[Yn Lioar Manninagh Vol 2 pp103/106]

ANTIQUITIES OF THE PARISH OF ARBORY.

Rev. J. KEWLEY, M.A.

A tumulus on Ballancorris estate, in a field by the railway station, is situated on the eastern boundary of the parish, and is of considerable size. Until some years ago its sides were almost vertical, and its top quite level. It was known in the neighbourhood as the "Round Table." It has been ploughed with the rest of the field recently, and, in consequence, has lost much of its original form. nothing in the way of excavation has yet been made here, but doubtless the trouble of exploring it would be well repaid. The old people say it was a burial ground, although they are not able to give any reason for this opinion. On the same estate is the site of the chapel, which formerly stood at a distance of about half a mile to the west of the mound. no trace of it now remains ; but in the spring of the present year some of the foundation stones were unearthed by the plough, and showed that lime mortar had been employed in its construction.

At Bimaken the remains of the old Friary Chapel are to be seen. This is, at present, in a fair state of preservation, though it has been used as a barn for many years. The east window remains in its original form ; also the recess in which the piscina was situated. Some of the other windows and doors are still to be seen. The architecture is of the Third Pointed Style. Very little is known concerning this religious house. The Editor of the Manx Society’s publications (Vol. III. states that it was founded by Bishop Russell in 1373. It was in connection with Rushen Abbey, and contained twelve brethren of the order of Grey Friars. The prior was not a baron. Two stones containing Ogam inscriptions have been lately removed to the museum at. Castle Rushen.

The Parish Church is dedicated to St. Columba. thi original dedication seems to have been to St. Cairbre, a disciple of St. Patrick, Kirk Arbory being a corruption of Kirk Cairbrebry which name it is still known to the old people.

In old maps of the Island the church is called Kirk Kerbrey. In the "Rotulj Scotiæ," 1291, amongst presentations to benefices in the Isle of Man by Edward II. there appears the following : "Alanus de Wygeton habet li~teras de presentatjone ad Ecclesiam Sancti Carber in Man." Kirk Cairbre, in course of time, passed into Kirk Arbory, just- as Kirk Conchan passed into Kirk Onchan. The present church was erected under an Act of Tynwald, in 1758. and stands to the north of the site of the old church. A bronze sun-dial, now at the Vicarage, formerly stood on a pillar in the centre of the churchyard It is octagonal in shape, and bears the following inscription : —"Horula dum quota sit, Quæritur hora fugit, 1678. Thomm. Kirkall do Bolton fecit." The site of the old vicarage house now forms partof the churchyard. In Bishop Wilson’s diary the following entry appears:

—"I supplied the vacant vicarage of Kirk Arbory for one year, and applied the income towards building a new vicarage house. With this, and what I begged of the parish, and £2 lOs. I gave myself, we have erected One of the best houses in the diocese." This eld house was pulled down, and the present one erected, by the Rev. John Qualtrough about- 30 years ago. The communion plate was given by Geo. Quirk, Esq., in 1843. The parish registers commence AD. 1652, and are in a good state of preservation, but eon-tam only few notes of any interest. A large ancient granite font stands outside the church, near the west door. According to tradition, the water for baptisms in olden times was always brought from the well at Ballacross. Inside the church may be noticed the stone, with a quaint in-scription, to the memory of the benefactors who contributed to the building of the church ; the handsome marble monument to Captain Quilliam, who steered the Victory into action at the battle of Trafalgar and the old oak carving which was formerly over the chancel door, but which, at the last restoration of the church by the present Rector of Bride, was affixed to one of the collar-beams over the gallery. The letters are in relief, in Old English characters The inscription runs as follows : —~‘Untyll hys tym God hays hym gefyn sich grace he lahoryth besaly ho ~ * * bloud the best cuyn