[From Yn Lioar Manninagh Vol 3 pp584/5

EXCURSION TO BALDWIN, JULY 24, 1900

Leader — A. W. MOORE, M.A.

On Tuesday, July 24th, forty-five of the members of the Society and their friends joined in an excursion to Baldwin, which had been arranged for the 12th, but had to be postponed on account of the stormy weather.

Mr. P. G. Ralfe had been selected as leader, but, unfortunately, was unable to attend on the adjourned date.

The party having assembled at Cronkbourne, Mr. Moore exhibited and explained his meteorological instruments to members interested, and then led the way to Castle Ward.

This is, perhaps, the best example of the early earthwork fortifications, of which several still remain in the Island, others having been destroyed in recent times. Mr. Moore thought that the name would be a corruption of MacWade, a family who formerly owned the property. An older name was Knock-y-Troddan, " Hill of the Contests." Though popularly known as "the Danish Camp," it might, he thought, date back to Neolithic times, or, at all events, to the Bronze period. He pointed across the river to the site of another entrenchment, now levelled, but about fifty years ago a large and perfect semicircle. The field in which it stood was known as Magher-y-Caggey, " Field of the Battle" — a suggestive title ! " The drive was resumed by Chapel Field, in the upper corner of which is a small mound said to be the site of an ancient Keeil, up East Baldwin to St. Luke's, a short halt being called on the way to look at the new and beautiful self-recording rain gauge set up by Mr. Moore, and carefully attended to by the Rev. S. R. Butterton, who here met the party.

The modern chapel of St. Luke's was then visited. It stands on the site of Keeil Abban, a foundation of unknown antiquity.

Mr. Kelly now conducted members a short way up the hill to the site of the ancient Tynwald. The Ordnance Survey has marked this as being near the middle of the field, but Mr. Kelly was very positive that it had been at the upper end, as was well known to all the inhabitants. The Parish Club used to march round it once a year, but this custom had now been dropped, and the roadway to it had been taken into the field. This was before 1871, when it was seen by Mr. W. Harrison "levelled and enclosed in adjoining field." Most unfortunately the stone with which St. Luke's was built was quarried out of the heart of the hill, which had been formed on a natural eminence in a commanding situation. Mr. Moore referred to the Court held there in 1422, as recorded in the Statute Law Book.* These were not new laws but merely customary laws put into writing. Other places where Tynwald Courts were known to have been held were Cronk Urleigh in the North, Castle Rushen in the South, and, of course, the well-known hill at St. John's. It had been a wish of the late Deemster Gill that a stone should be set up to mark the site of this interesting national monument, and, at the meeting held later on, it was resolved that this Society should use its best efforts to have this carried out.

Seats were now resumed, and the drive continued to Injebreck, where grateful rest and refreshments were enjoyed, and, after a stroll through the grounds, a short meeting was held.

Meeting at Injebreck,

Rev. S. A. P. KERMODE, M.A., in the Chair.

In the unavoidable absence of the President, the Rev. S. A. P. Kermode was elected to the chair.

The Rev. E. H. Locke, Castletown, was duly elected a member, and one other nominated.

* 20, Parr's MS.
21, Statutes, Vol. I, p. 56.
22, Ibid, p. 110.
23, Ibid, p. 126.
24, Manx Soc., Vol. L, P. 12.
25, Lib. Scacc.