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Peel in Surrey County England History and GeographyPEEL, anciently called Holme town, in the parish of Kirk-German, is situated on the western coast, 10½ miles (N.W.) from Douglas, and 12 from Castletown, and contains 1909 inhabitants. It is chiefly remarkable for the remains of its ancient castle and cathedral church, to which it was indebted for its early importance: it was a place of considerable commerce prior to the suppression of the contraband trade, and was the grand resort of smugglers; but since that period the inhabitants have been principally employed in agriculture and in the fisheries, herrings on this part of the coast being taken in the greatest abundance, and not less than seventy boats belong to the harbour. The remains of the castle are situated on a small rocky island, about one hundred yards west of the town, being separated from it by Peel river, which is scarcely a foot deep at low water, and joined to the main land by a stone wall shelving towards the summit, built many years since to defend the harbour: the entrance was formerly by a flight of steps on the eastern side, now almost worn away by time: the walls, which are from three to four feet thick, and flanked with towers, are built of clay-slate, and are in many places quoined and faced with red sand-stone; they enclose a polygonal area of about five acres, which is almost filled with the ruins of walls, buildings, and dwelling-houses; and in the centre is a pyramidal mound of earth, about seventeen yards at the base, surrounded by a ditch five feet and a half broad, supposed to have been either a tumulus raised over the ashes of some illustrious chief, or from the summit of which harangues were made to the populace: the time of the erection of the castle is not known, but it is by some supposed to have been prior to the foundation of Castle Rushen. Till the act of revestment, this fortress, as well as Rushen castle, was garrisoned by native troops, in the pay of the lord of the isles; but since the island became vested in the British crown, the armoury has been removed, the garrison reduced, and the building suffered to decay: within the walls is a two-gun battery. Eleanor, wife of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, in the reign of Henry VI., and the Earl of Warwick, who for a time was banished to this island, and placed under the custody of the garrison, were at different times confined in this castle. Within the area are the ruins of the ancient church of St. German, erected about the year 1245, as the cathedral church, which has not been used, except as a burying-place, for many years: beneath the eastern part of it is the ancient ecclesiastical prison, a vault eighteen feet deep, of which the groined roof is supported on low dwarf pillars, and in one corner is a well. Some of the arches in the transept are remaining, but the building is unroofed and hastening to decay. Bishop Wilson was the last prelate who was enthroned in this church. The ruins of St. Patrick's church are a little to the westward of it: this is supposed to have been the first Christian church in the island, and, though roofless and in a greatly dilapidated state, it retains some characteristics of the Norman style of architecture. In the rocks along the neighbouring coast are many curious caverns: agates and cornelians are found on the sands. The town is paved, and supplied with water from wells. The market is on Friday, chiefly for provisions, with which it is well supplied; and there are fairs on March 28th and July 24th, for horses and cattle. The deemsters hold their courts here occasionally, and the high bailiff every Saturday, for the recovery of debts under 40s.; the jurisdiction of the latter extends over the parishes of Kirk-Ballaugh, Kirk-St. German, Kirk-Michael, and Kirk-Patrick: the vicars-general hold a chapter, or circuit court, in spring and autumn: a new court-house is at present being erected. The parochial church, dedicated to St. Peter, is not distinguished for its architecture; it will accommodate five hundred persons. The free grammar school was founded, in 1746, by Philip Moore, Esq., who endowed it with £500, directing the interest to be paid to a master qualified to teach 'the Latin language, and such other learning as may prepare youth for the service of their country in church and state;' the bishop and the twenty-four keys are trustees. A mathematical school was founded, in 1763, by the Rev. James Moore, of Dublin, who bequeathed the ground-rent of three houses in that city, producing then £20 Irish per annum: he also ordered his books to be sold, or exchanged, for mathematical books and instruments for its use. John Stevenson, Esq., of Ashley Park, in the county of Surrey, bequeathed £100 for the instruction of two additional boys; and C?sar Corris, Esq., in 1826, gave also £100 for the instruction of two boys of his own kindred; or, in default of such, for any other boys of the town: the school premises, which were left by Sir George Moore, are in a dilapidated state, no funds having been appropriated for keeping them in repair. Philip Christian, Esq., in 1652, left two houses in Lovel's Inn, Paternoster Row, London, to the Master and Wardens of the Cloth-workers' Company, in trust for the yearly payment of £20 to two poor boys, natives of the Isle of Man, as apprentice-fees of £10 each, with an order that, if there should not be a free school in the town of Peel, the money should be paid towards the establishment and maintenance of such a school; £18 per annum of which sum to be paid to the master, and £2 per annum to be appropriated to the purchase of books. Bishop Wilson bequeathed £50 for the instruction of poor girls, and Mr. William Cain left a small piece of land for teaching children. About three miles from the town is the Tynwald Mount, where all new laws, according to ancient usage, must be promulgated to the people: the ascent to its summit, which is about eighteen feet high, is by a flight of steps cut in the turf on the western side; around it are several terraces diminishing in breadth from the base. When the legislative assembly is collected, a chair under a canopy is placed on the summit for the go vernor, or his deputy, below whom, on the terraces, the deemsters, the council, and the keys, take their places, according to their respective orders, the surrounding area being occupied by the people. The Tynwald court is held annually on the 5th of July, when different officers are chosen for the year. The legislative assembly meet at St. John's chapel, from which, after divine service has been performed, they move in procession to the mount. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
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