Ballabeg, Lonan
Encyclopedia
Ballabeg is a village on the Isle of Man
. The name Ballabeg derives from the Manx
which means small homestead; although the spelling is different, it is pronounced the same as the English name. Ballabeg dates to at least 1643 when a Ballabegg was recorded on the Castle Rushen
Manorial Roll, under the ownership of Furness Abbey
.
This hamlet, one of eight on the Isle of Man
with the same name, is located ten kilometres north of the capital, Douglas
, just to the south of the town of Laxey
. The hamlet only consists of a farm and a handful of houses but is famed for its beautiful little tram station which celebrated its centenary in 2005. When the Manx Electric Railway
was built through Ballabeg in 1894 an ancient Celtic keeill
and adjoining burial ground
were discovered. The keeill was known as Keeill Killanne (with many spelling variations), shortened to Kilkillane and gives its names a nearby stream known as Strooan ny Carlane / Kilane and a house in the hamlet called Kilan. No known traces of the keeill survive today. Many lintel graves, buried in triplets, were found at the site. It is believed that the bodies were exhumed
and removed, while a large wooden cross and plaque, since removed, marked the site for many years.
A small white cottage, known as the schoolhouse, still stands in Ballabeg next to the site of the former keeill. The building was used as a schoolhouse, religious chapel and social cottage where the locals would gather to play music and tell stories. It is currently being used as a warehouse.
The landscape
of Ballabeg is mainly agricultural
land used for the grazing of sheep. There are areas of mature and newly planted woodland
(including a nationally important cliff-side ancient oak forest remnant), gorse
, brooghs (headland
s) and small dubs or pond
s. The A2 or Douglas
to Ramsey
road bisects the settlement. The Manx Electric Railway
runs through the settlement and has a level crossing
there.
The settlement has no defined boundaries but is said to start north of the Raad Ballagawne in the south, the Irish Sea
in the east, Church Road in Ballacannel to the north and the old road from Lonan Church to Raad Ballagawne in the west.
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. The name Ballabeg derives from the Manx
Manx language
Manx , also known as Manx Gaelic, and as the Manks language, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, historically spoken by the Manx people. Only a small minority of the Island's population is fluent in the language, but a larger minority has some knowledge of it...
which means small homestead; although the spelling is different, it is pronounced the same as the English name. Ballabeg dates to at least 1643 when a Ballabegg was recorded on the Castle Rushen
Castle Rushen
Castle Rushen is a medieval castle located in the Isle of Man's historic capital, Castletown in the south of the island. It towers over the Market Square to the south-east and the harbour to the north-east...
Manorial Roll, under the ownership of Furness Abbey
Furness Abbey
Furness Abbey, or St. Mary of Furness is a former monastery situated on the outskirts of the English town of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. The abbey dates back to 1123 and was once the second wealthiest and most powerful Cistercian monastery in the country, behind only Fountains Abbey in North...
.
This hamlet, one of eight on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
with the same name, is located ten kilometres north of the capital, Douglas
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
, just to the south of the town of Laxey
Laxey
Laxey is a village on the east coast of the Isle of Man. Its name derives from the Old Norse Laxa meaning 'Salmon River'.The village lies on the A2, the main Douglas to Ramsey road. Laxey Glen is one of the Manx National Glens, with Dhoon Glen being located close by...
. The hamlet only consists of a farm and a handful of houses but is famed for its beautiful little tram station which celebrated its centenary in 2005. When the Manx Electric Railway
Manx Electric Railway
The Manx Electric Railway is an electric inter-urban tramway connecting Douglas, Laxey and Ramsey in the Isle of Man. It connects with the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway at its southern terminus at Derby Castle at the northern end of the promenade in Douglas, and with the Snaefell Mountain Railway at...
was built through Ballabeg in 1894 an ancient Celtic keeill
Keeill
-History and siting:Archaeologically, it is used for a specific type of small simple chapel found on the Isle of Man and built during the early medieval period...
and adjoining burial ground
Burial Ground
Burial Ground is the ninth studio album by Swedish death metal band Grave, released in June 2010.-Track listing:# "Liberation" - 3:40# "Semblance In Black" - 7:50# "Dismembered Mind" - 6:10# "Ridden With Belief" - 7:57# "Conquerer" - 4:44...
were discovered. The keeill was known as Keeill Killanne (with many spelling variations), shortened to Kilkillane and gives its names a nearby stream known as Strooan ny Carlane / Kilane and a house in the hamlet called Kilan. No known traces of the keeill survive today. Many lintel graves, buried in triplets, were found at the site. It is believed that the bodies were exhumed
Exhumed
Exhumed may refer to:*Exhumation*Exhumed , a first-person shooter*Exhumed , a deathgrind band* Exhumed Films, a Philadelphia-based "organization* Exhumed river channel, a ridge of sandstone...
and removed, while a large wooden cross and plaque, since removed, marked the site for many years.
A small white cottage, known as the schoolhouse, still stands in Ballabeg next to the site of the former keeill. The building was used as a schoolhouse, religious chapel and social cottage where the locals would gather to play music and tell stories. It is currently being used as a warehouse.
The landscape
Landscape
Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
of Ballabeg is mainly agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
land used for the grazing of sheep. There are areas of mature and newly planted woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
(including a nationally important cliff-side ancient oak forest remnant), gorse
Gorse
Gorse, furze, furse or whin is a genus of about 20 plant species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to western Europe and northwest Africa, with the majority of species in Iberia.Gorse is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green...
, brooghs (headland
Headland
A headland is a point of land, usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends out into a body of water.Headland can also refer to:*Headlands and bays*headLand, an Australian television series...
s) and small dubs or pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
s. The A2 or Douglas
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
to Ramsey
Ramsey, Isle of Man
Ramsey is a town in the north of the Isle of Man. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas. Its population is 7,309 according to the 2006 census . It has one of the biggest harbours on the island, and has a prominent derelict pier, called the Queen's Pier. It was formerly one of...
road bisects the settlement. The Manx Electric Railway
Manx Electric Railway
The Manx Electric Railway is an electric inter-urban tramway connecting Douglas, Laxey and Ramsey in the Isle of Man. It connects with the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway at its southern terminus at Derby Castle at the northern end of the promenade in Douglas, and with the Snaefell Mountain Railway at...
runs through the settlement and has a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
there.
The settlement has no defined boundaries but is said to start north of the Raad Ballagawne in the south, the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
in the east, Church Road in Ballacannel to the north and the old road from Lonan Church to Raad Ballagawne in the west.