[from Manx Church Magazine vol 1 p LI]

Extracts from the Parish Register

It is curious that some of the entries in this register, which begins in 1622, though there are no burials: recorded before 1711, are copied from the Malew register. The entries referred to relate to the escape of Earl James from death in 1650, to the arrival of Bishop Rutter in 1660, to the notice to the clergy in 1667, to the proclamation of James II in 1684, to the landing of the Prince of Orange in 1689, and of William Earl of Derby in 1691, to the death of Governor Greenhalgh 1651, to the hanging of Kerruish and Calors 1654, to the end of the ‘Willer’s Court’ 1660 tothe installation of bishop Leving 1686, and to the deaths of Robert and Peter Heywood 1690 and 1699.¹ In the Marown register itself, there is very little beyond the ordinary entries. In 1703 is recorded the birth of " Jane daughter of John Quilliam of Cooill Ingill and Jane Brew his wife who was 48 years of age and 20½ years married when she bare this first child who was baptized the 17th January. In 1755, the burial of Bishop Wilson is recorded as follows :— " The Right Revd Father in God Thos Wilson, S. T. P. Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man was buried at the East end of Kk Michael On. Mar 7th, 1755, whose virtue, piety and devotion stand in need of no advantage (sic)by comparison for he well deserved thetitle of an old disciple." On the 6th of August in the same year " The Right Revd Father in God Mark Hildesley was installed in the Cathedral Church within Peel and inducted into the Episcopal Dignity of Sodor and Man That the spirit of our late Elias may be doubled in him and that he may imitate his vertues." In 1761 it is recorded that John Kelly left £20 " to be laid out at int to be applied by the vicar and wardens to assisting any poor man that shall accidentally loose (sic) a cow or a horse, or to any poor man that will have a large family of children."

On the 24th of October 1765, " The Lord Bishop signified his intention of having a parochial visitation next spring or summer, and expects to find the several churches in good and decent repair. He further expects that a particular account be prepared of the charities and benefactions left by pious people, stating by whom and when left and given and to what uses, in whose hands and how secured, with the date of each security for the same" In this year there were 182 communicants on Good Friday, there being 194 on the same day in 1766, and 237 in 1771. On Easter Sunday, 1766, 194 communicated. These numbers, considering that the whole population of the parish was 658 in 1757 and 841 in 1784, the adults in 1784 being 862, are very remarkable. In 1760, there is a copy of a letter from Captain Elliot to a Mr Cleveland, dated " In Ramsey bay in ye Isle of Man 29 Feby," giving an account of his engagement with Thurot, entered in the register.²

The commonest surnames in this parish are Gelling, Kelly, Cottier, Clucas, Faragher, Clague, . and Fayle. .

The following curious epitaph is found in the churchyard : " Francis Blackmore a native of Ireland interr’d Sept 25th 1734 agd 65. His son, Simon, directed the following lines to be engraven on this stone—

Stop traveller, I pray, but then take heed
You judge not hard of him whom this you read.
No debts no laws obliged him to fly
From the dear land of his nativity ;
But worn with wars he chose this place to end
His days in peace and make his God his friend.

1 See " Manx Note Book," vol. ii. pp. , and vol. iii. pp. 73-77, 138-144, 181-186.
2 See " Manx Society," vol. xxi. pp. 69-72.