A non stop photographic journey around the beautiful Isle of Man by Peter Killey
Some abandoned and once loved old farmsteads on the Isle of Man.
A beautiful old Manx Tholtan called Upper Grange, which is high up on the Narradale track above Sulby. Feel free to make any comments either on this website by clicking the “Write comment” below or by logging onto my Facebook Page enjoy – Click on the image for a larger view.
A Sunday walk into Sulby Glen. Feel free to make any comments either on this website by clicking the “Write comment” below or by logging onto my Facebook Page enjoy – Click on the images for a larger view
A lovely walk up to this beautiful once loved home which is just above Lhergydhoo between the Staarvey Road and Knocksharry on the Peel to Kirk Michael Coast Road. Talking to a nearby farmer about this old house, he can remember this property being occupied circa 1945 by a man named Killey who had the nickname of ‘Killey the Gull’. This Tholtan captures stunning and uninterupted views looking, North, South and to the West of the Island. Feel free to make any comments either on this website by clicking the “Write comment” below or by logging onto my Facebook Page enjoy – Click on the images for a larger view.
A lovely walk today to another beautiful old Manx Tholtan, this particular Tholtan is called Croit and is on the sloapes between Druidale and Sulby Reservoir. Makes you appreciate just how lucky we are to have such a wonderful countryside on our Island. Feel free to make any comments either on this website by clicking the “Write comment” below or by logging onto my Facebook Page enjoy – Click on the image for a larger view.
This small group of tholtans are situated deep in the trees in the heart of Tholt y Will Plantation, Craigmooar means Great Rock or Crag. Craigmooar belongs to a small group of nearby hill farms (now tholtans) namely Killabrega, Sherragh Vane and Bulrhenny. It is believed that Craigmooar was about 80 acres in total and apparently In 1874, there was a woman and her daughter recorded living here as being unable to speak anything other than Manx, probably some of the last people to be like that on the Island. This particular group of tholtans took some finding but it was well worth it and makes you realise just how hard life would have been for the inhabitants of these isolated hill farms. Feel free to make any comments either on this website by clicking the “Write comment” below or by logging onto my Facebook Page enjoy – Click on the image for a larger view.
A lovely walk this afternoon, this image is overlooking the remote but beautiful Tholtans of ‘Upper Grange’, which is high up on the Narradale track above Sulby. Feel free to make any comments either on this website by clicking the “Write comment” below or by logging onto my Facebook Page enjoy – Click on the image for a larger view.
Formerly miners cottages, when I was there today I counted 7 front door entrances but there could have possibly been an other one at an adjacent building!? The stepped back image of the tholtan with 3 upper windows appears to have been the home of a more senior mining employee. Feel free to make any comments either on this website by clicking the “Write comment” below or by logging onto my Facebook Page enjoy – Click on the image for a larger view.
Old Thatching Stones on Sherragh Vane Tholtan in Tholt y Will Plantation in Sulby. Feel free to make any comments either on this website by clicking the “Write comment” below or by logging onto my Facebook Page enjoy – Click on the image for a larger view.
The Tholtans at Crammag, above Sulby Reservoir. A lovely hike down to this group of tholtans this afternoon, whenever I visit these tholtans I always wonder what life was like for these people! Feel free to make any comments either on this website by clicking the “Write comment” below or by logging onto my Facebook Page enjoy – Click on the image for a larger view.
High up in Tholt y Will Plantation in Sulby you will find these crofters ruins which was the setting of a poem by T.E. Brown, called ‘Kitty of the Sherragh Vane’, an extract of this famous Manx Poem is below; Feel free to make any comments either on this website by clicking the “Write comment” below or by logging onto my Facebook Page enjoy – Click on the image for a larger view. Well, I tell ye, the first time ever I seen her, She wasn’ much more till a baby – six years, maybe,would have been her age; and the little clogs at her, clitter-clatter, and her little hand in mine, to show me the way, you’ll understand, down yander brew, and me a stranger too, that was lost on the mountain; And the little sowl in the house all alone, and for her to be goin the best part of a mile – bless the chile! Till she got me right – and not a bit shy, not her Nor freckened, but talkin away as purty as a woman of thirty- And-“That’s the way down to the School,” says she, “and Saul and me is goin there every day; you’ll easy find the way! – and turns, and off like a bird on the wing, Aw, a bright little thing.
This old abandoned farm sits high up above the Sulby valley and is typical of those found in the upland areas of the Island, the remains of the horse driven mill and a small orchard are still visible, my records show that John and Lisa Kinrade were still resident at the farm as late as the 1943. Feel free to make any comments either on this website by clicking the “Write comment” below or by logging onto my Facebook Page enjoy – Click on the image for a larger view.
This lovely old, once loved building at Cronkdoo is set low in the valley near to Druidale and is now where the hill sheep from the area go inside for shelter. You can also make out the rusty corn mill cogs to the rear of the old building. Whenever I visit these old Tholtan type buildings I realise just how hard life must have been for these old Manx Crofters. Feel free to make any comments either on this website by clicking the “Write comment” below or by logging onto my Facebook Page enjoy – Click on the image for a larger view.