Cronkbourne ‘ Manx Odds and Ends,’ p. 95.

Document No. 213.

A RELIGIOUS HOUSE FORMERLY AT ‘ THE GRANGE ‘ IN LEZAYRE.

The tenants of the Abbey Land farms in Lezayre ‘ were antiently accustomed to pay their rents and Abbey Customs unto a religious House, which was erected on the estate of The Grange in that parish. The scite of this building was in a small valley from the eastern side of Primrose Hill, between it and Glione Dowin (or deep glen). It was in 1801 that the present proprietor of The Grange dug up and cleaned away the foundations and ruins of this old Nunnery, when was found also, in digging about two feet under ground, near the spot, an earthern urn or crock, containing a black mould, as if it were the ashes of an inhumed body, besides a very antient small piece of coin or medal of silver bored through, that the finder could not well decypher, and has since unfortunately lost. There is a tradition that the sequested avenue in which the nuns were permitted to walk is that space, now overflown with water, to the south of the scite of the Nunnery, and present orchard of The Grange. The walk alluded to is still called Lag-ny-cailley, ‘ the walk of the young women.’ As another peculiarity belonging to this estate the Northern Abbey Courts ( which had jurisdiction and cognizance of causes, civil and criminal, over the Abbey Demesne tenants in that division) were antiently held in a castle built on the eastern summit of Primrose Hill, adjoining to which, on the western side of the hill, stood a wooden frame or gallows, for the execution of criminals. The castle is fallen, but there are evident traces of its foundation and it is not long since that the stump or remainder of this old gallows was removed from the hill.’ —( Contributed by a correspondent to the ‘ Manks Advertiser,’ June 4, 1818.)