Contents

List of figures ii

List of tables xi

List of contributors xiii

Foreword Professor Sir David Wilson xv

Editorial Dr P J Davey xvi

Introduction P / Davey 1

The Manx Early Mesolithic: a story in stone SB Me Carton 5

Billown Neolithic Landscape Project 1995-1997 T Darvill 13

Neither east nor west: a social history of the Manx Neolithic S Burrow 27

Bronze Age metallurgy on the : a symposium P } Davey, P Northover, B O'Connor and J J Woodcock 39

Quartz mounds: a preliminary assessment M B Pitts 63

Field walkers' records on burnt mounds on the Isle of Man L S Garrad 75

Trial excavations in the Central Valley of the Isle of Man, December 1991 D A Higgins 81

A report on the excavation carried out by B R S Megaw at Staarvey Farm, Kirk JJ Woodcock 89

The Bronze Age Burials from Cottier's Field, Bishopscourt Farm, }} Woodcock 99

The excavation of a Bronze Age pit and the examination of a pit-like feature in the Crawyn Brooghs, Ballaugh, Isle of Man / J Woodcock and P } Davey Ill

The Ronaldsway Village pottery }} Woodcock 121

Survey and trial excavations at the 'Ronaldsway Village' site, Ronaldsway Airport, Isle of Man D A Higgins 139

Sulby A Johnson 153 Recent archaeological research on the Me of Man

The origins of the Manx land system debate R Moore 171

Messages on a monument: recently recovered iconography on a Late Manx fragment from Bishopscourt R Trench-Jellico 183

Myth or Mint? The evidence for a ViMng-age coinage in the Isle of Man K A Bornholdt 199

Manx granite-tempered ware R Barton 221

Medieval and post-medieval continental imports on the Isle of Man P / Davey 241

The original site of Abbey and its significance BRS Megaw 261

Notes on a collection of post-medieval pottery and glass from 9 Street, Castletown P / Davey 267

Three quarterland farms in the parish of : change and continuity in field boundaries N C Johnson 273

The pig sties and thie veg, Church Farm, N C Johnson 277

A nineteenth-century export ceramic assemblage from Poyll Vaaish P / Davey 281

A rmd-nineteenth-century clay tobacco pipe works in Drumgold Street, Douglas, Isle of Man D A Higgins 303

Aerial photography of the Isle of Man R Bewky 315

Radiocarbon dates for the Isle of Man R C Chwenell, P J Davey, JAJ Gowlett and J J Woodcock 321

Recent archaeological accessions into the Manx Museum P / Davey, A D Foxon, S Palmer, H Simons and J J Woodcock 337

Index 369

FIGURES

Introdnction No figures

The Manx Early Mesolithic: a story in stone

1 (i) Distribution of 'Tardenoisian' sites identified by Clark (ii) the Tardenoisian' flints identified by Clark (after Clark 1935) 6 Contents

2 The current distribution of Early Mesolithic sites (M = Microliths present; KD = Knapping Debris only) 8

3 Distribution of selected microlith types (HB = Hollow-based point; MB = Microburin; S= Scalene triangle; OBT = obliquely trimmed point) 10

Billown Neolithic Landscape Project 1995-1997

1 Location of Billown, Isle of Man 13

2 The Billown area in relation to its local setting and key recorded archaeological sites and monuments 14

3 Aerial photograph showing the Billown Quarry Site in July 1995 during the first season of fieldwork (Photograph: Author) 16

4 Summary plan showing the main open area excavation trenches and recorded features at the Billown Quarry Site 1995-1997 17

5 General view of the Neolithic ditches in Sites H and I. One of the causewayed ditch segments can be seen in the foreground, the stone setting still partly in place. To the right is shaft F44 under excavation. (Photograph: Author) 18

6 View of the en trance into the Neolithic enclosure with ditch segment F127 in the foreground, the stone setting in the latest recut still in place. The cobbled surface and entrance passage is to the right. (Photograph: Author) 19

7 General view of excavations in progress at the north end of Site I in 1996. The top of the shaft F282 can be seen above-centre right, while in the centre of the picture is the large scoop F33. (Photograph: Author) 21

8 View of a Bronze Age house excavated in Site C in 1995. The boundary wall against which the house is built can be seen bottom left, the central hearth is quarter-sectioned above the scale. Scale = lm (Photograph: Author) 23

9 Skibrick Hill enclosure. Plot of the results from the 1996 gradiometer survey of the hilltop. For a full explanation of the anomalies marked a-s see the second interim report on the project (Laughlin in Darvill 1996,40) 24

Neither east nor west: a social history of the Manx Neolithic

1 The dating of monument and pottery types found in the Irish Sea area during the Neolithic 29

2 Illustration of the complexity of site and pottery distribution patterns in the British Isles during the Neolithic (Site distributions based on Lynch (1969), Henshal (1972), Shee Twohig (1990) with additions. Pottery distributions based on data summarised in Burrow 1997. 31

3 Distribution of Middle Neolithic sites on the Isle of Man (with 400ft contour shown) 32

4 Distribution of Late Neolithic sites on the Isle of Man (with 400ft contour shown) 32

5 Dashed areas representing polities and groups of polities in the British Isles during the Late Neolithic (based on Bradley and Chapman (1986) with amendments). Black dots indicate classic henges in Britain (after Harding and Lee 1987), and selected earthen enclosures in Ireland (after Cooney and Grogan 1994) 33

iii Recent archaeological research on the Isle of Man

Bronze Age Metallurgy on the Isle of Man: a symposium

1 Distribution map of possible and probable Bronze Age sites and monuments of all classes (excluding burnt mounds) 40

2 Distribution of Bronze Age objects 41

3 Catalogue numbers 1-19 (numbers 11 and 12 not illustrated). Scale 1:3 47

4 Catalogue numbers 20-34 (numbers 22 and 25 not illustrated). Scale 1:3 51

5 Catalogue numbers 35-44 (scale 1:3); 45 and 46 (scale 1:2) 53

6 Catalogue number 47 - clay mould (scale 1:1) 54

7 Catalogue number 48 - stone maul (scale 1:3) 54

8 Catalogue number 49 - stone maul (scale 1:3) 55

9a Comparison of tin contents 56

9b Comparison of lead contents 56

Quartz mounds: a preliminary assessment

1 Quartz mounds in the Arrasey area 63

2 Quartz mounds in Area 2, Rheast Buigh 64

3 Worked slate slab from Area 2, Rheast Buigh (scale 1:4) 65

4 Polished stone axe from Area 2, Rheast Buigh (scale 1:2) 65

5 Polished stone adze from Area 3, Rheast Buigh (scale 1:2) 65

6 Distribution of quartz and flint debris on the largest mound in Area 3, Rheast Buigh 66

7 Polished stone axe from Area 6, Rheast Buigh 67

8 lithic tools from Hospital Field (scale 1:1) 68

9 Hammer-stone from Hospital Field (scale 1:2) 69

10 Quartz mounds in Plot 1488 at Camagrie 69

11 Small polished axe from a quartz mound in Plot 1488, Camagrie (scale 1:2) 70

12 Hammer-stone modified with finger sockets from a quartz mound in Plot 1488, Camagrie

(scale 1:2) 70

13 Group of flint tools from a quartz mound in Plot 1488, Camagrie (scale 1:1) 70

14 Plan of hearth, charcoal and quartz in Plot 2530, Agg ny Crosh 71

15 Early Bronze Age pottery sherd from Plot 2530, Agg ny Crosh (scale 1:2) 71

IV Contents

16 Quartz mounds elsewhere on the Isle of Man 72

Field walkers' records of burnt mounds in the Isle of Man

1 Map showing distribution of burnt mounds. Numbers shown indicate number of mounds per 1km square 77

Trial excavations in the Central Valley of the Isle of Man, December 1991

1 The area of the Central Valley showing the locations of the sites investigated 81

2 Plan showing the location of Trench A on the raised platform 82

3 Trench A: plans at 5cm (top) and 15cm (middle) showing sandy streaks from ploughing; section (bottom) 83

4 Trench B: section through low bank and underlying deposits 84

5 Trench C: plans after the removal of Contexts 1 (top) and 2 (middle); section (bottom) 85

6 Plan showing the settings of Trenches D and E 86

7 Trench D after the removal of Context 1 86

8 Trench E: south section 87

9 Site C showing data from gradiometer survey - unfiltered (interpolated) 88

A report on the excavation carried out by B R S Megaw at Staarvey Farm, Kirk German

1 Location map 90

2 Plan and section through cist (after Megaw) 91

3 Second urn in cleared cist 92

4 General view of excavation in progress 93

5 Longworth's illustration of the Staarvey urn (1) and other Manx collared urns (2-4) 94

6 Bone disc (scale 1:1) 95

7 Worked flints (scale 1:1) 96

The Bronze Age Burials from Cottier's Field, Bishopscourt Farm, Ballaugh

1 Plan and section - Cist A (after Megaw) 100

2 Plan and section - Cist B (after Megaw) 101

3 Excavator's trench location plan - rough sketch, not to scale (after Megaw) 102

4 Cist B following removal of the capstone 103

v Recent archaeological research on the Isle of Man

5 Selected flint finds with contextual evidence where available 104

6 Food vessel bowls from Bishopscourt Farm 106

7 Bronze Age monuments in the Bishopscourt and Orrisdale areas 109

The excavation of a Bronze Age pit and the examination of a pit-like feature in the Crawyn Brooghs, Ballaugh, Isle of Man

1 Location map showing the present coastline; the location of the new Bronze Age pit; the pit-like feature and B R S Megaw's finds Ill

2 Pit in section prior to excavation 112

3 Profile of Vessel 1 showing decoration (scale 1:4) 114

4 Profile of Vessel 2 (scale 1:4) 115

5 Profile of Neolithic rim sherd (scale 1:1) 115

6 Mesolithic projectile point (scale 1:1) 116

7 Large body sherds in situ (25cm scale shown) 117

8 Section of pit in cliff face 118

A study of the Bronze Age pottery from Ronaldsway Village, Malew

1 Location map, Ronaldsway Village marked as 'Burial Ground' 121

2 "Ronaldsway Village - sherds in midden" (B309.IOMMM) 122

3 Site plan (after Neely, 1940) 123

4 Rim type series - Types A-C (scale 1:4) 125

5 Rim type series - Types E-H (scale 1:4) 125

6 Base type series (scale 1:4) 126

7 Cordon type series (scale 1:4) 126

8 Sherds with cordon and loop decoration (scale 1:4) 127

9 Histogram showing the relationship between rims and vessel diameters 130

10 Histogram showing the relationship between bases and vessel diameters 130

11 Lipid curve for sherd 64-145/1111 137

12 lipid curve for sherd 64-145/1112 137

13 Lipid curve for sherd 640-145/1115 137

VI Contents

Survey and trial excavations at the 'Ronaldsway Village' site, Ronaldsway Airport, Isle of Man

1 Aerial photograph of the site taken by Altigraph Ltd of Hooton Aerodrome, Wirral in 1938 139

2 Location map showing the site of the 'Ronaldsway Village' marked as a 'Burial Ground' near the eastern end of the main runway 140

3 Site Plan. This shows the trench locations in relation to the modern airfield layout with some of the key features from the 1930s excavations superimposed. 1-6 are Neely's round houses; 7 is the ditch; 8 is the rectangular building; 9 is a stone spread defining the northern, and possibly eastern, sides of the site; 10 is the projected line of the former to road; 11 is a modern concrete plinth; 12 is a Visual Range Marker Board; 13 are gravel beds for former Visual Approach Slope Indicators and 14 is a manhole cover 144

4 Plot of the fluxgate gradiometer survey 145

5 Plot of the resistivity meter survey 146

6 Plan of Trench 92-109 showing the stone scatter (12) and features 7, 9/17 and 18 148

7 Quern stone from Trench 92-110 (scale 1:4) 149

A preliminary gazetteer of early archaeological remains in the Upper Sulby Valley

1 The survey areas 153

2 Sites in Druidale and Glen Crammag 156

3 Sites 7, 8 and 9. Scale measures 100m 157

4 Sites 12, scale measures 100m 158

5 Site 13, scale measures 20m 159

6 Site 23, scale measures 100m 160

7 Site 26, scale measures 20m 161

8 Sites at Lhergyrhenny 164

9 Site 40, scale measures 10m 165

10 Sites at Ballaskella and Block Eary 167

11 Sites 54, 55, 56, 57, 61 and 62, scale measures 200m 169

The Manx multiple estate: evidence for undertones in the Manx landsystem?

1 The treen and quarterland layout in southern 173

2 The problematic boundary between the treen of Ballamore and Gordon (SC 247815 looking east) 175 3 Compatibility and similarity between the Welsh and Manx systems (Welsh from Jones 1976, 15) 176

vii Recent archaeological research on the Isle of Man

Messages on a monument: recently recovered iconography on a Late Manx fragment from Bishopscourt

1 MIChael-Bishopscourt 2:194A - photograph 185

2 MIChaeLBishopscourt 2:194A - drawing 185

3 Detail of base panel of new Bishopscourt fragment (MIChaeLBishopscourt 2:194A) - photograph . 186

4 Detail of base panel of new Bishopscourt fragment (MIChaeLBishopscourt 2:194A) - drawing .... 187

5 l:131(103)C - base panel: female rider 188

6 MIChaeLBishopscourt 1:94(64)A 189

7 1:93(63)A 189

8 ONChan 2:92(62)A 190

9 8:97(66)C 191

10 MAUghold 8:97(66)A 192

11 Sauchope Stone, Crail, Fife 1C - base area 192

12 Santa Saba, Rome - sarcophagus fragment 193

13 MIChaeLBishopscourt 1:94(64)C 194

14 MAUghold 8:97(66)A 194

15 MIChaeLBishopscourt 2:194A - reconstruction drawing 196

Myth or Mint? The evidence for a Viking-age coinage in the Isle of Man

1 Hiberno-Norse, Phase II 200

2 Hiberno-Norse, Phase III 200

3 Hiberno-Manx 200

4 Obverse Legends 201

5 Size distribution of Hiberno-Norse and Hiberno-Manx diameters 202

6 Hiberno-Norse/Hiberno-Manx transfer die 203

7 Hiberno-Manx coins 205

8 Distribution of Hiberno-Manx finds 208

9 Distribution of Hiberno-Manx obverse dies 209

Manx granite-tempered ware

1 Type A. 1 & 2 Peel Castle (after Wright 1980-82); 3 & 4 Peel Castle (after Davey forthcoming); 5 &

viii Contents

6 Stores (after Davey et al. 1996); 7 Vicarage (after Cubbon 1982-84); 8 Ballavarry 224

2 Type B. 1, 2 & 3 Peel Castle (after Davey forthcoming); 4 & 5 Braddan Vicarage (after Cubbon 1982- 84); 6 Peel Town (after Parkes 1992) 226

3 Type C (1 & 2); Type D (3); Type E (4-8); Type F (9) 1 & 3 Peel Castle (after Davey forthcoming); 2, 4 & 5 Castle Rushen Stores; 6 Castletown; 7 Peel Castle (after Davey forthcoming); 8 & 9 Castle Rushen 227

4 Distribution of Manx Granite Tempered Ware 231

Medieval and Post-medieval continental imports on the Isle of Man

I Sites of excavations and stray finds of continental ceramics from the Isle of Man 242

I 2 Beauvais red-painted ware (scale 1:2) 249 I

I 3 Normandy gritty ware (scale 1:4) 249

4 Unidentified 'northern' French wares (scale 1:4) 250

5 Beauvais slipware (No. 1 scale 1:4, Nos 2-4 scale 1:2) 250

6 Saintonge (scale 1:4) 253

7 Saintonge: Plain (1, 2); pink-bodied (3-6); all-over-green (7); chafing dish handle (8) Scale 1:4 .... 255

8 Oil jar (scale 1:4) 255

9 Cuenca tile (scale 1:4) 255

10 Frechen body sherds (scale 1:2) 256

II Frechen tankard (scale as shown) 257

12 Westerwald (scale 1:2) 258

12 Italian earthenware (scale 1:2) 258 The original site of Rushen Abbey and its significance

1 Rushen Abbey lands in Kirk Malew Parish 262

Notes on a collection of post-medieval pottery and glass from 9 Malew Street, Castletown

1 Map of Castletown showing the location of 9 Malew Street (after Davey 1995) 267

2 1 Press-moulded slipware (scale 1:4); 2 press-moulded slipware (scale 1:2); 3 & 4 hollow slipware (scale 1:2) 268

3 5 to 9 mottled ware (scale 1:4) 269

4 10 late creamware; 11-16 tin-glazed earthenware; 17-18 white dipped salt-glazed stoneware; 19 white bodied salt-glazed stoneware (scale 1:2) 271

ix Recent archaeological research on the Isle of Man

Three quarterland farms in the parish of Santon: change and continuity in field boundaries

1 General location map (1:25,000 rights of way map) 273

2 Field boundaries in 1840 (taken from the 1868 First Edition 6" map, reduced to 1:15,000) 274

3 Field boundaries in 1868 (First Edition 6" map (1868) reduced to 1:15,000) 274

The pig sties and thie veg. Church Farm, Cregneash

1 General location map taken from 25" OS First edition 1868 (Scale 1:2500) 277

2 Ground plan of site as excavated 278

3 Construction phases 279

4 Detail showing passageway between Structures 1 and 2 from the north. The flooring for Structure 2 is apparent after the removal of the blocking 279

5 Structures 1,2 and 3 from the south 280

A nineteenth-century export ceramic assemblage from Poyll Vaaish

1 Plan to show positions of ten-litre samples on the Poyll Vaaish shore 282

2 Graph to show the quantities of finds spread along the shore 286

3 Major ceramic types recovered from Poyll Vaaish shore, numbered in rows from top left to bottom right: 1-4 shell edged ware; 5-7 moulded edge subtype; 8-10 dipped ware (8 slip trailed; 9, engine turned rim; 10 horizontal banding); 11 mocha; 12-14 sponged ware alias 'rainbow spatter ware'; 15-17 painted ware; 18-20 red transfer printed ware [MM 1998.30, 32-36] 288

4 Five sherds showing different versions of Adams' 'Garden Sports' design on a range of vessel types 289

5 Four sherds showing different versions of Adams' 'Grecian Font' design on a range of vessel types 290

6 Types of gunflint recovered from the shore at Poyll Vaaish; 1-4, 6-12 'platform' type; 5. 'rectangular wedge' type [1 & 7 = MM 2431; 4-6 & 10 = MM 5446; 2, 8 & 11 = MM 98.29; 3 & 12 = MM 96.111] 291

7 Plan to show the approximate position, where known, of ships wrecked on Scarlett shore between 1800 and 1900 295

8 Photograph of a ploughing match party using painted ware 'Rosy Basins' for drinking; cl934, probably at Balladoole, cSC4497 298

A mid-nineteenth-century clay tobacco pipe works in Drumgold Street, Douglas, Isle of Man

1 Location map based on the 1869 OS survey of Douglas. The position of Fell's Court is circled and the extent of the new Marks and Spencer development is shown stippled 305

2 Trimmings from the mouthpieces of clay tobacco pipes, removed during the manufacturing process and inadvertently fired in the kiln. Scale in cm 307 Contents

3 Clay tobacco pipe fragments recovered from Drumgold Street. Scale 1:1 with stamp details 2:1. Numbers 1 & 2 are residual but 3-16 were probably all made on the site C1840-60 308

4 Kiln prop (scale 1:2) 311

5 Fireclay tile fragment with impressed cross decoration (scale 1:2) 312

Aerial photography of the Isle of Man

1 Distribution of aerial photographs held by the RCME to the end of 1995 316

2 Cropmark of a curvilinear enclosure in the north plain discovered in 1995. RCHME Crown copyright (Ref; SC 3898/5) 317

3 Aerial view of Cronk Sumark during the drought of 1995. RCHME Crown copyright (REF: SC 3994/8) 317

4 Deserted farmstead and field system at Barykelbue, SC 372925. RCHME Crown copyright (Ref: SC 3792/9) 318

5 Earthwork of the Civil War Fort, Kerroogarroo in the norther plain. RCHME Crown copyright (Ref: SC 4096/2) 318

Radiocarbon dates for the Isle of Man No figures

Recent archaeological accessions into the Manx Museum No figures

TABLES

The Manx Early Mesolithic: a story in stone No tables

Billown Neolithic Landscape Project 1995-1997 No tables

Neither east nor west: a social history of the Manx Neolithic No tables

Bronze Age Metallurgy on the Isle of Man: a symposium

1 Analysis of Bronze Age metalwork from the Isle of Man 57

Quartz mounds: a preliminary assessment No tables

Field walkers' records of burnt mounds in the Isle of Man No tables

Trial excavations in the Central Valley of the Isle of Man, December 1991 No tables

A report on the excavation carried out by B R S Megaw at Staarvey Farm, Kirk German No tables

The Bronze Age burials from Cottier's Field, Bishopscourt Farm, Ballaugh (SC 33289274) No tables

The excavations of a Bronze Age pit and the examination of a pit-like feature in the Crawyn Brooghs, Ballaugh, Isle of Man No tables

XI Recent archaeological research on the Isle of Man

A study of the Bronze Age pottery from Ronaldsway Village, Malew

1 Weights of material making up the collection 128

2 Percentages of sherds and weights 128

3 Breakdown of sherds included in the study group 129

4 Estimated vessel equivalents based on accumulated rim diameters 129

5 Relationships between surface treatment and ware types 131

6 Breakdown of 'Redware' sherds 132

Survey and trial excavation at the Ttonaldsway Village' site, Ronaldsway Airport, Isle of Man .. . No tables

A preliminary gazetteer of early archaeological remains in the Upper Sulby Valley No tables

The Manx Multiple Estate: evidence for undertones in the Manx land-system? No tables

Messages on a monument: iconography on a Late Manx fragment recently recovered from

Bishopscourt No tables

Myth or Mint? The evidence for a Viking-Age coinage from the Isle of Man '

1 Analysis of Hiberno-Manx Coins 215

2 Analysis of Hiberno-Manx Coins 217

Manx Granite Tempered Ware

1 Proportion of sherds from Type A vessels from Manx sites 225

2 Proportion of sherds from Type B vessels from Manx sites 225

Appendix 1: Sites with Manx granite tempered ware 236

Appendix 2: Petrological examination of five samples from the Isle of Man 239

Medieval and post-medieval continental ceramics from the Isle of Man

1 Finds of continental ceramics from excavations in the Isle of Man 243

The original site of Rushen Abbey and its significance No tables

Notes on a collection of post-medieval pottery and glass from 9 Malew Street, Castletown No tables

Three quarterland farms in the parish of Santon: change and continuity in field boundaries No tables

The pig sties and thie veg, Church Farm, Cregneash No tables

A nineteenth-century export ceramic assemblage from Poyll Vaaish

1 Numbers of ceramic finds by type from each of the 31 ten-litre samples 284

Xll Contents

2 Alternative quantification of ceramic finds from the 31 ten-litre samples 285

j 3 The last reported positions of ships wrecked on Scarlett shore between 1800 and 1900 293

i A mid-nineteenth-century clay tobacco pipe works in Drumgold Street, Douglas, Isle of Man .... No tables

Recent aerial photography in the Isle of Man

1 Target types 315

2 New cropmark sites discovered in 1995 319

Radiocarbon dates for the Isle of Man No tables

Archaeological material accessioned into the collection of the Manx Museum 1992-1997 No tables

CONTRIBUTORS i

Ms R Barton, Research Assistant, Knowth Research Project, Dublin

Dr R Bewley, Head of Aerial Survey, The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England

Miss K A Bornholdt, research student, Department of Archaeology, Cambridge University

Mr M Boyd, former research student, Department of Archaeology, University of Liverpool Dr S Burrow, Curator of Early Prehistory, Department of Archaeology and Numismatics, National Museums & Galleries of Wales

R C Chiverrell, Research Fellow, , Department of Archaeology, University of Liverpool

Mr A M Cubbon, former Director of the Manx Museum

Professor T Darvill, School of Conservation Sciences, Bournemouth University

Dr P J Davey, Reader in Archaeology, Department of Archaeology, University of Liverpool and Director, Centre for Manx Studies

Dr A Foxon, Head of Professional Services,

'•. Dr L S Garrad, former Assistant Keeper (Natural History) Manx National Heritage

Dr J A J Gowlett, Reader in Archaeology, Department of Archaeology, University of Liverpool

Dr D A Higgins, Visiting Fellow in Archaeology, Nene University College, Northampton j Mr A A C Johnson, Assistant Keeper (Field Archaeology), Manx National Heritage

Mr N C Johnson, Research Assistant, Centre for Manx Studies, Department of Archaeology, University of Liverpool for Manx Studies

S B Me Cartan, Curator of Prehistory, Department of Archaeology and Ethnology, Ulster Museum, Belfast

I xiii 1