November was an interesting time with a visit to Norway and a cruise around the coastline going far north to the Arctic Circle and beyond.
The visit made me more aware of the difficulties the people of Norway experience with day to day living and how much the people rely on the ferries and boats for […]
How important was the rise in Monastic Power in the Kingdom of the Isles from 1134 – 1405 in the Isle of Man
During the twelfth century, there was a decline, if not the total end, of the church’s links with Ireland and the rise of new orders, which placed the whole of the western […]
The Isle of Man is full of mystery and mythology and past civilisations, and this past weekend brought some of those to mind as we celebrated Old Midsummers Eve in St John’s. This was a time chosen for celebration of pagan rituals in ancient times and our island very cleverly used this day for the official closing of our parliament […]
That the miller may make his corn …….
I know that the old nursery rhyme relates to the Windmill but this is about the water powered mill.
There is nothing more romantic than the image of living on a stream or river in an old converted mill, but in recent years there been a lot more interest […]
And so the walls that divided all the estates and changed Douglas, eventually disappeared but not without a certain amount of controversy.
The lands around Douglas were mainly farmlands and the sections that were the orignal farmlands were known as quarterlands. Eventually when the town of Douglas started to spread, the lands were sold off as […]
This weekend was the annual Isle of Man Food Festival, held in the grounds of the Villa Marina and showcased some of the best of Manx produce, together with hourly demonstrations using local produce and local talent. This year’s guest chefs were Henry and Albert Baker (the Fabulous Baker boys) who had everyone laughing at their antics. Henry […]
“When the summer day is over, and the busy bee has flown”
What an appropriate line from our most famous song Ellen Vannin which some people think that this is the Manx National Anthem. The weather has changed, summer has gone and the bees are harvesting the last of my lavender. The skies are darkening […]