Newspaper cutting dated 10 Oct 1868 - from I think the IoM Times

This date actually predates the founding of today's IoMNHSoc in 1879 - Dr McBurney emigrated to Australia in 1870, Mr R G Brearey went on to University and returned as curate of Laxey, Rutledge presumably R Rutledge was also a founder of this later society.

Natural History and Antiquarian Society

King Orry's Grave

On Wednesday last [7 Oct] this society made its last excursion for the present season,: the locality selected being Laxey. There; was a -very fair muster of the members, and among those present we noticed Dr. McBurney, Messrs. S. McBurney; D. McBurney, F. Falkner, W : Christian, Rutledge, G. Oldman, Grindley, and of course, the indefatigable secretary, Mr R. G. Brearey Under the able guidance of Mr G. Oldham the party first visited and minutely examined the sephucral remains on the hill to the north of Laxey generally known as King Orry's grave. No previous arrangements having been made, of course no attempt was made to open these mounds, but sufficient was apparent, from a careful investigation of the surface to arrive at a tolerably accurate conclusion respecting, their nature. These remains in their present condition, consist of two detached portions, with the old Ramsey road passing between them. The eastern portion consists of at least one vast kist-vaen, or stone chest, about eight, feet, long: and three feet wide, at the top formed of huge fragments of the local rock. This is surrounded by an irregular grass-grown circle of great stones, a good deal broken and defaced. We were both surprised and indignant, in spite of our past experience of the way in which the Manx people illtreat their national remains, to see that some barbarian was actually digging the foundation of his cottage within the boundary of this circle, and that in so doing he had already dislodged several of the upright stones. The proceeding is a disgrace to all concerned — to the landowner who has sanctioned it, to the man who is doing it, and to the neighbourhood which permits it; and we hope that the first result of this public reprobation of the act will be that an efficient stop will be put at once to this wholesale destruction of national monuments, which, when once destroyed, can never be replaced. Even in a money point of view, the people, of Laxey ought to interfere for the preservation of these remains, since they form one of the most attractive objects of interest to the many thousands of strangers who annually visit the locality. The remains lying to the west of the higher, consist of two graves, placed end to end, each about nine feet long, with a vast slab of slate nine feet high, and three feet broad at its base, standing in a sloping position at their head. : This part also shows a few scattered traces of what. appears to have been a circle of upright stones, but most of them have long since disappeared. These remains, especially the tall upright slab, known locally as "The King Orry Stone," are shamefully defaced by snobbish visitors scratching their names upon them; and it is much to be desire that a railing of some kind could be placed round these relics to preserve them from further destruction. These interesting remains are clearly of the same nature as the so-called "Druidical" remains so numerous in other parts of the world; but at what period, or under what circumstances, they were constructed, cannot, in the absence of all historical notice: of them, be determined without careful excavations, which we hope will soon be undertaken by this industrious society.

Descending the hill to the beach, the party next examined with much interest the remarkable markings upon the rocks along the shore, about which, so much has been said and written lately.. These markings occur plentifully along the coast south of the Laxey river; and as the society, had previously examined the same markings at Cas-na-hown, in the south, on a former excursion, the Laxey rocks, with their hundreds of oval markings, formed a very interesting subject for investigation and discussion.

The party next proceeded along the glen, noticing, as they went, the beautiful examples of the old raised beaches which run along the sides of the glen, at the height of about 60 feet above the present level. After a hearty luncheon, rendered very desirable. by the drive through the bright morning air, and the hard work of the day, they next went on to the washing floors of the Great Laxey Company, and carefully inspected the different processes of sorting, crushing and washing the ores previous to their shipment. After which a visit to "The Great Wheel" concluded the day's labours, and, during the homeward drive, the excursion was unanimously pronounced to have been one of the most instructive and pleasant of the season. -Cor.