Little Isabella is a rustic water wheel

Water wheel

A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface...

, situated in Groudle Glen

Groudle Glen

Groudle, a glen on the outskirts of Onchan on the Isle of Man, is formed in a valley leading to the sea at the small port of the same name. It was a remote hamlet boasting only a handful of small cottages until linked to the Manx Electric Railway in 1893, at which time it was developed as a...

 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...

, that was originally built in 1893 with the arrival of 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...

 to the glen. It has been dubbed the "Little Isabella" owing to its alleged resemblance to the Laxey Wheel

Laxey Wheel

The Laxey Wheel is a large waterwheel built in the village of Laxey in the Isle of Man. Designed by Robert Casement, it has a diameter, is wide and revolves at approximately three revolutions per minute.-History:...

 in nearby 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...

 which was opened in 1854 by Lady Isabella, the wife of the then Lieutenant Governor

Lieutenant governor

A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...

 of the island. In its time the wheel has been used for various purposes, including pumping water to the Groudle Hotel (designed by Hugh Ballie-Scott) and providing power for the fairy lights

Fairy lights

In the United Kingdom, a common name for Christmas lights. A string of electrically powered lamps usually used for decoration and for special effect are known as fairy lights...

 that ran through the glen from the entrance to Lhen Coan

Lhen Coan

is the only natural canyon on the Isle of Man situated in Groudle Glen on the outskirts of Onchan. This is also the name of the nearby station on the Groudle Glen Railway...

, terminus of the Groudle Glen Railway

Groudle Glen Railway

The Groudle Glen Railway is a narrow gauge railway north of Douglas in the Isle of Man which is owned and operated by members of the Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters' Association and operates on summer Sundays; May to September and Wednesday evenings in July and August along with a number of...

. Latterly its function has become entirely aesthetic.

The wheel house was rebuilt in 1954 when the glen was enjoying something of a renaissance

Renaissance

The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...

 as a tourist attraction

Tourist attraction

A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....

, and rumours abounded at this time that the wheel house was haunted

Haunted house

A haunted house is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were familiar with the property...

. The wheel was featured, in a disguised form, in a 1986 episode of the BBC

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

 series Lovejoy

Lovejoy

Lovejoy is a TV series about the adventures of Lovejoy, a British antiques dealer and faker based in East Anglia, a less than scrupulous yet likeable rogue. The episodes were based on a series of picaresque novels by John Grant...

, in a story that led to buried treasure being discovered in one of the paddles. In 1994 the wheel was refurbished by Laxey Towing Co. Ltd. and re-opened to the fanfare

Fanfare

A Fanfare is a relatively short piece of music that is typically played by trumpets and other brass instruments often accompanied by percussion...

 music of Onchan Silver Band

Onchan Silver Band

The Onchan Silver Band is a community-based fourth section band based on the Isle of Man.- Early years :The formation of the Onchan Silver Band was first proposed on Monday 4 January 1937 at a public meeting held in St Peter's parish hall, Onchan. The essential components required were a keen...

. Since this time it has operated sporadically in conjunction with train services on the nearby railway, but, following storms in October 2002, it was damaged and has subsequently been a purely static exhibit.