HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2011
[From 1940 Official Handbook]
By MAXWELL FRASER
It takes all sorts of people to make a world, it is equally true that it takes all sorts of things to make an ideal holiday, and that the things which appeal to one sort of people will have no attraction for another. Three hopes, however, all intending holiday-makers share : hope of happiness, change, and renewed health.
Nowhere can these be achieved with more certainty than in the Isle of Man. Although so small and compact, the Island has resorts and accommodation to suit all tastes, from Douglas with its multiplicity of amusements, to remote farmhouses high on mountain-side or cliff-top, or deeply hidden in a lonely glen. It offers a complete ,change, for to spite of its loyalty to the British King, it has its own laws, history and traditions, and is British with a difference which is as obvious as it is fascinating. Best of all, a holiday in Mann ensures renewed health and strength, whether the holiday-maker seeks a warm and equable climate, or a more invigorating atmosphere of sea and mountain breezes.
Although the situation of the Island is northerly, it benefits from the action of the warm Gulf Stream, and has sheltered coastal resorts famous for the mildness of their temperature throughout the year, whilst even in the most exposed situations, the keenness of the winds never becomes unpleasantly sharp.
As there are no great factories nearer than the mainland the air is sparklingly fresh, and the water-supply is brought from pure mountain streams, to be filtered and further purified at the, reservoirs. The tonic air ensures excellent appetites, and meals on the Island are both stimulating and enjoyable, playing their part in building up the health and strength of visitors and residents alike. Fish fresh from the sea, dairy products which have only to travel a few miles from the farm to the consumer; delicately flavoured Manx mutton, and fresh fruit from Manx orchards and gardens, add to the attractiveness and variety of Manx menus. And then there is the strawberry season ! There is nothing better than Manx strawberries and cream for tea, and especially delightful are those places where the holidaymaker can gather his own strawberries, and have them served up in a neighbouring tea garden immediately afterwards.
The change from monotonous work to varied gaiety, or from noise and bustle to infinite peace, lies at the choice of the holidaymaker. There is no gayer town than Douglas for holidays ; no more delightful family resort than Ramsey, nor more healthy, happy, quiet retreats than Port Erin, Port St. Mary, Peel, Castletown, Laxey or Onchan ; and there are also such enchanting little villages as Kirk Michael, Ballasalla, Colby, Bride, Andreas, Jurby and other outlying districts.
Restfulness and the Isle of Man seem a contradiction in terms to those who only know of the Island by hearsay, but the peace of the island outside Douglas can perhaps be realised when it is remembered that, although the Island is thirty-three miles from north to south and about twelve miles from east to west, it has a total resident population of less than fifty thousand, of which nearly half is accounted for by the populations of Douglas and Ramsey. Even the largest of the other Manx towns are scarcely larger than a prosperous English village, and Manx villages are usually a mere cluster of houses. It is possible to get very close to nature in the sparsely populated farming countryside, or in the lovely glens and on the mountains --as the presence of many rare birds on the Island testifies.
Those who love to explore on foot find the Island a place of sheer delight. There are miles of cliff, mountain and field paths left untouched, and Manx farmers are extraordinarily agreeable to those who walk over their land-providing, of course, that the visitors have the common courtesy to close gates and to avoid trampling over crops or standing grass.
Cyclists delight in the well-kept roads and the wonderful views they give over sea and land, whilst the smallness of the Island does not prevent it being a good centre for motorists. There are nearly four hundred miles of highways, and the T.T. Races, Manx Grand Prix, and other outstanding motor-cycle events, normally attract racing enthusiasts.
Behind all this gay holiday atmosphere, there is a wonderful history of human endeavour, and the Island is so exceptionally rich in historic and prehistoric archæological associations that scholars come from all parts of the world to study its ancient monuments.
The history of Mann falls naturally into four periods : the Pre-Celtic, from the most remote times to about 6oo B.C., the Celtic from 6oo B.C. to about A.D. 900; the period of the Norse ascendancy from about A.D. 900 to 1266; and the period of Scottish and English influence from 1266 to the present day.
Among the splendid relics of prehistoric times surviving on the Island is the Cashtal yn Ard monument, in the parish of Maughold on the east.coast. It is one of the most important ancient monuments in the British Isles, and comparable with the finest of its period on the Continent. It was built about 3,000 years ago by people whose ancestors came from the Mediterranean, and has been thoroughly excavated in recent years by Professor Fleure of Manchester University, in conjunction with Mr. G. J. H. Neely, Inspector of Ancient Monuments on the Isle of Man.
The Mull Circle, in the south of the Island, is unique in its combination of the circle form with pairs of cists ; and the Cronk yn How Stone, an engraved slab of the late Stone or early Bronze Age, is unique in Britain. There are innumerable other outstandingly interesting prehistoric sites on the Island, " and relics in the Museum at Douglas.
The Isle of Man was Christianised from Ireland in the sixth or seventh century, and there are no less than one hundred and fifty ruins of Celtic chapels, or keeills, on the Island. Some of these earlier keeills, such as Keeill Ingan, in the central parish of Marown, were built on Bronze Age sites. Others were re-built and enlarged during the Norse era, as in the case of the notable church of Maughold.
The famous Celtic stone crosses of Mann, dating from the close of the 5th century to the time of the Norse conquest, and usually elaborately and beautifully carved with intricate designs and inscriptions, are of the utmost importance and interest to the student of Celtic art and history. The eighth century Calf of Man crucifix is said to be the finest engraved slab of the period in Europe; and the Guriat Cross at Maughold is believed to commemorate the Guriat who married a Welsh princess, and was the ancestor of the great Welsh law-giver Hywel Dda, and of all the great princes of Wales from the ninth century onwards.
The most important of the Celtic crosses are to be found in the north of the Island, and there are casts and pictures in the Manx Museum.
With the coming of the Norsemen in the ninth century, or possibly even earlier, the Island entered upon a phase of its history as splendid as it is alien to that of the rest of the British Isles. It is the only place in these Isles where the Norman never set a conqueror's foot, and his blood does not mingle with that of the Manx.
Whilst England was being conquered and developed by the Normans, the Norse development of the Isle of Man was proceeding under the dynasty of Kings founded in 1079 by Godred Crovan, son of Harald the Black of Iceland. The Island maintained close associations with Scandinavia until the death of the last Norse King of Mann in 1266, and the cathedral at Peel was closely connected with the diocese of Trondheim in Norway until the diocese of Sodor and Mann was founded in 1134. It maintained relations with Norway until 1266.
The nucleus of the two royal castles of Mann ; the ruins of the cathedral and numerous churches; Viking burial mounds and ship burials, weapons and other relics ; myths and legends, place-names and customs, all survive to show how strongly Scandinavian culture influenced the development of the Island, but the greatest legacies of the Norsemen are the wonderful range of stone crosses and the famous Tynwald Day.
The Norse crosses form a collection which is probably without parallel in the world, and is one of the main sources of study of Norse mythology. The late P. M. C. Kermode spent a life-time studying their marvellous and intricate carvings illustrating episodes in the lives of Norse heroes and gods, and made absolutely accurate scale drawings of every cross, over a hundred of which were reproduced in his monumental and invaluable book, Manx Crosses. His original drawings. are well displayed in the fine Kermode Gallery of the Manx Museum, and show a series of pictures so quaint and so full of naïve humour that they have a universal appeal.
After the death of King Magnus, the Island had several changes of overlord, until it was presented by Henry IV to Sir John Stanley in 1405. Fourteen lords of the house of Stanley ruled the Island, generally through deputies, until it passed by heirship to the Athol family in 1736. It was finally bought by the British Government in order to put an end to its smuggling trade. The King of England became Lord of Mann in 1829, and has ever since been represented on the Island by a LieutenantGovernor.
This little Island in the Irish sea has a proud heritage in its Parliament, which is the oldest continuous open-air Parliament in the world, and second only to that of Iceland in point of age. The exact date of its origin is unknown, but it was introduced by the Norsemen and has been in existence for at least a thousand years. The Kings and Lords of Mann found their Islanders a sturdy race, very tenacious of their ancient rights and liberties, and especially of their age-old right to be heard at the open-air Parliament on Tynwald Day. The gorse which is such a feature of the Island, where gorse-hedges bound many of the fields, is symbolic also of the Manx character-full of colour and fragrance when left to grow in peace, but painfully full of prickles at any attempt to disturb it, or interfere with its natural right to grow how and where it pleases.
Hospitality was inherent in- both the Celt and the Norseman, and the Manxman of to-day makes an ideal host. His Celtic imagination gives him the gift of insight into the needs of his guests, and his Norse practicality makes him set to work to gratify those needs. It is typical of the hospitable attitude- of everyone on the Island that the Bishop of Sodor and Mann is "at home" to holiday-makers every Tuesday during the summer, and himself shows his visitors round Bishopscourt and Bishop's Glen.
In view of the growing feeling against "blood sports," it is pleasant to realise that as there are no foxes, deer nor otters on the Island, there is no hunting of these animals ; nor is there any hare hunting. Presumably the kindly Manx have never acquired a taste for hunting, for although there are hares on the Island, they are left in peace. The richness and variety of the bird-life, too, is sufficient testimony that shooting parties have no place in the social life of the Island. There are many enthusiastic bird-watchers on the Island, but their "shooting" is done solely with a camera, and the results added to the store of knowledge of ornithology.
Tree-shaded lanes, tree-filled glens, flower-filled gardens, hedges of gorse and carpets of heather ; wind-swept mountains and wide plains ; precipitous cliffs ; magnificent sands and queer geological formations ; rivers and waterfalls-all are to be found on the Island. Everywhere there is beauty and utter contentment-a feast for the eyes, and a stimulus for the mind in delving into past history and legend.
The customs and traditions of the Manx People have been woven into the novels of the late Sir Hall Caine ; and T. E. Brown, the great Manx poet, who loved the Island so dearly, has enshrined its very soul in his heart-stirring poems.
These two, and Professor Edward Forbes, who probably did more than any other man to spread a love for natural history, played their part on a wider stage than the Island alone, and the list of those who have held high office in all parts of the British Empire and the United States of America is astonishingly long. It was on the Isle of Man, too, that the Lifeboat Institution originated.
History, tradition and enchanting scenery, allied to a heartwarming hospitality, make the Isle of Man unique as a holiday playground, and thoroughly justify their all-embracing slogan "THE ISLE OF MAN FOR HAPPY HOLIDAYS."
REGULAR steamer services operate all the year round, daily between Liverpool and Douglas and bi-weekly between Dublin and Douglas. Standard train services are run by all the main line companies to Liverpool.
In addition there is a regular daily air service between Liverpool and Ronaldsway.
Particulars of Liverpool sailings may be obtained from Messrs. Thos. Orford& Son, 16 Drury Buildings, 21 Water Street, Liverpool, or the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. Ltd., Douglas ; of Dublin sailings from Messrs. Palgrave Murphey& Co., 17 Eden Quay, Dublin ; of air services from Railway Air Services, Ltd., Ronaldsway, Isle of Man ; or inquiries may be directed to the Isle of Man Publicity Board.
FOR PASSENGERS.-At Liverpool trams pass the railway stations (Lime Street, Central and Exchange), en route to the Pier Head for the Prince's Landi~ Stage, where steamers depart for the Isle of Man. There is a booking office arong-side-the steamer for the convenience of passengers not holding through tickets.
FOR MOTOR CARS AND MOTOR CYCLES.-For shipping cars from Liverpool to Douglas, 24 hours' notice should be given to Messrs. Thos. Orford& Son, Water Street, Liverpool. The charges vary according to weight and are approximately as follows
For conveyance by passenger steamer : io cwts and under, 25/- ; over 10 cwts. but not exceeding 12 cwts., 35/-; over 12 cwts., but not exceeding is cwts., 50/-. Cars over 15 cwts. are carried at cargo rates, viz : Over 15 cwts. but not exceeding 20 cwts., 60/- ; over 20 cwts. but not exceeding 25 cwts., 65/- ; and thereafter at the rate of 5/- extra for a minimum of every additional 5 cwts.
The charges for motor-cycles are approximately 5/6 single, and with side-car 8/6. Tickets must be obtained at the booking office alongside the steamers. In addition, small charges are made at Liverpool and Douglas for loading and unloading.
Full information regarding rates and conditions is given on special handbills.
For licensing, see "Answers to Correspondence."
Visitors to out-towns in the Isle of Man wishing to send luggage in advance, should have it consigned by the "C.L.," i.e., collected luggage arrangement. The cost is is. 6d. a package. For this sum it is collected from the home address and conveyed to the destination station. For 6d. extra, a package will be delivered in any of the out-towns by instructing the Isle of Man station-master concerned. On the return journey, the D.L., or delivered luggage, arrangement is best. The charge is the same, viz., is. 6d., and covers conveyance and delivery. For 6d extra, collection will be undertaken. This applies to any Isle of Man Railway or Manx Electric Railway Station.
Passengers from the Liverpool or Wirral districts are charged 2s. 6d. a package to or from the Isle of Man, which includes delivery or collection in the Douglas area, but not in the out-towns.
OF all the constituents of "Weather," sunshine is perhaps the most important. However mild the shade temperature is, if sunshine be absent, there is always a feeling of chilliness.
Moreover, nothing is so conducive to good health as abundance of bright sunshine. From the following statistics, taken from a valuable publication entitled "Seasons in the British Isles from 1878," by Mr. W. N. Shaw, Sc.D., F.R.S., secretary of the Meteorological Council, it will be seen how very favourably the Isle of Man compares with the United Kingdom generally as regards the amount of bright sunshine. For meteorological purposes, England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland, are divided into eleven districts, as shown on this page, and the figures given represent percentages of the total possible amount of sunshine.
The Isle of Man has, therefore, only one per cent. less sunshine than the south-west and east of England, an equal amount of sunshine with the south of England, and three per cent. more than the average of the whole of the United Kingdom
THE increasing popularity of the Isle of Man for permanent residence is not surprising, in view of the many inducements it has to offer. Not the least potent attraction is the cost of living, compared with the mainland and the extremely low rates and taxes imposed by the Manx Government. Even now, the lowest income tax on the Island is only ninepence in the pound ! Incidentally, with the removal of all restrictions on travel, many people are finding the Island a very desirable refuge during the present Emergency.
Electric light, water, sanitation, and all up-to-date public services are obtainable in most parts of the Island, at low rates. Postal and telephone arrangements are under the control of the British Postmaster General, and direct telephonic communication may be had to all parts. There are also numerous highly qualified medical men resident on the Island, and the Noble's Hospital at Douglas is fully equipped and adequately staffed to deal with all forms of accidents and illnesses.
Many delightful new houses have been built on the outskirts of the towns and villages within recent years, the Manx Development Board taking care that development proceeds on the right lines. Each coastal town has its own shops. Douglas, with its excellent and varied shops and multifarious amusements, is only an hour's journey from the most distant. There are excellent building estates in various parts of the Island where houses are obtainable at reasonable rentals.
Sports and amusements are obtainable all through the year in all the towns, and there are many, local clubs ready to welcome newcomers, particularly the Musical, Dramatic and Operatic Societies, and the newly formed Photographic Society. The evenings devised by the Manx Society and the Aeglagh Vannin (Young Manx Society), and other characteristic Manx entertainments, are a novel feature which have a great interest for new residents. Lectures at the Manx Museum and elsewhere ; meetings of the Archaeological Society ; the activities of a small but enthusiastic band of bird-watchers ; and other similar pursuits, add to the interest of life on the Island.
Excellent schools for boys and girls are available in each town, and, so far as churches are concerned, most denominations are represented. With its healthy, equable climate, its natural beauty, its many social activities and facilities for sports throughout the year, the Island has more to offer permanent residents than almost any other place in the British Isles.
Ask for Permanent Residence Booklet.
THE Isle of Man has much to commend it as an educational centre. At the apex of a complete educational system, offering all the advantages and facilities of the most efficient courses available anywhere in Great Britain, is the Island's Public School, King William's College. The College was founded by Bishop Isaac Barrow, in 1668, and the present buildings date from 1833. It has a distinguished list of Old Boys, which includes Sir George White, V.C., the hero of Ladysmith ; Dean Farrar, the author of "Eric, or Little by Little," one of the first "public school novels"; Dr. T. Fowler, a Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford; and T. E. Brown, the poet. Of presentday Old Boys, the best known is probably Sir W. H. Bragg, O.M., the scientist.
The College buildings form an impressive pile on the shores of Castletown Bay. They are surrounded by twenty acres of playing fields. The College Rugby XV is well known to those who follow the public school game in the North of England. All branches of education can be followed both on Classical and Modern lines. A special feature of the curriculum is the preparation of boys for the First M.B. Examination, which can be taken before leaving school. There are workshops -metal and wood-under the management of a fully qualified engineering master. Preparation is given for all the professions, for the Services, for commerce and industry, and for the Universities, to which there are valuable leaving exhibitions from the School.
The College has a remarkable health record. Epidemics are rare, and invariably mild ; and the Sanatorium is so frequently unoccupied as to be regarded principally as accommodation for visiting football or cricket teams from the mainland. Many boys from overseas, and boys of delicate constitution from different parts of the British Isles, joining the College, have made rapid advance towards robust health in the fine climate of the Island. The School is fortunate in being able to grow an ample supply of fresh vegetables and salads for the boys in residence, while milk and dairy produce is obtained from a "Grade A" farm on the College estate of 200 acres, which surrounds the College and its playing fields.
No wonder that many families have come to the Island to reside in order to enjoy the advantages of the health and education which are offered to their sons at King William's College at such comparatively low rates. The low income tax prevailing in the Island is, of course, a further incentive to such residence.
SCHOLARSHIPS AT KING WILLIAM'S COLLEGE The next examination will be held in May, 1940, when the following scholarships will be awarded :
Two open scholarships of £100 per annum ; one of £80 ; two of £60 ; two of ,£50 a year.
2. Two scholarships of £50 per annum, "restricted" to Manx boys or boys whose parents have resided in the Isle of Man for
five years.
3. Several open Minor scholarships of value from £20 to £4o a year. 4. Scholarships for Day Boys whose parents are residing
in the Isle of Man.
Candidates for the above scholarships should generally be between the ages of 12 and 14 on April 1, 1940.
5. There are endowments whereby boys between the ages of io and 12, who are of more than average ability, may be awarded pecuniary assistance to enable their parents to send them to the College. The boys must become boarders and their parents must reside in the Island.
LEAVING EXHIBITIONS
Exhibitions to the total value of £700 per annum are available for award to boys educated at King William's College and who are proceeding to the Universities.
Boys whose parents reside on the Island are entitled to certain reductions of fees.
Since 1936 a sum of over £50,000 has been spent in modernising the interior of King William's College and bringing its equipment up-todate. A visit to the College will readily establish the fact that the buildings and surroundings will bear comparison with any school in the country.
The Principal of King William's College is Mr. S. E. Wilson, formerly Major Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge, and the Secretary and Bursar is Major K. S. S. Henderson.
The outstanding feature of the Manx climate is its EQUABILITY. No place in Great Britain and Ireland has such a mild climate or presents so slight a difference between extreme winter and summer temperature. This is shown by the following table of:
GENERAL MEAN TEMPERATURES:
Degrees Degrees Degrees Degrees Fahr. Fahr. Fahr. Fahr. Mar. .. 42.3 June .. 55.1 Sep. .. 56.0 Dec... 42.9 Apl. .. 45.5 July .. 57.9 Oct. .. 50.8 Jan. .. 41.4
May .. 50.1 Aug. .. 58.5 Nov. .. 45.8 Feb. .. 41.7 Spring 46.0 ; Summer 57.2 ; Autumn 50.9 ; Winter 42.0 Annual mean 49.0 ; Extreme variation 17.1
taken in conjunction with extreme variations at the following representative places :
Degrees Degrees
Fahr. Fahr.
Rothesay .. 19.9 Brighton .. 23.5
Scarborough 21.0 Ventnor .. 20.9
Blackpool .. 21.4 Bournemouth 21.4
Llandudno . . 20.0 Ilfracombe .. 19.3
The reasons for the comparatively mild autumns and winters which the Isle of Man enjoys are (1) that it is completely surrounded by the sea and (2) that Isle of Man waters are somewhat warmer than those which surround the British Isles generally, due to the action of the Gulf Stream, from which the Island derives the maximum benefit.
As regards SUNSHINE, the Island gets more than the average amount. Meteorological records show that for the period 1921-1931, the annual average for Douglas was the highest in the North Western area, viz., 1,546.6 hours, as compared with 1,442.2 at Blackpool, 1,496.2 at Colwyn Bay, 1,497:2
at Southport, and 1,498.4 at Llandudno. The late A. W. Moore, M.A., F.R.M.S., in his treatise on the Manx climate, points out that the sunshine of the Isle of Man exceeds the general mean sunshine of the United Kingdom by 166 hours, and that of the 13 districts into which Great Britain and Ireland was divided for meteorological purposes the Isle of Man came third in respect of most sunshine, being exceeded only by the Channel Isles and England, S.W.
The mean monthly duration of sunshine is as follows:Hours Hours Hours Hours Jan. :. 40.2 Apl. .. 186.2 July .. 201.5 Oct. .. 105.1
Feb. .. 65.1 May .. 226.0 Aug. .. 176.0 Nov. .. 67.0
Mar. .. 118.5 June .. 217.0 Sep. .. 137.6 Dec. .. 48.4 Spring Summer Autumn Winter Year
Hours 530.7 .. 594.5 .. 309.7 1537 1,588.6 RAINFALL varies considerably in different parts of the Island. On the northern and southern plains the estimated mean is 28 to 34 inches ; Douglas, 44.5 ; Ramsey, 48.8 ; Peel, 40.2. It is important to remember the number of hours on which rain falls in each day ; and, in this connection, it can be confidently stated that the number of entirely rainy days is very small. Snow and hail occur very rarely, except on the hills, and thunderstorms are also uncommon.
The prevailing WINDS are from the west and south-west. Coming from the Atlantic, they are consequently mild, though damp. During the Spring they are at times easterly. It may be fairly stated that though winds are frequent they are not exceptionally strong. For the period 1929-1933 inclusive wind force was calm to moderate on an average of 315 days in each year.
In short, the Manx climate is equable and sunny, and though humid, distinctly invigorating ; its rainfall, though never excessive, varies considerably in different localities ; and it is exposed to winds which are for the most part mild and damp.
" My, heart is full as it can hold . . . . Of all her royal blue and gold
And laughing coves and bays,
Her crowded torn and winding streets,;
Her headlands and her white-sailed fleets." -DOROTHY FRANCES McCRAE
O lover of beauty who has seen Douglas could fail to have a heart full of affection for this most enchanting of seaside towns. As the much-travelled Sir Hall Caine said in his often-quoted, but ever stirring description of the approach to Douglas : " . . . I know of nothing so lovely as the Isle of Man when you approach it from the English side . . . . You will enjoy it if the island is nothing more to you than Kamschatka or Timbuctoo ; but if you happen to be a Manxman, and to be returning home after a long absence, you will like it so well that you will be in danger of not seeing it at all, your eyes will be so wet."
Douglas, like a fascinating kaleidoscope, gives a constant succession of colourful pictures which grow ever clearer and brighter as the traveller approaches. Seen from the sea, there is a great bay ringed with palest golden sands bounded by great cliffs, and backed by mountains which, dwarfing the houses, pile up and up to the grand old head of Snaefell, the highest peak on the Island. On landing, the dignity of the houses overlooking the bay is seen, and the extreme width of the great, two-mile long promenade, reaching away to Onchan Head; and there is the quaint contrast between the modern swiftly moving motor-buses, and the soothing jog-trot motion of the quaint horse-drawn trams which. are so beloved by every visitor and islander, that there is strenuous opposition to any hint of a proposal to banish the "Toast-Racks" from Douglas. On closer acquaintance, there is the charm of the promenade flower gardens, where all kinds of flowers and ferns grow in fragrant and colourful beauty within a stone's throw of the sea ; numerous excellent shops whose closing hours differ vastly from those on the mainland to the benefit of the holiday-maker ; a multiplicity of amusements and facilities for sports in delightful surroundings ; and, most surprising and attractive of all, it is soon realised that in spite of the enormous numbers of holidaymakers, beach and promenade are so spacious that they never get "black with people," as at so many popular resorts. There is always room and to spare on the front and in the gardens, and in many a quiet by-way and street in Douglas itself-always excepting the narrow and incredibly popular Strand Street, where those who love a crowd can jostle good-hurnouredly all day and half the night, enjoying the sight of masses of happy-hearted, smiling-faced, good-tempered people.
Less than a century ago, Douglas was a little fishing village, and it never forgets that it owes its development into a Borough through the advent of holiday-makers. The Corporation to-day is a wealthy one, owning all its public utility services, including the tram and motor-bus services, and it devotes itself whole-heartedly to the congenial task of improving and beautifying the town. It has been especially successful in designing and laying out delightful public gardens, and even extended the Loch Promenade a hundred feet seawards to make room for a mile of sunken gardens and sheltered alcoves. Many thousands of plants are raised every.year to provide a brilliant display of colour in the gardens. They converge on a central fountain, which is illuminated by night, when the whole of the promenade is brilliantly decorated with festoons of coloured lights.
Hilary Park and Noble's Park have been transformed with trees and flowers, and Woodbourne Square and Hutchinson Square have also been tastefully laid out as public gardens, whilst the charming Summer Hill Glen has been left in all its natural beauty of trees and winding paths, as a quiet retreat, although it is within two minutes' walk of the Queen's Promenade.
The visitor to Douglas finds himself and his wishes anticipated and deferred to as at no other resort, and the joyously happy, homely atmosphere of this truly friendly and democratic town ensures that the lonely holiday-maker is among friends from the moment of landing, and can have the "time of his-or her-life." It is a Manx characteristic to be hospitable and unassuming, and all visitors seem to develop these attractive qualities, and be ready to welcome and join up with each other with the slightest encouragement, although equally ready to respect the inclinations of those who prefer to remain aloof.
There is accommodation to suit all tastes and purses in Douglas. Tariffs, in fact, are very moderate, special reductions being made for visitors making a prolonged stay. The standard of accommodation is very high, most of the hotels and boarding houses being equipped in the most modern style.
Although Douglas is in the same latitude as the more northerly provinces of England, it has a brilliance of colouring and a mildness of climate usually associated with more southerly latitudes. The warmth and equability of the climate is reflected in the amazing number of out-door shows provided there. There is no shortage of entertainment, either indoor or outdoor. During the season, and on Sunday evenings concerts and cinema shows are a popular feature. There is often a crowd of 10,000 holiday-makers gathered with happy informality at the service on Douglas Head, and those at Kirk Braddan attract as many as 30,000 on fine Sundays.
Bathing is safe anywhere along the two-mile beach, at all states of the tide, and there are 'very popular bathing creeks among the rocks at Port Skillion, and at Port Jack. Indoor salt water swimming baths, private baths, and Russian and medicinal baths are also obtainable.
The boating is excellent, whether in rowing or sailing boats in the beautiful bay, and the fishing is equally outstanding-for did not Douglas once subsist entirely by its fisheries ? Fresh-water fishing in wellstocked streams is obtainable in the near neighbourhood, the fee for licences being merely nominal. There is a children's model yachting pool, 350 ft. long, on the Loch Promenade. The three 18-hole golf courses are so laid out that one or the other can be conveniently reached from any part of Douglas-the Douglas Head course on the south ; the Howstrake course at Onchan Head on the north, and Pulrose course on the west of the town. There are also many putting greens.
The sixty tennis courts (hard and grass) are also situated in convenient groups at different parts of the town.
The numerous bowling greens include a fine match green at the Villa Marina. Bowlers come from all parts of the Kingdom to take part in the competition on this Green every year for the Hundred Guineas Challenge Cup, which will be held this year during the second week in June.
Cricket matches between visitors are frequently arranged at Noble's Park, "the playing fields" of Douglas, where there are also recreation grounds, swings and other attractions for the children.
The famous Motor Cycle Tourist Trophy, Races will not be held this year owing to the war. Each race starts and finishes at the grandstand built by the Douglas Corporation in Glencrutchery Road (adjoining Noble's Park). The Manx Grand Prix Races, which are generally held in September, will also be suspended until conditions become normal.
Among the chief centres of indoor amusements are The Palace, the Villa Marina, and Derby Castle, each of which has beautiful gardens, a magnificent ball-room and a concert hall ; and the Palais-de-Danse. Ten thousand visitors can dance nightly in Douglas ; another eight thousand can be accommodated in the cinemas, and five thousand in the theatres and variety concert halls. The Crescent Pierrot Pavilion can seat 900 people. The Douglas Variety Shows are so up-to-date that the leading London music publishers frequently have their latest songs "tried out" here. Many a song hit has first been heard and hummed at Douglas, and among other famous variety artists familiar to Douglas audiences, the peerless Florrie Forde has been a "feature" of every summer season since 1914 and before.
Sunday Concerts are given at the Palace and Villa Marina, with celebrated soloists and conductors and programmes comparable with those of the Queen's Hall in London.
All the cinemas give continuous performances every week-day from 2.30 p.m., and throughout the season are open in the morning whenever the weather is wet.
There is a fine Public Library and Reading Room in the centre of the town and, in vivid contrast, a permanent fair ground on Onchan Head, with switchback, figure eight, river caves, games of skill and chance, fortune tellers, and "all the fun of the fair."
Behind all the gaiety of the holiday-makers' Douglas is another and more dignified Douglas centering round the House of Keys and the quiet pleasant streets of upper Douglas, quite remote from the holiday crowds, although within the same comparatively small town. The seat of Government was transferred from Castletown to Douglas in 1869, and the House of Keys is a modern building. It is open to the public, and the ancient statute books with their curious old laws can be seen in the original.
An essential part of this quiet background is the Manx Museum, the cultural centre where ancient Manx treasures are displayed in the most modern and attractive way, showing to perfection how the Manx combine - a respect and love for the past, with an exceedingly able and progressive character in the present day.
The Manx Museum is not a "dry-as-dust" affair, but a very real asset to the Island as a whole, and to Douglas in particular, and is so imaginatively and attractively arranged that it has as great an appeal for the most heedless seeker after amusement as for the student.
The latest development-the exact reconstruction of an old Manx two-roomed cottage-is especially fascinating. The cottage is complete with its furniture and household utensils. A pot hangs over a bright fire on the hearth, dried herbs hang from the rafters, and trim check curtains grace the windows; the dresser is loaded with old-fashioned china ; pots and pans and brooms are all in place in the kitchen-living room; and in the tiny bedroom is a bed with an old-fashioned quilt, a rocking cradle, framed mottoes, and a praying stool.
Scholars come from Scandinavia itself to see and study the splendid collection of drawings of old Manx stone crosses illustrating Scandinavian mythology, but these drawings have a charm for the less studious also, in the quaint humour of such pictures as that in which Sigurd is sucking his thumb after burning it ; the comic expression on the dragon's face as Sigurd determinedly tries to kill him; and other episodes in this fascinating "picture book."
A magnificent collection of birds is a reminder that the Island is a haunt of many rare species which are the delight of ornithologists, and there are also collections of paintings by Manx artists ; relics of T. E. Brown, the great Manx poet ; prehistoric and mediaeval remains, and models, maps, etchings, and paintings illustrating the Island's long and colourful history of over 4,000 years ; all of such absorbing interest that time flies by when visiting the Museum. There is also a very comprehensive library of books and MSS relating to Manx subjects.
The Island is not sufficiently large for any place to be very distant from another, but there is no doubt that Douglas is pre-eminent as a centre for exploring the remainder of the Island.
The most fleeting glance at the map will show that the three Manx railways start from Douglas, and the Road Services, and most of the Motor Coach companies make their headquarters in the town.
The Douglas Head Marine Drive Electric Tramway is the "railway" most intimately connected with Douglas. It runs for four miles along the coast, from Douglas Head to the amusement centre at Port Soderick, with a motor-road and footpath beside. The Drive is cut out from the cliffs about 150 feet above sea level, and gives a magnificent panorama of the coast and sea-shore.
The Manx Electric Railway runs northward from Douglas along the coast to Laxey and Ramsey, and has a branch line to the summit of Snaefell. It gives direct access to all the beautiful glens of the east coast of Mann.
The Isle of Man Railway and Road Service Motors link up Douglas with all the chief towns and villages of the Island.
Douglas is the headquarters of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, which maintains a daily boat service between Liverpool and Douglas. There is also a bi-weekly service between Dublin and Douglas. A double daily air service has been reinstated between Liverpool and Ronaldsway, near Castletown.
Visitors to Onchan find they have the best of two worlds-the quiet, intimate atmosphere of a village, and the gaieties of a big holiday town, for although Onchan is quite distinct from Douglas in situation and Local Government, it is so close ,+ that its western boundary is the charming Summer Hill Glen, which it shares with Douglas. Buses run half-hourly between Onchan and Douglas all through the year, and more frequently in the height of the season, conveying passengers from the village to and from the heart of Douglas in ten minutes. Special buses meet all steamers at Douglas pier. It is also possible to reach any part of Onchan quite quickly by taking a horse-drawn tram along the Douglas Promenade, and walking up Summer Hill, or one of the roads running inland from the Promenade.
Onchan is developing rapidly as a residential centre, and many new houses have sprung up in recent years, but it still retains its peaceful village atmosphere, except during the T.T. and Grand Prix Races. Then there is a succession of thrills as the competitors flash by, or have a spill at the awkward hairpin bend at Governor's Bridge, which is one of the "high-lights" of the route. There is also a permanent amusement park on Onchan Head, sufficiently apart from the residential centre to be out of sight and sound, yet within easy reach of those who feel inclined for its mirth-provoking side-shows and switchbacks. The large Concert Hall on Onchan Head alternates excellent variety shows with classical concerts, and there are also concerts in the open air on fine afternoons.
Green fields and woodlands are everywhere, for Onchan not only shares in Summer Hill Glen and its delightful natural woodlands running down to the seashore, but it has beautified the Port Jack Glen with shrubs, flower-gardens and lily pools, and well-sheltered seats in its sunnynooks. Groudle Glen is close to the northern boundary of Onchan, just beyond the fine i8-hole golf course of Howstrake, and Garwick Glen is only a little farther westward.
The championship golf course of Howstrake is supplemented by a nine-hole miniature course, and there is also a good bowling green, and hard and grass tennis courts. Port Jack Creek is a natural bathing place well sheltered by Onchan Head, and there is also bathing in Onchan Harbour, on the north of the Headland, and a fine open-air swimming pool in the grounds of the Majestic Hotel.
Onchan church dates in its present form from 1833, but it is of very ancient foundation, and has many interesting associations. The old whipping post can still be seen in the churchyard wall.
The Governor's Chapel adjoins the chancel, for Government House is in the Parish of Onchan, hidden away among the trees by Governor's Bridge, with its main gateway facing the entrance to Summer Hill Glen.
A free guide to Onchan may be had on application to the Clerk to the Commissioners, Dept. B, Onchan.
BRADDAN. Although Braddan is so close to Douglas that part of the town was once within the parish, it is an agricultural district, and includes the lonely mountainous region of Baldwin, where the beautiful trout streams of the East and West Baldwin rivers form two valleys, separated by the spur of Garraghan, with all the charm of woodland and hill scenery. The lake-like Douglas reservoir lies at the foot of Injebreck, in a setting of infinite beauty.
Old Kirk Braddan is a picturesque building dating from 1773, and incorporating portions of earlier churches on the site. It was founded in the. fifth or sixth century, and has several richly sculptured Scandinavian crosses. The new Kirk Braddan, close by, is a fine building dating from î88o. Among those buried in Old Braddan churchyard was Henry Hutchinson, the brother-in-law of Wordsworth, who composed the inscription on the headstone. The famous open-air services of Kirk Braddan were instituted in 1856, and now attract vast crowds, whose arrival is a fascinating sight. The services are remarkable for their simplicity and fervour.
Kirk Braddan can be reached from Douglas by a footpath through the beautiful grounds of the Nunnery. Very little remains of the once-powerful mediaeval Nunnery, but the mansion is the finest on the Island, and has many historical associations. The grounds are the setting for the Highland Games held normally during "Scotch Week." CROSBY is a pretty village which is becoming increasingly popular as a residential centre. It is on the main road between Douglas and Peel, and is within easy reach of Greeba Mountain and the modern castellated mansion, Greeba Castle, which was the home of the late Sir Hall Caine, and is still in the possession of his family. The ruined church of St. Trinian lies between Crosby and Greeba. A tree-shaded lane leads northwards from Crosby to the site of Keeill Vresshey, an early Celtic church with an ancient burial ground ; and the beautiful pastoral landscape of Braaid, known as "The Plains of Heaven," since John Martin painted his famous picture of that name, lies on the south-east. St. Patrick's Chair, an early place of Assembly, where two upright pillars marked with incised crosses are popularly thought to mark the spot on which St. Patrick first preached the gospel in this district; St. Runn's, the old parish church of Marown ; Ellerslie, the most up-to-date farm on the Island ; and delightful Glen Darragh, with its Stone Circle and miniature lake, are also within easy reach of Crosby.
GROUDLE GLEN can be reached by road or Electric Railway from Douglas. Westward of the railway a path beside the stream leads through quiet woods to Bibaloe Glen, with its splendid gorse, and the Clypse Reservoir. On the seaward side is Lhen Coan, the narrowest ravine on the Island, whose dark rocky walls are a mass of mosses, ferns and trees. A wooden bridge carries the path over the cascading stream. Nearer the coast the glen widens, and one of the smallest electric passenger railways in the world supplements the path down to the shore, running past a picturesque old water-mill and the dancing floor, refreshment kiosk, lily-ponds and sea lions' pool.
GARWICK GLEN. Between Lonan Old Church, hidden away among the trees on Clay Head, and Lonan New Church, set four hundred feet above Laxey Bay, is the entrance to Garwick Glen. This-popular east coast glen has beautiful cultivated gardens, a wishing stone, and a maze, and a genuine prehistoric fort. Among the ' caves on the seashore is "Dirk Hatteraick's Cave," which figures in Sir Walter Scott's novel, Guy Mannering.
PORT SODERICK, on the south of Douglas, can be reached by the Marine Drive Tramway, and by the road and footpath, cut out of the face of steep cliffs, one hundred and fifty feet above the sea. Port Soderick is the most highly "developed" glen on the Island, and caters solely for those who demand all kinds of amusement to add piquancy to natural beauty. There is even a Monkey House there ! Its enterprise is well rewarded by the complete happiness of the holiday crowds flocking there from Douglas, whilst for those who prefer natural beauty unadorned, there is the magnificence of the coastal scenery along the Marine Drive, and the lonely beauty of the cliffs and countryside beyond Port Soderick, in the secluded parish of Santon.
UNION MILLS, which has the prettiest station on the Isle of Man Railway, is a picturesque village on the main road between Douglas and Peel, at its junction with the Baldwin road. It is a centre for the legend-haunted valleys And mountains of East and West Baldwin, and for the pastoral district of Braaid.
Union Mills gained its name in the early 19th century, when the Cloth Mills were built and managed by the owner of the old Corn Mills, under the trade mark of The Flail and Fleece. Both mills still stand, although they are no longer used for their original purpose.
Laxey might well call itself the "Village of the Glens." Two of the most beautiful glens on the Island come down from the slopes of Snaefell to join within a mile of the coast and form a wide valley running down to the sea, as a setting for Laxey village. Both the Laxey River and Glen Roy are beloved of anglers, and both have tributary streams. Many beautiful ferns and flowers are to be found in Agneish Glen.
Laxey's Great Wheel, which figures in so many views of Laxey,was built in 1854 to keep the old Laxey Mines free of water. It has a platform 75 ft. above ground, which makes an admirable view-point for looking up the Glen to the slopes of Snaefell.
Apart from the Pleasure Gardens, Laxey's glens have been left in all their natural beauty.
It was on the neighbouring Sky Hill that Godred Crovan defeated the native Manx, and founded the Norse dynasty of Manx Kings, and from then onwards the history of Ramsey is full of incidents which rival in strangeness and vividness the folklore and fairy tales of the surrounding hills and valleys. The only building of antiquity in Ramsey to-day, however, is the old church of Ballure, which was built on the site of an ancient keeill and burial ground, so long ago that its dedication is uncertain. There are several interesting graves in the churchyard, including those of Martha and Elizabeth Fricker, whose sisters were the wives of three poets : Coleridge, Southey and Lovel. The picturesque Court House, where the Northern Deemster administers justice, dates about 1800, and outside is a fine war memorial designed by P. M. C. Kermode, who was a native of Ramsey, and is buried in Maughold churchyard.
Tribute has been paid to the charm of Ramsey by the late Sir Hall Caine, who represented the town in the House of Keys for seven years. An even more practical and striking tribute was that of the famous Manx poet, T. E. Brown, who chose to spend his retirement there. He was a great walker, and Ramsey is an especially delightful centre for long or short rambles. As the poet said in the notes on walks in the Island he wrote for a local guide book : "It will be evident . . . . that, though these- walks can be enjoyed by a person residing in Douglas, they are properly the possession of a tourist who settles down in Ramsey." It is, in fact, one of the special charms of Ramsey that it is never necessary to return by the same route, even on the shortest walk, and it is seldom necessary to follow a highroad for long.
The beautifully wooded hill of Lhergy Frissell, crowned by the Albert Tower in appreciative memory of the Prince Consort's delight in the view from the summit, has many good, gently-graded pathways. The walk round Claughbane, too, is charming, and can be continued to Hairpin Corner and Elfin Glen. Within a mile or so of the town is beautiful Glen Auldyn, which can be reached from the Lezayre road, or by a pathway through the fields at the back of Claughbane Farm, a return being made up the enchanting Fern Glen, with its waterfall, to the mountain road. The main road from the Hairpin Cornerpicturesque as are all the highways of the Island, and commanding enchanting views at every twist and turn of the three miles to Barrule, can be followed to Snaefell. Maughold Church, Head, and Lighthouse, are only three and a half miles away along quiet country roads ; and Lezayre Church and Sky Hill lie two and a half miles inland, on the way to the Curragh. Especially beautiful are the views from the Kirk Bride Hills, across the Point of Ayre with its brilliant heather and gorse and over the sea to the Scottish coast ; or inland across the green fields patterned with low hedges, to the splendid range of the Manx mountains.
A free guide to Ramsey may be had on application to the Secretary, Advertising Committee, Dept. B, Ramsey.
THE AYRE, ANDREAS, BRIDE AND JURBY. The great Northern Plain is about forty square miles in extent, and has a charm and individuality which would alone be sufficient to relieve it from monotony, and is further varied by the low ridge of the Bride Hills on the north, and the splendid mountain range of the Manx Highlands on the south. It is an ideal countryside for the cyclist, and no less attractive for the rambler, for it has very little motor traffic, great natural beauty, and a wealth of historic old churches and houses, rare bird and plant life, and unusual geological features.
The three parishes of the Northern plain are Bride on the north, Andreas on the south-east, and Jurby on the west. The point of Ayre is only twenty-one miles from the Mull of Galloway in Scotland, and is an interesting example of a raised beach formed in post-glacial times. There are extensive salt workings near the lighthouse.
The village of Bride, set on the Bride hills about three miles from the Point of Ayre, is clustered round a modern church of ancient foundation. The stone crosses found there are of the greatest interest. Among the natives of the parish were two men who fought on the Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, and Esther Nelson, daughter of a rector of Bride, who wrote "The Island Minstrelsy," a collection of poems illustrating the traditions and legends of the Island, which was praised by T. E. Brown.
The scattered village of Andreas is set in the centre of the plain, and is dominated by a church with a Lombardic campanile, which marks the site of an ancient church. Some very fine carved stone crosses are preserved there. Andreas has been connected with the Archdeaconry of Mann from time immemorial, and many legends and interesting personalities are associated with the parish. The low range of sandhills which crosses the north of the parish reaches its greatest height of 182 feet at Knock-y-dooney, on whose summit is a boat burial which forms an interesting parallel to the boat graves discovered at Gamla Uppsala in Sweden. In the south of the parish are the great earthworks of Ballachurry Fort and the neighbouring mansion of Ballachurry.
The parish of Jurby, with its rich pasture land and the historic mansion of Ballamooar ; its church rebuilt on an ancient site ; its fine cross slabs and its unique church plate, also has interesting historical associations. It includes the wild and lonely region of the Curragh, which covers about z,ooo acres, and was beloved by T. E. Brown for the beauty of its flowers, its bird life, and its fascinating atmosphere of loneliness and mystery. It was in the Curragh that Professor Forbes collected his first botanical specimens, and Sir Hall Caine spent much of his childhood there.
BALLAUGH, on the north-west coast, just south of the Curragh, has an interesting and picturesque old church a mile and a quarter west of the village and the new church.' Ballaugh is a splendid centre for rambles by unfrequented paths through Ballaugh Glen and Ravensdale to Slieau Dhoo and the valleys of Druidale and Tholt-y-Will, or along the coast and through the Curragh.
MAUGHOLD CHURCH is one of the most interesting on the Island. Its foundations, and part of the. walls, date from the 12th century, and it stands on the site of an ancient keeill and burial ground. Forty-four stone crosses are collected there, covering a period of about eight hundred years, from the earliest days of the Celtic and Scandinavian periods, to the 11 th century St. Maughold Cross. Among the many notable people buried in the churchyard are Sir Hall and Lady Caine, Sir Mark Çubbon, Captain Crow, and Edward and Jane Christian. Maughold Head rises 375 feet above the sea, and commands glorious views of the east coast. The lighthouse was built in 191¢. The little bay of Port Mooar, on the shore below, is a favourite haunt of picnic parties. The famous wishing well is on the north of the headland, and in the Maughold parish are the prehistoric monument of Cashtal yn Ard ; the Quaker Burial Ground ; the Ballafayle Cairn ; the picturesque Corna village and mill, and the beautiful glens of Ballaglass and Mona.
PORT LEWAIGUE, with its fine modern villas set in colourful gardens beside a good bathing beach sheltered by the headland of Gob ny Rona, is about a mile south of Ramsey, and is rapidly growing in favour as a residential district. Half-way between Port Lewaigue and Ramsey is the densely wooded Ballure Glen, in a deep ravine between Sheau Lewaigue and Frissell Hill. Near the Ballure Electric Railway station are the ruins of a cdttage said to be the original of Pete's "Cottage by the Watertrough," described in The Manxman.
SULBY village is one of the most scattered on the Island. There is a cluster of picturesque cottages and houses at the entrance to Sulby Glen; a group of newer houses at the cross-roads near Sulby Glen Station ; still more houses on the main road between Sulby Glen and Sulby Bridge Stations, and another group near Sulby Bridge. The Sulby river is the longest on the Island, and in the whole ten miles of its course offers some of the forest trout fishing in Mann. The Sulby valley extends to Druidale and the mountainous region round Crammaga lonely, legend-haunted district of wild and unspoiled natural beauty, and the whole valley has a rich variety of beauty which epitomises the scenery of all the other Manx glens in its waterfalls, the luxuriant trees and flowers of Tholt-y-Will, and the wild, heather-clad hills of the lower valley.
Near Sulby Bridge Station is the fen-like district of the Claddagh, and the curiously-shaped Cronk Sumark, or Primrose Hill.
PAST and present are happily blended in the delightful old city of Peel, which seems to fall naturally into three distinct areas-the narrow, tortuous streets of the fishing village, crowding closely round the harbour ; the historic ruins of the castle and U cathedral, effectively placed on the little island of St. Patrick, and linked to the mainland by a causeway; and the modern holiday quarter which climbs from the sea-shore to the summit of the cliffs.
Although the, time has long passed when it was possible to walk from one end of the harbour to the other along the decks of the tightly-packed fishing boats, Peel is still the headquarters of the Manx fishing fleet, and the traditional customs and fairylore of the fishermen are remembered as a living reality. The great days of the herring fleet were vividly described by Canon Quine in The Captain of the Parish, and by Sir Hall Caine in The Deemster. Local legends have been embodied in plays by Christopher Shimmin, a native of the town who represented Peel in the House of Keys, and whose widow was elected in his stead, after his death in 1933-the first woman member to be returned to the House of Keys.
Few places have had a history as long and notable as that associated with Peel Castle and Cathedral, and every period of Manx architecture is represented on St. Patrick's Isle. Edward Christian was imprisoned in the castle in the 17th century, but although one of the characters in Sir Walter Scott's Peveril of the Peak bears his name, there is no similarity between the fictional and the real Edward Christian. Similarly, although Fenella's Cave and Fenella's Tower are pointed out, she was entirely a creation of the novelist's imagination. Scott also referred to the legend of the Mauthe Dhoo, or Black Dog of the castle, in his Lay of the Last Minstrel.
Among the interesting buildings in the city of Peel itself is the 18thcentury church, houses built by the sea captains and slave traders of Peel in the same century; vast cellars and passageways surviving from the days of the smugglers, and schools which, although modern, are administered by the London Guild of Clothworkers under the will of Philip Christian, a native of Peel, who died in London in 1652, and whose memory is commemorated by a plaque on the house where he was born.
Peel has a soft, dry and bracing air and a high sunshine record, to which it adds the natural attraction of a lovely bay looking westward to the hills of Ireland, and sheltered by the grass-clad Peel Hill, and the great cliffs known as "The Brows," which effectually protect the town from cold winds.
Since Peel's development as a holiday resort, a promenade has been constructed along the sea-shore, commanding enchanting views of St. Patrick's Isle and its picturesque ruins, which are especially beautiful when silhouetted against the sunset skies for which Peel is famous. Although the bathing from the sandy beach is perfectly safe, and the clear water most enticing, a large open-air sea-water swimming pool has been built between two rocky headlands. The Marine Parade Sports Grounds have four hard tennis courts, a fine bowling green, and a putting green. A bowling green and nine-hole miniature golf course are situated on the headlands above. There are also five grass tennis courts at the 18-hole Golf course, which commands splendid views of the mountains, and has been chosen frequently- for the Manx Golf Championships. The most recent development is a new Park laid out on the Brows, with an entrance on the promenade.
Peel fully realises that a quiet tranquillity, in which to enjoy its combination of natural and man-made beauties, is its greatest attraction, and the town which has known centuries of stirring events is now one of the most peaceful, as it is one of the most beautiful places on the Island. A cinema and a ball-room are its only concessions to any craving for excitement, and healthy out-door sports, rambles along the magnificent cliff paths, or the quiet joys of sun-bathing on the sands and cliffs with, or without, a book from the local library, are the chief pursuits of its visitors.
Peel is a delightful centre for rambles along the coast. Northward is White Strand, a fine bathing beach where madrepores, comelians, agates and jaspers may be found among the pebbles; the Gob y Deigan Caves ; Glen Mooar ; the beautiful Spooyt Vane, one of the highest of the Manx waterfalls ; Glen Wyllin, a popular picnic resort with an amusement park for children, close to Michael village. South of Peel, a path from the harbour climbs Peel Hill, giving views of Peel, and of the central valley stretching eastward to Douglas, and continues along the cliffs to Glen Maye and Niarbyl.
A free guide to Peel may he had on application to the Secretary, Advertising Committee, Dept. B, Peel.
DALBY VILLAGE, which can be reached by bus from Peel, is close to the Niarbyl, a low headland stretching out to sea, which is a favourite picnic place, and a viewpoint for the magnificent cliffs of the south-west coast of Mann. The Mountain Road from Peel to the southern resorts of the Island runs through Dalby village, and over the shoulder of Dalby Mountain and South Barrule, giving wide views of heather covered hills and sea coast. The Dalby villagers had the right of burial in the ancient burial-ground of the Lag ny Keilly, a primitive chapel on the precipitous side of Cronk ny Irree Laa-the Hill of the Rising Sun.
FOXDALE. Upper Foxdale was once a great centre for lead-mining, but the mines were closed down in 1911, and the district remains in all its natural beauty. In the attractive village of Lower Foxdale is the Hamilton Waterfall. The road from Castletown to Ramsey runs through both Upper and Lower Foxdale, and south of Foxdale it skirts the plantation on the slopes of South Barrule, the highest mountain in the southern highlands. T.T. entrants practise for the race along the "Ballamodha Straight," where a road branches off to St. Mark's, which stands at the junction of several interesting roads.
GLEN HELEN. At the entrance to Glen Helen there is an amusement park with gardens and lawns, an aviary, dancing floor and tea gardens, and a boating lake with fountains playing, but beyond, the long glen winds so far into the mountains that it is easy to get out of sight and sound of the merry-makers. The wide glen is one of the most richly and beautifully wooded on the Island, and the Rhenas Falls, about a mile from the entrance, are in an enchanting setting of woods and rocks.
GLEN MAYE VILLAGE lies on the Mountain Road, five miles south of Peel, in a well-wooded valley. It is a favourite haunt of artists and trout-fishers, with lovely Glen Maye and its falls on the seawayd side, and Glen Mooar, which merges into Glen Rushen, running inland between South Barrule and Dalby Mountain to rejoin the winding Mountain Road. These heather clad easterly glens are among the loneliest on the Island.
Glen Maye can be reached by bus from Peel, but the cliff walk between Peel and Glen Maye is even more beautiful, and was so beloved by T. E. Brown that he provided the stiles at his own expense.
KIRK PATRICK is a small, attractive village about a mile and a half from Peel, clustering round a little church in whose graveyard are buried the aliens who died during their internment in the great camp of Knockaloe, on the hillside above. Over 25,000 aliens were interned in the Camp during the Great War, and the majority of them cherish happy memories of the Island. Knockaloe is now used by the Government as an experimental farm. The Woman of Knockaloe, and John Storm of The Christian, by Sir Hall Caine, are both associated with this district.
KIRK MICHAEL. The houses of Kirk Michael are strung out on either side of the main road between Peel and Ramsey. Delightful little tree-shaded lanes run down to the sandy shore, less than half a mile west, whilst no less attractive paths give access to the mountains which make such a splendid background for the village. Comparatively few visitors to the Island have discovered the charm of this remote village, but the Islanders themselves appreciate it as a sure refuge from the more lively holiday-making tourists. The original parish church of Kirk Michael dated from the 12th century, and its site is now occupied by a church completed in 1835. Twelve fine runic crosses are preserved there, and five of the Manx bishops, including the great Bishop Wilson, are buried in the churchyard.
A mile to the north of Kirk Michael is Bishopscourt, the home of the Bishops of Sodor and Mann. The diocese was founded in 1134, and Bishopscourt has been the official residence of the Bishops for at least 700 years. Its main feature is "Orry's Tower," which dates back to the 13th century, or even earlier. Relics of Bishop Wilson and other former owners are preserved at Bishopscourt, and in the grounds are the three trees planted by King George, Queen Mary, and the Princess Royal respectively on their visit to Bishopscourt in 1g2o.
ST. JOHN'S stands on the main road between Douglas and Peel, but it remains a small and delightful village, whose simplicity is in perfect keeping with the simple and dignified ceremony of Tynwald Day, when the annual open-air parliament is held on Tynwald Hill, on July 5th, after a service in the church of St. John's.
The church was built in 1847, and was especially designed to accommodate the Governor and members of the Legislature at the Tynwald ceremony. A turf road, 366 feet in length, separates the church from Tynwald Hill, and the Manx National War Memorial, designed by the late P. M. C. Kermode, stands close by.
St. John's is dominated on the south-west by the precipitous Slieau Whallian, down whose slopes witches were once rolled in spiked barrels. Sheau Whallian guards the entrance to the Foxdale Valley, and eastward is the Curraghglass, or "Grey Bog," which was once a lake. Just north of Ballacraine, which stands at the junction of the main road between Douglas and Peel and that from Castletown to Ramsey, is Ballig Bridge, one of the most famous points on the T.T. Course. The entrance to Glen Helen is close by.
Castletown is the most conservative of Manx towns, and is perfectly content to pursue the even tenor of its way without endeavouring to attract visitors. Such an outstanding showplace as Castle Rushen, which is the most perfectly preserved example of mediaeval military architecture in the British Isles, ensures that sightseers flock to the town daily in the season, and Castletown is too essentially Manx not to give them a friendly welcome, but it has never consciously tried to develop as a holiday resort. Its main streets and byways follow much the same course as in the olden days and its safe harbour, its cinema, dance-hall, hard and grass tennis courts, bowling green and golf course, have been provided for the benefit of residents rather than of visitors. It has a good, safe, sandy bathing beach and holds a regatta in the summer at which southside yachtsmen can easily muster sufficient boats to make a good display.
Nevertheless its unspoiled atmosphere of serene peace, and its lovable, unassuming charm, so typical of the Manx character, make a fit setting for the historic castle and attract discriminating visitors and permanent residents. New houses are being built on the outskirts of the town, commanding views across the peninsula of Langness ; and a new by-pass has been constructed to carry heavy traffic. Castle Rushen originated in the loth century as a fortress of the Norse Kings of Mann, and was reconstructed in its present form during the 14th century. In plan it has a central keep and a ring of high curtain wall, from which the harbour tovyer stands out, commanding a barbican entrance on the seaward side. Castletown was originally the capital of the Island, and the fortress was for centuries the home of the Kings and Lords of Mann. The earliest known mention of the castle is in the Chronicon Manniae, under the date 1265, when Magnus, the last Norse King of Mann, and the Isles, died there.
Innumerable queer traditions and legends of giants and fairies are associated with the castle, and among the stirring events in its long history of sieges is its capture by Robert Bruce in 1313, and its resolute defence by the Countess of Derby against the Parliamentary forces in 1651. During the 18th century the castle was used as a prison for political prisoners and reformers, including Bishop Wilson, greatest and noblest of Manx Bishops. Many relics of the great days of the town and castle are preserved in the Royal Chamber. The big clock, whose works nearly fill the ancient oratory of the castle, although traditionally a gift of Queen Elizabeth, is probably of 18th century workmanship.
The parish church of Castletown is of ancient foundation, but dates in its present form from 1826. Among its plate is a pair of candlesticks given by Margaret Quilliam, wife of the Manx hero, Captain Quilliam, who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar, and lived at Ballakaighen, near Castletown, on his retirement. The curious monument standing in the market place was set up in 1832 to the memory of Lieutenant-Governor Smelt, and is known appropriately as "The Castletown Candlestick." The 18th century House of Keys is now a Bank. Lorne House, the home of several of the later Governors of the Island prior to the transference of the seat of Government to Douglas in 1869, is on the opposite side of the mouth of Silverburn River, which forms the harbour of Castletown, and is now a guest house for holiday-makers.
One of the charms of Castletown is the curious configuration of the coastline of Castletown Bay and its neighbour, Derbyhaven, with the rocks of Scarlet Point on the west, and the low-lying shore sweeping past King William's College to the queerly shaped peninsula of Langness.
The huge basaltic Stack of Scarlet rises fifty feet above Stack Point, and the winding paths to the Stack make a pleasant short walk from the town. T. E. Brown wrote an exquisite sonnet on "Scarlett Rocks."
Hango Hill, where the popular hero "Illiam Dhone" was put to death through the enmity of the Countess of Derby, after the Restoration, is on the shores of Castletown Bay. Some of the most popular of Manx' ballads embody the story of "Brown-haired William."
The Castletown Golf Links, 18 holes, are laid out on the sandy neck on land between Castletown Bay and Derby Haven, and are close to King William's College and Ronaldsway airport, and ten minutes from the station. They cover part of the site of the old racecourse where the Derby was first run in 1627. Beyond stretches the headland of Langness, whose cliffs rarely exceed thirty feet in height, but have such curious formations that they are interesting both to geologists, and to imaginative holiday-makers, who find amusement in tracing strange resemblances in the distorted rocks. Just off Langness Point is the little St. Michael's Isle, with the picturesque ruins of a chapel dating from the late 12th or early 13th century.
Castletown is the chief educational centre of the Island, with the Buchan School for Girls, and the famous King William's College, whose central tower dominates the countryside for miles around.
Like all Manx towns, Castletown has some delightful walks in its neighbourhood. There is a small public park laid out on the banks of the Silverburn River, and a footpath follows the course of the stream inland to the village of Ballasalla and Rushen Abbey. There is also a beautiful cliff walk from Derby Haven to Santon Gorge and Port Grenaugh, as well as one round Scarlett to the Port St. Mary Shore Road. Colby Glen and Silverdale, two beauty spots, are not far away.
A free guide to Castletown may be had on application to the Town Clerk, Dept. B, Town Offices, Castletown.
However much the decline of the fishing industry is to be regretted, visitors cannot but rejoice that the disappearance of the herring drifters caused Port St. Mary to develop as a holiday centre. Built round two beautiful sandy bays-Port St. Mary Bay and Chapel Bay-on the shores of the great Bay ny Carrickey, Port St. Mary has a well-sheltered harbour which appeals to the yachtsman of to-day as strongly as to the fishermen of other years. It cherishes the picturesqueness of the old fishing town around the harbour, and carefully preserves the tranquil charm which is its, greatest asset.
A sea-wall has been built against coast erosion, but everything possible has been done to ensure its unobtrusiveness, and a picturesque old lime-kiln on the shore has been cleverly adapted as a shelter, with seats commanding fine sea-scapes. A model yachting pool, a hundred yards long, has been constructed ; also a nine-hole golf course designed by George Duncan ; two miniature putting greens ; hard and grass tennis courts ; and a full size crown bowling green.
The sea-bathing in Chapel Bay is as delightful as it is safe-and Port St. Mary claims it is the safest bathing beach on the Island. There is also a splendid modern sea-water bathing pool in the neighbouring Perwick Bay. The boating and sea fishing are also excellent, and thte trout streams of Colby, Santon Burn, and Silverburn are within a few miles of the town.
Dances and concerts are given all the year round in a large Town Hall, and the up-to-date hotels and boarding-houses cater for their guests so admirably that visitors return again and again.
Among more recent developments at Port St. Mary is the provision of turf paths through the riot of gorse on Gansey Headland, and seats commanding views of the Bay ny Carricky and the great Carrick Rock
Although open to fresh sea breezes, Port St. Mary is sheltered by the Mull Peninsula, and its southerly aspect gives it a delightfully mild and equable climate. The great chain of mountains extending across the island on the north not only protects Port St. Mary against cold north winds, but is a magnificent background for the sunny, low-lying country-side of the south of Nlarm.
Port St. Mary is especially popular for boating excursions to the Chasms, Calf of Man and Chickens Rock, and the caves and headlands of the Mull Peninsula. Delightful cliff and field paths also follow the coast round Spanish Head with its views of the Calf, and climb the slopes of the Mull Peninsula to Cregneish, the oldest of all Manx villages, which is a stronghold of Manx traditions. It is the praiseworthy ambition of the Manx Museum to form a group of genuine and characteristic cottages, furnished in the traditional Manx style, to show how the crofters, fishermen and weavers used to live. "Harry Kelly's Cottage" at Cregneish was given to the Museum and opened to the public last year, as an example of a fisherman's home. It attracted thousands of visitors, who were charmed with its picturesqueness and its friendly atmosphere, which gives the impression that the owner has just "stepped out" for a moment, and will soon be back to give a warm welcome to his visitors.
A second cottage has been acquired and will be open this summer, complete with hand looms, as an example of a weaver's home, and it is hoped to acquire one or two other of the charming thatched cottages close by, to form a little "settlement" on the lines of a Scandinavian open-air Museum.
In close proximity to Cregneish is the great Mull Circle, a prehistoric burial place of the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age, which is unique in its combination of the circle form with six pairs of cists. Below the circle are groups of but foundations and other relics of prehistoric times, which give reason to believe that Cregneish has been continuously inhabited since Neolithic days, and that the villagers are descended from a pre-Celtic race. They are bi-lingual, speaking Manx and English.
The village of Glen Chass and the valley with its flaming gorse ; the curious natural feature of the Chasms ; the picturesque 17th century Rushen church, which lies inland, and serves as the parish church of Port St. Mary and Port Erin ; the shore road to Castletown by way of Poyll Vaaish and Scarlet Point, and many another pleasant ramble, can be taken from Port St. Mary.
It is not mere chance that Mr. William Hoggatt, R.I., whose paintings of Manx scenery are known far and wide, has settled at Port Erin, or that the prize of the "Kodak" £4,000 World Competition of 1931, and of other photographic competitions, have been gained with snapshots taken there, for Port Erin's outstanding natural beauty, the brilliance of its colouring, and the extreme clarity of its atmosphere, yield ideal subjects for artists and photographers.
Port Erin, unlike all the other Manx resorts, is built on the top of high cliffs overlooking the bay, which is practically rectangular in shape and about half a mile wide. The beach with its beautiful clean and safe sands is well sheltered by great Bradda Head on the north, and by the Castle Rocks and the Mull Peninsula on the south, but is open to tonic sea-breezes from the west. A deep and narrow, sheltered valley, running inland from the sea-shore, has recently been transformed into a public park with flower beds, and ornamental lily pond, and sheltered seats, to afford a warm and sunny retreat when the west winds blow. Fascinating rock pools and caves are to be found at the foot of Bradda Head, and sheltered nooks to serve as "dressing rooms" for an informal dip. Bathing tents on the beach and in Spaldrick Bay cater for the more conventional, and, although Port Erin has only a small population, it also has one of the largest open-air sea-water baths in the British Isles.
The facilities for golf are on an equally lavish scale, with two magnificently placed and sportingly planned x8-hole golf courses, a miniature course, and a putting green. There are also hard and grass tennis courts.
Boating is delightful in the beautiful bay, and there are over a hundred rowing boats for hire, and safe anchorage for yachts. Deep-sea longline fishing and coast fishing are alike excellent, and the trout streams of Santon Burn, Colby River and Silver burn are within a few miles.
The presence of the Marine Biological Station and Aquarium at Port Erin is an indication of the excellence of the sea-fishing, and an attraction in itself. Many thousands of people visit the Fish Hatchery every year, and are fascinated by the sight of plaice and lobsters hatched at the Station. Oyster culture is also successfully carried on there. The work done is of the greatest scientific importance, and has attracted students from all parts of the world, ever since the foundation of the Station at the beginning of the century. The aquarium with its specimens of local fish, shells and seaweeds, and the museum with its models of trawlers, are also of great interest.
Informal dances, varied by occasional balls, are given in the ballrooms of Port Erin's luxurious hotels and boarding houses, which are amongst the finest in the Island. There is a cinema and a variety show, but the town is essentially a quiet family resort devoted to healthful open-air sports, and seemingly far removed from the gaieties of Douglas, although the capital is less than an hour away by road or rail.
Port Erin is especially fortunate in its many delightful cliff and field paths over Bradda Head and the Mull Peninsula, which can be reached directly from the town without using the main road. The two mile walk from the sea-front round Bradda Head can be continued to Fleshwick Bay, which is reached through a glen as steep and narrow as any Devon lane, and is an ideal place for picnics. Beyond Fleshwick the cliffs increase in height and grandeur until they reach Cronk ny Irree Laa, which has a sheer drop of a thousand feet to the sea.
The enchanting Sloc Road from Port Erin to Peel runs over the shoulder of Cronk ny Irree Laa and Dalby Mountain, and gives a superb panorama of the whole of the south of the Island, yet it is one of the most deserted of Manx roads, even in the height of the season.
South of Port Erin, cliff and field paths give access to the remote and old-world village of Cregneish, and to the famous Mull Circle, a prehistoric burial place. Below the circle are groups of but foundations and other relics of prehistoric times. There is a path along the cliffs of the peninsula, round Spanish Head and the Chasms, which gives fine views of the Calf of Man. The Calf has recently been given to the National Trust, and will be preserved as a bird sanctuary.
BALLABEG, which has a station on the Isle of Man Railway, must not be confused with the Ballabeg on the Electric Railway near Lonan.
The southern Ballabeg is a small village, two miles north of Castletown, and is chiefly notable for the slight remains of the 14th century Friary of Bemaken, and the 18th century parish church of Kirk Arbory. BALLASALLA AND RUSHEN ABBEY. Ballasalla is the largest village on the Island, but retains its friendly charm. Visitors flock to the tea gardens and pleasure grounds of Silverdale, where the Silverburn river flows under the picturesque 12th century Monk's Bridge. Strawberry and cream teas, with fruit freshly gathered from the neighbouring strawberry beds, are served in the shelter of the ruins of Rushen Abbey.
Rushen Abbey is frequently confused with Rushen Church, about six miles to the west, and sometimes with Rushen Castle, which lies about 21 miles to the south, in Castletown. The well-preserved ruins of the Abbey stand on the site of an old Celtic monastery, and many lintel-graves have been found there. The present building is said to have been founded by King Magnus in 1098, and among the surviving remains are the Guest House, the Pigeon Tower, the Sacristy, the impressive Church Tower, the West Tower, and the foundation of the Fratery, Chapter House, East Cloister Walk, and North Transeptal Chapel. It was at Rushen Abbey that the Chronicon Manniae, the chief source of information on the early history of the Island, was written. A number of early Kings and bishops of Mann were buried there, and many interesting relics are preserved in the Abbey Museum, including a small bronze figure of Osiris, found in one of the tombs. It is believed to have been brought back from Egypt by a Crusader. There is excellent trout fishing in the Silverburn river, and charming walks down stream to Castletown, or upstream along the Abbot's Walk, through natural woods.
COLBY. The village of Colby is close by the entrance to the secluded Colby Glen, where the little Colby river tumbles over huge boulders on its way from a common ablaze with gorse to the woodlands near the village. The river incidentally provides good trout fishing for anglers.
DERBYHAVEN is a sunny, breezy little place on the shores of the large natural harbour of Derby Haven. It has been a haunt of golfers since the opening of the Castletown Golf Links, and is now becoming increasingly well-known through the Air Port of Ronaldsway. Although so small, Derbyhaven has seen much history, for it has been the landing place of more than one raiding party. The old farmhouse of Ronaldsway was the ancestral home of William Christian, the Manx hero who was shot on the neighbouring Hango Hill in 1663.
Many interesting early Christian graves were discovered during the levelling of the landing ground of the airport, which is one of the busiest in the British Isles.
Derby Fort, built by the seventh Earl of Derby in 1645, and the remains of a 12th-century chapel are to be seen on the little St. Michael's Isle, which is linked to Langness by a short causeway, and forms the southern horn of Derbyhaven. The curious contorted cliffs of Langness, and its grassy slopes, are a favourite haunt for picnic parties, and there is boating, bathing and fishing in the bay.
KIRK MALEW is a typical Manx church of white-washed walls and black slate roof. Several famous Manxmen and women have been associated with the church, or have been buried in the churchyard, including William Christian, the "Illiam Dhone" of Manx ballads. The parish is rich in the remains of ancient keeills and tumuli.
KIRK RUSHEN, which serves both Port Erin and Port St. Mary, is another typical 18th century Manx church. The Rev. William Corrin, who was Vicar of Rushen for thirty-four years, was the prototype of Parzon Gale in T. E. Brown's poem "Betsy Lee."
SANTON, one of the most secluded parishes on the Island, has many prehistoric stone circles and tumuli, and interesting antiquities in the church and neighbourhood. The 18th-century church is close to the charming little Grenaugh Valley. There is a beautiful cliff walk from Derbyhaven to Port Soderick, the terminus of the Marine Drive Electric Tramway from Douglas, with especially fine cliff scenery at Cass-na-Hawin ; Santon Head ; and Port Soldrick, a little creek with water-worn caves in its cliffs.
MN Isle of Man Waters excellent sea fishing is to be had. Rowing boats and gear may be hired at most places round the coast. Whiting, gurnard, plaice, mackerel, cod, conger-eel, ray, fluke, skate, bream, and many other kinds of fish abound. Good sport is obtainable by joining the yachting expeditions which leave the bays daily for the fishing banks. A number of piers and breakwaters are also available for angling purposes. From the Fish Hatchery at Port Erin, large numbers of fish are liberated in Manx waters every year, thus ensuring a good supply, and earning for the Isle of Man a high reputation as a centre for a sea-fishing holiday.
By the late Sir G. F. CLUCAS, M.A., C.B.E.,
Speaker of the House of Keys.
IT was an ancient custom of the Norsemen to select certain central places whither the people were summoned for legislative or judicial purposes, and such a place was called Thing- Vollr, or "Parliament Field." It was, therefore, natural that the Norsemen, when in the tenth century they invaded the Northern and Southern Hebrides and reached as far south as the Isle of Man, should choose certain spots for the assemblies to which they were accustomed.
In the Isle of Man the place so chosen is situate in the centre of the Island at a small hamlet which is called St. John's because the Tynwald ceremony was, prior to the alteration of the Calendar, held on the feast of St. John the Baptist.
The ceremony is now held on 5th July, and it is an interesting fact that, while similar ceremonies in the Hebrides, and even in Norway itself, have long ceased to exist, the ancient ceremony has continued to the present day, practically unaltered and without intermission at that place which is the most remote from Norway.
The earliest record of proceedings at Tynwald is in 1422, and the earliest extant reference to the place is in The Chronicles of Man and the Isles, written by the monks of Rushen Abbey, in the Isle of Man, between 1000 and 1375.
The essential features of the present-day ceremony are as follows The Lieutenant-Governor of the Island, with the members of the Legislature, viz., the Legislative Council and the House of Keys (twenty-four in number), the clergy and officials, attend a service in St. John's Chapel, after which they walk in procession to Tynwald Hill. This hill (Cronky-Keeill-Eoin) is about twelve feet high, and is traditionally supposed to have been formed with soil brought from each of the seventeen parishes of the Island. It is built into four circular terraces, with a flight of steps cut in the turf on the eastern side. These steps, and the porchways of the Church, are strewn with rushes cut from a farm in the vicinity.
When the Lieutenant-Governor has taken his place on the hill, facing east, with the Sword of State pointing upwards before him, and with the Legislature, clergy and officials around him, the senior coroner "fences" the Court, and he and his five colleagues deliver up their wands of office, which are afterwards received by their successors in office.
The promulgation ceremony consists in the reading in Manx, by some person appointed by the Governor, and in English by the First Deemster, of abstracts of the Acts passed during the preceding legislative session. Subsequently, in the Chapel, these Acts are signed by the LieutenantGovernor and the Speaker of the House of Keys.
The Sword of State borne before the Governor is that which was borne before Sir John Stanley, Lord of Man, in 1422, and is believed to date from the 12th or 13th century.
The ceremony is of intense interest, because it has survived, in all its simplicity, long after the pomp and ceremony of great empires have passed away.
THE Isle of Man possesses nine golf courses, all of a good sporting nature, and eight are full sized. They are all easily accessible from the towns, and a most enjoyable holiday can be spent making a tour of them, the comparative absence of artificial hazards being more than compensated for by the nature of the ground which presents a series of interesting problems. Sunday play is permitted, and frequent competitions are arranged for visitors. The fees are as follows :
FORT ANNE, DOUGLAS; Day, 2/6; Round, 1/6; Week, 10/6 ; Month, £1.
MUNICIPAL LINKS, PULROSE: Day, 2/6; Round, 2/- (1/6 after 5 p.m.) ; Week, 7/6
; Month, 21/-.
HOWSTRAKE, ONCHAN ; Day, 2/6 (1/6 after 4 p.m.) ; Week, 10/6 ; Month, ,£1.
CASTLETOWN : Day, 2/6 ; Round, 2/-, after 4 p.m.; Week, 12,/6 ; Month, 21/-.
PEEL (Ladies and Gentlemen) : Day, 2/- and 2 6 ; Week, 8/- and 10/- ; Month,
21/- and 25/-.
RAMSEY (Ladies and Gentlemen) : Day, 3/- ; Week, 12/6 ; Fortnight, 17/6 and
22/6; Month, 25/- and 30/-.
BRADDA, PORT ERIN: Day, 2/6; Week, 8/6; Month, 20/-.
ROWANY,PORT ERIN : Day, 2/6 ; Week, 1o/- ; Month, 21/-.
PORT ST. MARY: Day, 2/6 (1/6 after 4 p.m.) ; Week, io/- ; 2 weeks, 15/- ; 3
weeks, 17/6 ; 4 weeks, 20/- ; Season, £1 10 0.
THE steady increase in the number of fishing licences issued yearly by the Isle of Man Fisheries Board clearly indicates that trout fishing is a very popular attraction to the Isle of Man. The Island is well supplied with rivers and streams, most of which are accessible and free to anglers, and are stocked with brown trout. The Fisheries Board cannot give the right to any angler to go upon any land for the purpose of fishing, but, in the main, Manx landowners are of a sporting disposition and rarely refuse to allow anglers to pursue their pleasure, provided that they respect the privilege accorded. to them and do not neglect to close gates, etc., when passing along the banks. The Fisheries Board has devoted its attention to the re-stocking of the rivers by rearing trout in a hatchery in the Island. This method has proved successful and considerable numbers have been released.
Salmon and sea trout are plentiful in the larger rivers from mid-August and give excellent sport.
Licences to fish for salmon and trout can be obtained for the following fees :-Day, 2/6 ; Week, 3/6 ; Fortnight, 5/- ; Month, 7/6 ; and Season, 22/6. The seasons are :-For salmon : from 10th February to 10th November ; and for trout from 10th March to 29th September.
An illustrated booklet entitled "Fishing in and around the Isle of Man" can be obtained upon application to the Secretary, The Fisheries Board, 14 Athol Street, Douglas, Isle of Man. By post, one half-penny.
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS
RATES.-In the towns, the total rates on houses vary from 7/10½ to 11/9½. In the five larger villages they vary from 6/10½ to 9/7½; and in the country parishes from 3/6 to 5/4. Agricultural land and buildings are subject approximately to one-quarter of these rates, and to a 4d. highway rate instead of 10d. In addition to the above rates, three drainage districts pay a special drainage rate of 2/-. The rates levied in the towns for the year 1938-39 are as follows :-Douglas, 10/9½ ; Ramsey, 11/9½ ; Peel, 7/ 10½; Castletown, 8/4½. Some of the Village District rates are:Port St. Mary, 8/4½; Port Erin, 7/10½ ; Onchan, 7/11 ; Laxey, 9/7½ ; and Michael, 6/1½. Generally speaking, house property is valued on a lower basis than in England.
LANTERN SLIDES AND FILMS.-Sets of Lantern Slides depicting the beauty spots and places of historic interest, together with descriptive readings, are loaned to Secretaries of Societies free of charge. A general interest film entitled "The Happy Isle" is available in 9.5 mm.
LICENSING OF MOTOR CARS AND MOTOR CYCLES.Motoring visitors are entitled to exemption certificate for four months on payment of registration fee of 20/-. For a motor cycle the fee is 5/-
A driver's licence costs 2/-. Reduced fees of 5/- for a car and 2/6 for a motor cycle apply for three weeks prior to closing of roads for motor racing. For one week prior to races, an inspector on Douglas Pier arranges registration of motor vehicles ; or this formality may if desired be completed before arrival, in which case application should be made to the Highway Board, Athol Street, Douglas, for exemption form. All motor vehicles must be registered with the Highway Board within 24 hours of arrival, and the Certificate of Insurance and current licence produced for inspection. International Certificates are accepted and permits are granted thereunder.
GUIDES (Tourist).-Douglas, Peel, Ramsey, Port Erin, Port St. Mary, Castletown, Onchan, and Laxey issue Guides dealing with those districts. Application should be made to the respective Town Clerks. Isle of Man Steam Packet Company's Guide, containing particulars of sailing arrangements, obtainable at the Company's head office in Douglas (post free 2½d.), or from Tourist Agents. Other publications include The Isle of Man, by Wm. Radcliffe (Methuen) ; Brown's, Ward Lock's, John Heywood's, Abel Heywood's ; also In Praise of Manxland, by Maxwell Fraser (Methuen) ; Annals of the Magic Isle (C. Palmer, 10/6), by W. R. Hall Caine; Saints and Sites in Mann, McNeil (S.P.C.K., 6d.) ; obtainable through any stationer. (General), Isle of Man Examiner Annual, published by Messrs. S. K. Broadbent and Co., Ltd., Douglas ; N.M.P. Year Book, Visitors' Enquire Within (each, post free, 6d.) ; Douglas Weekly Diary of Coming Events (post free 1½d.),published by the Norris Modern Press, Douglas. These contain statistical and other information relating to Manx Government affairs, including rates, taxes, etc.
NEWSPAPERS.-Published in Douglas: Isle of Man Daily Times (2d.) ; Isle of Man Weekly Times (Saturday, 2d.) ; Isle of Man Examiner (Friday, 1½d.) ; Mona's Herald (Wednesday, 2d.). Published in Ramsey: Ramsey Courier (Tuesday 1d. ; Friday, 1½d.). Published in Peel : Peel City Guardian (Friday, 1d.).
MAPS.-Brown's Cyclist Map and Street Plan of Douglas (4d.). Ordnance Survey, one inch, 2/6 cloth, 1/9 paper. Obtainable through any stationer.
ACCOMMODATION.-An Official List of Accommodation, containing over1,000 addresses, will be sent post free on application.
OFFICIAL INFORMATION BUREAU.-Situated on the Victoria Landing Pier, this inquiry office is for the free use of visitors. It deals with personal inquiries regarding travelling facilities and the Island generally, and renders assistance in finding vacant accommodation during the busy period. The Bureau does not reserve accommodation, and it is recommended that, whenever possible, rooms be engaged before arrival. Postal inquiries should be directed to the Publicity Board.
RECOMMENDATIONS.-While every care is taken to ensure accuracy, recommendation of individual hotels or houses is not implied by the insertion of the various notices, nor can the Isle if Man Publicity Board accept any responsibility on account of such notices.
ISSUED BY AUTHORITY of the Isle of Man Publicity Board, a Manx Government Department, established in 1894 with the object of making known the advantages of the Isle of Man as a Health and Pleasure Resort. The members of the Board for the ensuing year are :
(APPOINTED BY THE TYNWALD COURT) (APPOINTED BY LOCALAUTHORITIES).
Mr. J. D. Qualtrough, J. P., Mr. Councillor E. H. Faragher,
Speaker of the House of Keys Douglas.
(Chairman). Mr. T. J. Reubens, T.C. Mr. S. Norris, M.H.K. (Vice Chairman). Mr. J. C. Qualtrough, T.C.
Mr. Councillor A. J. Teare, J.P., Mr. A. E. Ostick, T.C.
M.H.K. Mr. R. L. Stott, T.C.
Mr. W. H. Alcock, M.H.K. Mr. J. Keggin, C.T.C.
Mr. W. A. Kelly, J.P., M.H.K. Mr. F. Maddrell, T.C. Mr. Councillor W. C. Craine,
M.H.K.
Mr. T. Callow, M.H.K., J.P.
Further copies of this handbook may be obtained from the offices of the Isle of Man Publicity Board.
HeadOffice- 1 and 2 ISLE OF MAN BANK CHAMBERS, DOUGLAS Telegrams : "Publicity Board, Douglas." Telephone : Douglas 86. W. A. CLAGUE, Secretary.
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