furt
Gelling Thomas, Mary beg
Gick Eleanor, Ballavartin
Gick Thomas, Knock.frey
Harrison J. P., Ballacorris: John Shimmin, farm bailiff
Jones John W., Mount Murray
Joughin William, Sulbrick
Kennish Thomas, Reash
Kennish Thomas, Ballagick
Kennish William, Ballavartin
Kinley Cleave,(& taur.,)Ballahowin
Kinvig William, Ballacurry
Kissack John, Ballahowin
Kissack Richard, Ballavale
Kissack William, Ballavale
Kneale William, Ballakelly
Kneen John, Clanna
Matthews Frank, Arragon beg: P. Kelly, farm bailiff
McKneal Thomas, Court
Michael John, Ballakissack
Moore Robert, Ballaourry
Moore John, Glengrenough
Moore William, E. Fort
Moore William, Ballavilley
Morrison William, Crot.e-vare
Oates John, Ballavartin
Quayle Mark H., Esq., Crogga
Quine Margaret, Ballafurt
Quine William, Ballagick
Quinney Thomas, Ballacrine
Quinney Thomas, Ballahow
Quirk William, Sulbrick
Simpson William, Ballahowin
Spence William, Ballafurt
Taggart Sml.,(&par.clk.,Ballacurry
Watson Adam, Hampton's Croft


		Santan

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2001