[from Manx Place-names, 1925]

DOUGLAS STREET AND OTHER NAMES.

Almshouse Lane.

1833 John Wood.
Widows' House here, founded by Mrs. Squire, 1833, and rebuilt by public subscription, 1868.

Angle, The.

Now the base of the Victoria Pier, which was built on the Pollock Rocks. The angle was later filled in, and now forms part of the pier.

Athol Street.

1818 Thom. Callister. Athol Street.
,, R. C. I. P. Atholl „
1833 John Wood ,,
1860 Kneale Athole „
Named after the Duke of Atholl, Lieutenant Governor, and son of the last lord of Mann.
"A genteel street, chiefly composed of private houses" Kneale, 1860. From the Court House being situated here, this street now mostly consists of advocates' offices.

Back Street.

1818 R.C.I.P. Back Street.
1833 John Wood. Back Strand Street.
1836 Manks Adv. Back Street.
Now Back Strand Street. Still locally called the Back Street.

Bank Hill.

1833 John Wood. Forbe's Bank.
The hill received its name from this circumstance, and not as is generally supposed, because it is near the bank of the river.

Bank of Mona

Now the House of Keys and Government Offices.

Barrack Street.

1818 R.C.I.P. "near the Barracks,"
„ ,, Barrack Street.
1833 John Wood
„ ,, ,, Old Barracks.
These Barracks were probably used in connection with the lieutenant, constable, and soldiers who commanded the Douglas Fort. v. Fort Street.

Bath Place.

1833 John Wood.
On Wood's plan of Douglas, baths are shown here.

Battery Pier, the

Erected in 1872 for protection of the harbour. Takes its name from a three-gun battery erected during the panic excited by Napoleon Bonaparte's threatened invasion. Also called the Breakwater.

Big Well Street.

1818 R.C.I.P.
1819 Dice. Reg.
1833 John Wood. Bigwell St.
The well, now filled up. was at the east end of the street, and a house there was known as the Big Well House. In the Parochial Visitations it is recorded ; "Dennis Murghy buried 1504 who perished in ye Big Well."

Billiard Room.

"There are in the town two billiard tables for the amusement of gentlemen. Ely Shaw is, in the same house, a billiard-table keeper, a woollen draper, a publican, and he keeps a post-chaise for the use of travellers, with a steady and civil driver."-George Woods, 1811.

Black Rocks, The.

The reef to the north end of Douglas Bay. Probably a translation of the Gaelic Creggyn doo.

Bond Street, New, and Bond Lane.

1833 John Wood.
A building was erected here during the smuggling period by one who had amassed a fortune in that lucrative line of business. After the revestment it became the residence of the Duke of Atholl, and later a Custom House. It has, for many years past, been an hotel, known as the Douglas.'

Breweries.

The early historians record several breweries in Douglas about the middle of the 19th century. The principal of these were the Howe brewery on the South Quay, Kayll's brewery in Wellington Square, and the Union Brewery in Market Street.

Brown Bobby.

The name of a once-famous hostel on the Peel Road, on the outskirts of Douglas. This inn marked the limit to where the corpse was borne, before being placed in a hearse for interment in Kirk Braddan churchyard. Although the inn and courtyard still exist, it has not been licensed for very many years.

Buck's Road.

1807 Dioc. Reg. William Buck, brickmaker. "A short distance beyond Christian Road, and on the other side of the way, stands a slate-covered house not remarkable for anything, but here dwelt Mr. Buck, the builder of this the first house erected in Buck's Road, which was named from that circumstance."-Brown's Guide of the Isle of Man, 1880. v. Garden, Mr. Buck's.

Burntmill Hill.

The mill was said to have been a snuff-mill. This place now rejoices in the name 'Summer hill.'

Callow Slip.

1833 John Wood. Now Regent Street.

Castle Mona.

A modern name. Erected in 1802 by John, fourth Duke of Atholl. He was the last Lord of Mann. "About half a mile north of Douglas is Mona Castle, a modern building of the present Duke, intended for his future residence. This is a stately edifice, and has none to vie with it upon the island. In the front is a noble ball-room equal in height to two stories of the other parts of the mansion. It is at present bare of trees, and how far the young plantations are likely to flourish seems very doubtful." George Woods, 1811.

Castle Street.

1833 John Wood. Leading to Castle Mona.

Cattle Market Street.

1818 R.C.I.P. (also Cattle Market),
1833 John Wood. Market Street.
There seems to be no record of this cattle-market used as such.

Chapel Row.

1833 John Wood.
Faced the chancel end of the old Chapel of St. Matthew, now demolished.

Chappell, Chapple, The.

1637 Dioc. Reg. Chappell of Douglas, the.
1703 Man. Roll. Chappell, The.
1706 Dioc. Reg. Chappell, Duglas.
This church, which is shown on an old engraving which may be seen in the Manx Museum, was evidently dedicated to St. Martin of Tours, as an old plan of Douglas, 1834, shows a lane near the site called 'St. Martin's Lane.' This church was close to the site of the Douglas Electricity Works, and the Cattle Market was probably the old churchyard which might account for its being kept as an open space instead of being built on. There was formerly a fair held in Douglas on April 20th, of which we have a record in 1802, but which had disappeared as early as 1808. This date was the eve of St. Martin of Tours' feast in Rome.

Chappell Hill, The

1703 Man. Roll v. Chappell.

Cheu yn Phurt.

'The harbour side.' The Manx name of the North Quay, Douglas.

Church Street.

1818 R.C.I.P.
In which St. George's Church is situate. This edifice, now the oldest church in Douglas, was commenced in 1761 and finished in 1780.

Coile, The.

1703 Man. Roll.
Mx. cooill, 'corner, nook.' Part of the Sandside in Douglas.

Colonel's Road.

Villa Marina situated in this road was, about the middle of the 19th century, the residence of a Colonel Stuart, from whom the road received its name.

Conister.

Mx. Kione y sker, lend of the reef.' Sker is a loanword from the Scandinavian. The greater part of this reef, latterly known as the Pollock Rocks, is now covered by the base of the Victoria Pier. Conister was the end or head of the reef. Hence the name.

Court House.

1815 Thomas Callister. v. Imperial Hotel.

Cross, The.

1703 Man. Roll.
In Douglas, near the Sandside, q.v.

Derby Castle.

Built about the middle of the 19th century as a private residence.

Derby Road.

1871 Manx Sun. Lover's Lane.
1880 Brown's Guide to the I.O.M. Love Lane.

Double Corner.

1833 John Wood
The name of part of the North Quay near the market. Called so from its peculiar construction.

Douglas Bridge.

1738 Dioc. Reg.
The remains of this bridge may still be seen opposite Grove View Cottages on the Castletown Road.

Drumgold Street.

1780 Reg. Deeds. Redcross Street.
1818 R. C. I. P. Drumgold „
1833 John Wood. ,, „
„ Manks Adv. ,, „
1846 S.S.S. Reg. Deeds. Red Cross Street.
Called Drumgold Street from an Irish family who dwelt in Douglas at the beginning of the 19th century. There is no history of its earlier name.

Drury Lane

1860 Kneale Durie Lane,
A house near the Grammar School, New Bond Street, (later St. Matthew's Hall) was built by a man named Durie, who was a son-in-law of Sir Wm. Fine of Ballahot. The Duke of Atholl occupied the house about 1780.

Duke Street.

1811 George Woods.
1833 John Wood. Duke of Atholl. v, Castle Mona,
George Woods says that this street was begun in 1810.

Factory Lane.

1833 John Wood.
An old name of Wellington Street, q.v. Here was situated Moore's factory for the manufacture of linen goods, such as sailcloth, sacking, etc. The factory was later transferred to Tromode.

Fairy Ground

1833 John Wood.
This name probably postulates an older 'Fair Ground,' which would be attached to St. Mary's Church, being either part of the churchyard or adjoining the latter. Many old fair-grounds all over Britain became in later times markets in the centre of populous cities. v. St. Mary's Church.

Fancy Street.

1818 R.C.I.P.
1833 John Wood.
Now disappeared. It extended from King Street to Lord Street.

Ffence, The.

1703 Man. Roll. Finch Road.
1831 Manx Sun Vinche's Road.
1833 John Wood. Finch's Road.
From a family named Vinch. The older inhabitants still pronounce it Vinch Road. John Vinch held part of Ballakermeen in 1703.

Finch Well

erected in 1858 (Marks Adv.)

Fort Anne (Hotel).

"From the pier, directly across the harbour, is an elegant castellated mansion, till within these few years the residence of Mr. Whaley, usually called Buck Whaley," G. Woods, 1811. Afterwards the residence of Sir William Hillary, the founder of the Lifeboat Institution.

Fort Street.

1815 Thom. Callister.
1833 John Wood.
Takes its name from an old fort which formerly stood at the bight of the Pollock Rock, and was taken down in the year 1818, by order of the Insular Legislature.
Writing in 1811, George Woods says : "Very near it (Court House), to the eastward, is an ancient tower used for a similar purpose (a prison) till this was built, a wretched dungeon and now in ruins. The walls are completely naked and do not form a pleasing object."
"In an old M.S. history . . . this edifice is thus described : "Douglas hath alsoe a most considerable fort strongly built of hardstone, round in form, upon which are a mounted tower and four pieces of ordinance.
It is commanded by a constable and lieutenant. The constable and two of the soldiers which are then in continual pay, are bound to lye in this fort every night, and four of the townsmen are bound to keep watch and ward upon the rampart betwixt the fort and the towee." Kneale, 1860.

Garden, Big.

1810 S.S.S. Reg. Deeds Big Garden.
1818 R.C.I.P. „ „
1833 John Wood Wellington Square,
Kayll's Brewery was here. At some time between 1818 and 1833 it was known as Heywood's Garden.

Garden, Mr. Buck's

1818 R.C.I.P. v. Buck's Road.

George's Church, St.

"To the west of the town on rising ground is St. George's Chapel, for the building of which a subscription was made, and the funds were lodged in the hands of Bishop Mason. He died insolvent not long afterwards, part of the money subscribed being thereby lost, and some of the artificers remaining to this day unpaid . . . The voices of the congregation are regulated by an organ. The pews are let by auction to the highest bidder for the term of seven years. On a recent occasion the high sum of £7 per annum was given for the best pews." G. Woods, 1811. v. Church Street.

George's Market, St.

This was a cattle-market situated at the south end of Hill Street, opposite to St. George's Churchyard.

Guttery Gable.

1832 Manx Sun.
1833 John Wood.
From Arch Lane and leading into Howard Street.

Hills Street.

1815 Thom. Callister.

Hills Garden.

This garden extended from above Circular Road, almost to the North Quay. There was a private road running upwards through the estate, now Upper Church Street, which was a favourite walk of the inhabitants at the beginning of the 19th century.

Holmes' Bank.

1833 John Wood.
Formerly situated on the South Quay, near the Gas Works.

House of Industry.

Built in 1837, and supported by voluntary subscription. The Rev. Dr. Carpenter, the first vicar of St. Barnabas Church, was mainly responsible for its establishment.

Imperial Hotel.

Now the Imperial Buildings, built by the late S. Harris, Esq., High-Bailiff of Douglas, on the site of the old Court House.

Inn.

"One without a sign, kept by Clague, the oldest of all, situated between the market-place and the post-office." George Woods, 1811.
This was situated in a little court at the bottom of old Lord Street. It afterwards became the Cumberland Inn.

Jetty, Fort Anne.

"In 1837, a jetty was erected on the south side of the harbour." Kneale, 1860.

Kayll's Slip.

1826 Manx Sun.
Kayll had a brewery in the Big Garden, now Wellington Square. Opposite Church Road.

Lake, The.

In former times the site of the timber yards and the Railway Station was occupied by swampy land and a lake.

Library.

"A public circulating library and reading room have been lately established, and are a great acquisition to the town." George Woods, 1811.

Lord's Houses, The.

1703 Man. Roll.
In Douglas ; belonged to the Lord of Mann. It is believed they were on the north side of old St. Matthew's Church.

Love or Lover's Lane.

v. Derby Road.

Market Place

1811 George Woods.
"The market-place is small and destitute of shops and shambles. It is usually well supplied by the neighbouring farms; but, on a rainy day, it is sometimes impossible to purchase, either a pound of butter, a shillings worth of eggs, or a kishon of potatoes; and, unless these are by chance to be sold in the town, the inhabitants are obliged to wait for them till the expiration of another week." George Woods. v. St. Mary's Church.

Martin's Lane, St.

1835 Old Plan of Douglas.
From an old church situated somewhere near the site of the Douglas Electricity Works. v. Chappell.

Mary's Church, St.

1585 Dioc. Reg. St. Mary's of Douglas.
1703 Man. Roll. The Old Chappel.
An old Church which stood near the market-place, close to the site of which Bishop Wilson in 1708 built St. Matthew's Chapel, now demolished. It is almost certain that this church must have been surrounded by a churchyard, which may have been represented by the old market and the Fairy Ground, q.v.

Mary's Rock, St.

1831 Manks Advertiser
Sometimes called St. Mary's Isle, now usually called Conister or the Tower of Refuge. Takes its name from St. Mary's Church, q.v. The present Roman Catholic Church in Douglas takes its name from St. Mary's Isle, its correct designation being `The Church of St. Mary of the Isle.'

Matthew's Church, St.

1833 John Wood St. Matthew's Chapel.
"On the north side of the market stands the chapel of ease dedicated to St. Matthew, an unpretending structure erected in the year 1708 by Bishop Wilson," Kneale. There was a certain definite policy pursued by the Anglican Church after the Reformation, which was to eliminate all saints who did not appear on the reformed Calendar, and we find a reflection of this policy in Bishop Wilson's selection of St. Matthew as the patron saint of this edifice. Thus we find that St. Matthew, whose dedication date is September 21st, was chosen in place of St. Mary, whose nativity was September 8th, as the latter festival was observed exclusively by Roman Catholics after the Reformation. v. St. Mary's Church.

Muckle's Gate.

1802 Manks Advertiser
1818 R.C.I.P.
Capt. Joseph Bacon lived here in 1802.
It has been claimed that this name was bequeathed to us by the Norsemen, and that it represents the Norse Mikill Gata, 'great road.' One must accept this derivation with a great deal of reserve, for it is very doubtful if Douglas existed as a town in Norse times.
"There are several boarding-houses, one of the best of which is kept by Mrs. Pratt, of Muckle's Gate." George Woods 1811.

New Bridge.

1815 Thom. Callister.
The present stone bridge. v. Douglas Bridge.

Parade Street.

1815 Thom. Callister. Parade, the
1818 R.C.I.P. „
In the old days before the Victoria Pier was built, Parade Street and the Red Pier were the fashionable resorts of the visitors.

Pollock Rocks

This word is used in Eng., but is probably of Gaelic extraction. Irish pullog. The usual Manx word for the Pollock or Polloch fish is Keeilleig. v. Angle in Douglas names.

Post Office.

1860 K.G.
This was in Athol Street, on the right hand side proceeding towards Prospect Hill, and next door to the I.O.M. Times Office. Previous to that it was in Post Office Lane, q.v.

Post Office Lane and Place.

1833 John Wood.
The first Post Office in Douglas was in Post Office Lane. Both Post Office Lane and Place have now disappeared, they were in the vicinity of the present Ridgeway Street.

Preaching House Lane.

1818 R.C.I.P.
The earliest name of Wellington Street. Called so from Thomas Street Wesleyan Chapel, better known now as Victoria Street Wesleyan Church.
A deed of sale of 1786 shows that Corris' Garden and Tennison's Concerns,on the quarterland of Ballakermeen, were acquired to build a Preaching House or Chapel thereon.

Pump Street.

1818 R..C.I.P.
Probably part of Wellington Square, where there was a pump.

Quay, North.

1811 George Wood
This was called in Manx Cheu twoaie yn thurt, the north side of the harbour,' or simply Cheu yn phurt, 'the harbour side.'

Quirk's House.

In St. Barnabas Square, occupied in 1831 by George Quirk, Seneschal. v. Seneschal Lane.

Red Cross Street.

v. Drumgold Street.

Redfern's Square.

1815 Thom. Callister.
Near the market, at the bottom of James' Street, and demolished in the new street scheme about 1890. A man named Thomas Redfern kept a butcher's shop here early in the 19th century, and the same family, later, kept the Redfern Hotel, in James' Street. This name is still perpetuated in the Redfern Mission, a body of nonconformists who formerly held their services in Redfern's Hotel, when it had ceased to be used as such, and who afterwards removed to their present place of worship in Fort Street.

Red Pier, The.

The Red Pier was erected in place of an older structure, and was completed in 1800. The first stone of this structure was laid on the 24th July,1793, by John, Duke of Atholl.
The pier is built of red sandstone, hence its name. "The pier is the promenade of the town, and in fine weather crowded with genteel company." George Woods, 1811.

Ringsend.

1703 Man. Roll.
1742 Paroch. Visit.

Saint's Pool.

1833 Manks Advertiser.
"Place in Douglas River, near Nunnery Mill, where lads bathed."

Sandside, The.

1703 Man. Roll. The Sandside.
1818 R.C.I.P. Sandside, Sand Street.
1833 John Wood Strand Street.
Still known as Sand Street by the older inhabitants. Before the Loch Promenade was built the sand came up to the back of the houses, and remains of an old bulwark may still be seen.

Sandy Lane.

1833 John Wood.
Now almost disappeared, Victoria Street being cut through it. Part of it, however, still remains. A chemist's shop now stands on one end of it, and the other remaining portion leads from Victoria Street into King Street.

School, Lancasterian.

1818 R.C.I.P. Lancasterian School.
1860 Kneale Schools.
Erected by subscription in 1810. Later St. George's Schools. In Athol Street.

Seneschal Lane.

The Manx seneschal was an Abbey Barony steward appointed by the Lord of the Isle. v. Quirk's House.

Senna Road .

1818 R.C.I.P. Sena.
The meaning of Senna or Sena is doubtful, and we have no early records. It may be Manx Shennagh, 'old land,' which was possibly applied to a small piece of land here before it was built on.

Shipyard Court.

On the site of the old Douglas shipyard.

Tan Yard, Killey's.

1818 R.C.I.P.

Theatre.

"Some years ago a theatre was built, and plays were acted at Douglas; but even for a few weeks the proprietor did not meet with sufficient encouragement, and they are consequently discontinued." George Woods, 1811.

Tongue, The.

1833 John Wood New Tongue.
Old illustrations of Douglas show a spit of sand running out here, and it is probable that the Tongue was built on this. Although no older form of the name is found, this long sand bank may have been known as yn Chengey 'the tongue,' in Manx.

Tower of Refuge.

On Conister or St. Mary's Rock. Built by Sir William Hillary, the founder of the Lifeboat Institution, in 1832, as a refuge for shipwrecked mariners who might happen to be wrecked on this dangerous reef.

Victoria Pier, The.

Opened as the Queen Victoria Pier on the 1st of July, 1872. Before its erection passengers were landed in small boats at the Red Pier.

Watch House.

"On the western extremity of the Pier (Red Pier), stands the Watch-house where a record is kept of all vessels entering and leaving the port." Kneale, 1860.

Waterside.

1703 Man. Roll
Perhaps Water Lane, which disappeared in the last Douglas improvement scheme.

Wellington Market.

"The Wellington Market-house was, some years since, erected in Duke Street, but was never liberally patronised as such, and it is not much used for the purpose for which it was intended. The hall above is used for concerts, lectures, etc." Quiggin's Guide, 1862.
This market had three entrances, in Wellington Street, Duke Street, and Drumgold Street, It is now divided between several firms, and used for various purposes.

Wellington Square.

1833 John Wood. v. Garden, Big.

Wellington Street.

1818 R.C.I.P. Preaching House Lane.
1833 John Wood Factory Lane.
1860 K. G. Wellington Street.
Modern name from the Wellington Buildings, demolished to form Victoria Street. v. Preaching House Lane and Factory Lane.