Descriptions of Archaeological Sites of Interest in the Isle of Man (Part One: A

Descriptions of Archaeological Sites
in the Isle of Man

Part One
A - L
Last Updated - August 26, 2003
Arragon Mooar Stone Circles, Santan [SC 304 705]
Early Bronze Age burial mounds.
Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
Ballacagen/Ballakeigan, [SC 259 685] 0.5 miles NW of Castletown

2 adjoining Celtic Round Houses excavated in 1941-4. Later radio-carbon
dated to 3rd Century BC. The site was probably occupied for over 200 to 300
years. c 4000 mature oak trees were used in construction of these 2 house
plus the nearby similar site at Ballanorris. The site revealed crude pottery,
ornaments of bronze, glass, amber and stone, bone objects, worked stones, querns and crucibles.
Picture 1
Picture 2

Balladoole, Arbory [SC 246 682]
Viking Ship burial site (marked by outline stones). An Iron Age stone rampart encloses the whole of a flattish oval summit at Balladoole which encloses a Viking ship burial and a Keeill site (Keeill Vael). The site was excavated by G.Bersu in 1945-6 and again in 1974 by J.R.Bruce
Photos

Ballafayle long cairn, Maughold
Excavated in 1926
Photo 1
Photo 2

Ballaharra, German

Neolithic Chambered Cairn. Pottery, and flint implements excavated in 1971
and the site radio carbon dated to c 2300 BC

Ballakelly Circle (Burial Chamber), Santon [SC 321 719]
Remains of a Megalithic Chambered Tomb. One stone has "cup marks". c3000-2500 BC
Excavated 1865 by Lukis. Various prone slabs which form a rough circle around the monument were added in the early 20C.

Ballanicholas, Marown
(ON PRIVATE LAND)
An inland promontory fort on spur above marshy valley. Ditch rampart on one vulnerable side. Small timber framed round house. A bronze brooch was found during excavations carried out by P.S.Gelling from 1957 to 1959
There is also a "roundhouse" site a couple of fields away. This is also on private land, and is in a very boggy situation.

Ballelby Cross Slab, Dalby
Located in farmyard.

Barroose, Lonan
Pottery beaker was found in a stone cist in 1919. It is reckoned to be a product of the "Beaker Folk" and is the only such example discovered on the Island. This artifact features on a postage stamp.

Billown
Web Site

Braaid (The) [SC 325 766]
Stone "Circle" (site of Round House?) , "Boat Shaped House" & "Norse" House
see also: www.gov.im/mnh/TheBraaid.asp

Braust

Broogh Fort (The Broogh), Santon

Burroo Ned, Rushen [SC 177 665]
Promontory Fort on high ground with rampart to landward, enclosing house foundations. Unexcavated.
Photo

Carnane Stone, Michael
New Web Page: carnane.htm

Cashtal Lajer (Strong Castle) [SC 359 931]
Site of Round House above Ballaugh

Cashtal yn Ard (Castle of the Height) [SC 463 892]
Photos
see also:
http://www.gov.im/mnh/cashtal.asp

Cass ny Howin (Cass ny hAwin), Malew [SC 298 692]
Coastal promontory fort on high ground with ditch and rampart to landward. Site later reused by the Vikings. Excavated by P.S.Gelling in 1957.

Castleward, Braddan
(ON PRIVATE LAND)
Unexcavated Isolated rocky hillock, Citadel and defensive ramparts, vitrified in places

Clagh Ard, Rushen

Clay Head, Baldrine, Lonan
Cairn excavated by Marshall Cubbon in 1961-2. It (and an adjoining mound)
turned out to be multi-period cooking places with boiling troughs. Radio
carbon dated to c 2200to 1050 BC.

Cleigh yn Arragh, Lezayre [SC 384 885] Massive Iron Age bank and ditch cut in half by modern road. New black and white photos: January 2002

Close ny Chollagh, Scarlett, Malew [SC 246 671]
Coastal promontory fort almost at sea level (although the shore is very rocky) with ditch and rampart to landward. Four Iron Age Round Houses. Excavated by P.S.Gelling 1953-6

Cloven Stone, Garwick
Photo

Cronk Aust, Lezayre
A Bronze Age food vessel was discovered with a five-rayed star decoration on
the base

Cronk Coar, Ballaugh
Cubbon excavated a Bronze Age cist

Cronk Karran, Rushen
Neolithic burial circle at the top of "The Chasms"

Cronk ny Arrey Lhaa, (Hill of the Day Watch),Jurby [SC 349 992)
Tumulus. Burial Mound, probably Viking. Also used as the assembly point of the parish day watch in later times

Cronk ny Merriu, Port Grenaugh, Santon [SC 317 704]
Coastal promontory fort on high ground with a ditch and rampart to landward. The site was reused by the Vikings. Excavated by P.S.Gelling 1950-2.
see also:
http://www.gov.im/mnh/cronkNyMerriu.asp

Cronk Sumark (Primrose Hill), (a.k.a. Cronkshamerk), Sulby [SC 392 941]
Unexcavated twin peaked hillock, Citadel and 2 outer ramparts, one vitrified in places, probably Iron Age
Photos

Cronk yn Howe (Cronk yn How), Lezayre
Excavation in the late 1920's revealed early Christian graves, cross-slabs,
objects attributed to the Norse Viking period, and the foundations of a keeill

Giant's Grave, Tynwald Hill, St. John's [SC 277 819 ]
Behind Tynwald, on the opposite site of the minor road down to Tynwald Mills is the remains of a grave dating from c 1000 BC (Bronze Age).
The road appears to have been built right through the grave site, leaving the burial chamber up on the hedge!

Giant's Quoiting Stone, Port St. Mary
Photo

Gob ny Rona (the Headland of the Seals), Port-e-Vullen, Maughold
Hango Hill

Keeill Chiggart, Maughold
Cross moved to Maughold Churchyard

Keeill Vael, Chapel Hill, Balladoole, Arbory [SC 246 682]

The Keeill (dedicated to Michael) is built within an Iron Age Fort. A stone rampart encloses the whole of a flattish oval summit which also encloses the famous Balladoole Viking Ship Burial Site. The site was excavated by G.Bersu in 1945-6 and again in 1974 by J.R.Bruce

Killeaba, South of Ramsey
Neolithic & early Bronze Age burial site. Excavated by Cubbon.

Kiondroghad, Andreas
7-9C metal-worker's hut excavated 1962-7

"King Orry's Grave", Gretch Veg, Lonan [SC 438 843]
This is of similar structure to "Cashtal yn Ard" but unfortunately the site is cut in half by a road and somewhat ruined by the building of 2 houses on the site many years ago. Early records regard the site as being a single long cairn, but this suggestion is now disregarded. The site now being considered as 2 seperate similarly aligned chamber-tombs. King Orrys Grave being the more famous roadside monument on the north-eastern side of the site [excavated in 1953/4], the smaller chamber to the south-west is as yet unexcavated.
Photos

Knock y Doonee, Andreas [NX 407 020]
Site of Viking ship burial, in artificial mound on summit of low hill. Excavated 1927. Photo 1
Photo 2 MNH Notice
Photo 3 View of Keeill
Photo 4 View of Farmhouse
Photo 5 View of Smeale area
Photo 6 The Mound

Lag ny Keeilley (the Hollow of the Church), Dalby
Early Christian Keeill and Priest's Cell

Lonan Old Church

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