[from Proc IoMNH&ASoc vol2 #2 1923]

EXCURSION TO THE NUNNERY, 9 OCTOBER, 1913,

Leader, Deemster CALLOW.

Forty-seven members and 11 visitors attended during the day. At Braddan the Tumulus above the high road at Port y Shee was seen. The lines of the extensive encampment at the old church were traced; though there had evidently been much alteration, it would be worth having a good plan of these remains, and possibly some light might still be thrown on them by excavations carefully made. The ' saddle-stone,' natural in its origin, appeared to be from a similar dyke to the large stones in the encampment,

Mr. Taubman conducted the party to the Nunnery, where after looking at S. Bridget's Well, now protected with a stone hood, they visited the Chapel. Here the Leader quoted from the Manx Chronicle, 1313, how Robert Bruce having landed at Ramsey on the 18th May, went on to the Nunnery (ad Moniales de Douglas), where he stayed the night. He thought Canon Quine's suggestion likely to be correct, that, when in 1182 the monks of Rushen removed to Douglas for four years, it was for the purpose of erecting the church and other buildings in connection with the Nunnery, ' to which probably a. new Charter had been granted.' This might have been due to the influence that Aufrica had with her brother King Reginald. Her husband, de Courcy, had evicted the Celtic monks in Down to substitute Catholic fraternities, and had rebuilt Inch Abbey and Downpatrick, while she had established the monastery of the Yoke of God (Grey Abbey) in pursuance of a vow made when returning in a storm from a visit to the Isle of Man. De Courcy had secured the services of Tocelin, a monk of Furness, who in 1188 had become Abbot of Rushen. The grave of S. Bridget had been discovered in 1186, and it was possible that one of the relics to be exhibited by Mr. Taubman had then been secured by Aufrica and presented to the Manx Nunnery.

In 1442, the Prioress was summoned to Tvnwald to show her title. The Deemster then quoted from the Computus made in 1540, the names of the Prioress and her Nuns and the pensions allowed them. Blundell, 1656, records that a portion of the Cloisters was then still standing, and Waldron, who visited them in 1731, has left a description from which it would appear that a portion was still standing and that some carving was visible; that remains of pillars were lying about, and that there were inscribed stones then partly legible and ' hieroglyphics,' by which possibly early cross-slabs might be meant. Mr. Taubman showed a nicely-marked stoup now used as a Piscina, an aumbry and credence and a recess in the north wall which he thought might have held a statue or have been used as an Easter sepulchre. The broken bottom of a. handmade bottle, possibly Elizabethan, found in the masonry had contained a portion of a human bone. Many bones of females had been found in excavating, but only one man's skull. Two stone pillars with their bases had been brought in from a field in 1886, and the bases of two more were outside the chapel. The old Manx Fencible colours were hanging from the chapel roof.

In the house, members were received by Lady Taubman, and a short meeting was held with Lord Raglan in the chair.

The following were elected members:-Dr. C. Wilmot, Mrs. and Miss M. Brearey, Rev. and Mrs. Locke, Mr. L. GoldieTaubman, Mr. John Gelling and Mrs. T. Keig.

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received MNB Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2008