Laxey
Encyclopedia
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 Raad ny Foillan
long distance coastal footpath
, opened in 1986, runs along the coast through the village.
for lead
and zinc
began, becoming the largest industry the village has had. The Laxey mines were the deepest in the world in the 19th century. Mining in Laxey came to an end 75 years later in 1929. The village also had a fishing industry.
Laxey village is now a mainly residential and a tourist area boasting several gardens to wander in at leisure, primarily Laxey Glen Gardens. There is also a handweaving mill which sells its own and many other products. The village has five pubs and a Microbrewery
, The Old Laxey Brewing Company. The village is built around a glen with a number of steep streets and paths leading to the glen floor, from where it is possible to walk by the side of Laxey River to the outflow to the sea at the small harbour and onto the beach and promenade. It is also possible to walk around the cliffs to the north of the beach,a lovely walk,which one begins,opposite the "La Mona Lisa Restaurant" which takes one up, over the cairn (kern), from where there are stunning views of Clay Head to the south.A laxey,born & bred person would say,"I`m going over the kern for a walk".
Laxey Wheel
, also known as Lady Isabella after the wife of The Hon. Charles Hope
, then Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
, was built in 1854 to pump water from the Laxey mine shafts. Now a tourist attraction, it remains the largest working waterwheel in the world. Designed by Robert Casement, it is 72 in 6 in (22.1 m) in diameter and 227 feet (69.19 m) wide. It revolves at about 3 rpm. The mines employed over 600 miners at their peak, producing lead, copper, silver and zinc, until they closed in 1929. The Wheel was owned by Edwin Kneale from 1939 to 1965; he saved it from being dismantled and ran it as a tourist attraction, before passing it on to the Manx nation, with the agreement that it should be kept in perpetual running order for the people of the Isle of Man. In 1965 the Isle of Man Government
bought the wheel and the site. Restoration work began, and in 1989 it was put under the control of Manx National Heritage
.
Great Laxey Mine Railway
re-opened with two small steam engines in September 2004 to carry passengers along the restored route.
in 1881 and were originally water powered
. The Mills are known for producing Manx tartan which is used to make a variety of items from hats, scarfs and kilt skirts to capes and rugs. The cloth is made of fine loghtan sheep wool and woven on traditional style looms. The Mills is now mainly a working shop.
The village has a small harbour which was built in the 1850s to service the mining industry. It is now used by leisure craft and inshore fishing vessels.
line. Laxey station
is in the north of the village and is also the southern terminus of the Snaefell Mountain Railway
.
chapels. Shore Road Primitive Methodist Chapel was built in 1825, and closed in 1870. Glen Road Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was opened in 1850. It closed in 1966. Minorca Primitive Methodist Chapel was opened in 1870. A Sunday School was built in 1898 in land across the road. The chapel closed in 1966 when Flen Road and Menorca combined. In 1970 Minorca's Sunday School building became the new Methodist chapel for Laxey.
Christ Church (the Church of England
parish church) was built to a design of Ewan Christian
and constructed by the Mining Company at a cost of £950 and was consecrated by the Bishop of Sodor and Man
, Lord Auckland, on 27 May 1856.
who play in the Isle of Man Football League
are based at the Laxey Football Ground on Glen Road.
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...
. Its name derives from the Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
Laxa meaning 'Salmon River'.
The village lies on the A2, the main 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. Laxey Glen is one of the Manx National Glens
Manx National Glens
Manx National Glens is a collective term for a series of glens in the Isle of Man. The island country is renowned for its natural beauty and its "pocket sized" scenic natural glens....
, with Dhoon Glen being located close by. The Raad ny Foillan
Raad ny Foillan
is a long distance footpath in the Isle of Man.-Route and history:The starts and finishes at the Millennium Bridge over Douglas Harbour...
long distance coastal footpath
Long-distance trail
Long-distance trails are the longer recreational trails mainly through rural areas, used for non-motorised recreational travelling ....
, opened in 1986, runs along the coast through the village.
Village history
In the 19th century, miningMining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
for lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
and zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
began, becoming the largest industry the village has had. The Laxey mines were the deepest in the world in the 19th century. Mining in Laxey came to an end 75 years later in 1929. The village also had a fishing industry.
Laxey village is now a mainly residential and a tourist area boasting several gardens to wander in at leisure, primarily Laxey Glen Gardens. There is also a handweaving mill which sells its own and many other products. The village has five pubs and a Microbrewery
Microbrewery
A microbrewery or craft brewer is a brewery which produces a limited amount of beer, and is associated by consumers with innovation and uniqueness....
, The Old Laxey Brewing Company. The village is built around a glen with a number of steep streets and paths leading to the glen floor, from where it is possible to walk by the side of Laxey River to the outflow to the sea at the small harbour and onto the beach and promenade. It is also possible to walk around the cliffs to the north of the beach,a lovely walk,which one begins,opposite the "La Mona Lisa Restaurant" which takes one up, over the cairn (kern), from where there are stunning views of Clay Head to the south.A laxey,born & bred person would say,"I`m going over the kern for a walk".
Demographics
The Isle of Man census 2006 lists the village population as 1,768, a slight increase from the population of 1,725 in 2001. It is the fourth largest village on the island.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:...
, also known as Lady Isabella after the wife of The Hon. Charles Hope
Charles Hope (MP)
Charles Hope , styled The Honourable from 1823, was a Scottish Conservative Party politician.-Career:...
, then Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
The Lieutenant Governor is the representative on the Isle of Man of the Lord of Mann . He/she has the power to grant Royal Assent and is styled His Excellency. In recent times the Governor has either been a retired diplomat or senior military officer...
, was built in 1854 to pump water from the Laxey mine shafts. Now a tourist attraction, it remains the largest working waterwheel in the world. Designed by Robert Casement, it is 72 in 6 in (22.1 m) in diameter and 227 feet (69.19 m) wide. It revolves at about 3 rpm. The mines employed over 600 miners at their peak, producing lead, copper, silver and zinc, until they closed in 1929. The Wheel was owned by Edwin Kneale from 1939 to 1965; he saved it from being dismantled and ran it as a tourist attraction, before passing it on to the Manx nation, with the agreement that it should be kept in perpetual running order for the people of the Isle of Man. In 1965 the Isle of Man Government
Isle of Man Government
The Isle of Man Government is the government of the Isle of Man. The formal head of the Isle of Man Government is the Lieutenant Governor, representing HM Queen Elizabeth II, Lord of Mann...
bought the wheel and the site. Restoration work began, and in 1989 it was put under the control of Manx National Heritage
Manx National Heritage
Manx National Heritage is the national heritage organisation for the Isle of Man. It was established in 1951 as the Manx National Trust, and its legal title is the Manx Museum and National Trust.-Overview:...
.
Great Laxey Mine Railway
Great Laxey Mine Railway
The Great Laxey Mine Railway was originally constructed to serve the Isle of Man's Great Laxey Mine, a lead mine located in Laxey. The gauge railway runs from the old mine entrance to the washing floors along a right of way that passes through the Isle of Man's only railway tunnel under the gauge...
re-opened with two small steam engines in September 2004 to carry passengers along the restored route.
Laxey Woollen Mills
Laxey Woollen Mill was founded by John RuskinJohn Ruskin
John Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
in 1881 and were originally water powered
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
. The Mills are known for producing Manx tartan which is used to make a variety of items from hats, scarfs and kilt skirts to capes and rugs. The cloth is made of fine loghtan sheep wool and woven on traditional style looms. The Mills is now mainly a working shop.
Laxey Harbour
Transport
Laxey lies on the Manx Electric RailwayManx 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...
line. Laxey station
Laxey station
Laxey Station is a station in the village of Laxey on the Isle of Man serving as an intermediate station on the Manx Electric Railway as well as being the lower terminus of the Snaefell Mountain Railway.-Location:...
is in the north of the village and is also the southern terminus of the Snaefell Mountain Railway
Snaefell Mountain Railway
The Snaefell Mountain Railway is an electric mountain railway on the Isle of Man in Europe. It joins the town of Laxey with the summit of Snaefell, at above sea level the highest point on the island. It connects with the Manx Electric Railway in Laxey. The line is long, built to gauge and...
.
Religion in Laxey
Laxey had a number of MethodistMethodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
chapels. Shore Road Primitive Methodist Chapel was built in 1825, and closed in 1870. Glen Road Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was opened in 1850. It closed in 1966. Minorca Primitive Methodist Chapel was opened in 1870. A Sunday School was built in 1898 in land across the road. The chapel closed in 1966 when Flen Road and Menorca combined. In 1970 Minorca's Sunday School building became the new Methodist chapel for Laxey.
Christ Church (the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church) was built to a design of Ewan Christian
Ewan Christian
Ewan Christian was a British architect. He is most notable for the restoration of Carlisle Cathedral, the alterations to Christ Church, Spitalfields in 1866, and the extension to the National Gallery that created the National Portrait Gallery. He was architect to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners...
and constructed by the Mining Company at a cost of £950 and was consecrated by the Bishop of Sodor and Man
Bishop of Sodor and Man
The Bishop of Sodor and Man is the Ordinary of the Diocese of Sodor and Man in the Province of York in the Church of England. The diocese covers the Isle of Man. The see is in the town of Peel where the bishop's seat is located at the Cathedral Church of St German, elevated to cathedral status on 1...
, Lord Auckland, on 27 May 1856.
Sport
Laxey F.C.Laxey F.C.
Laxey A.F.C. are a football club from Laxey on the Isle of Man. They compete in the Isle of Man Football League. They play in a green and white striped kit and play their home games at Glen Road in Laxey...
who play in the Isle of Man Football League
Isle of Man Football League
The Isle of Man Football League, also known as Canada Life Premier League due to sponsorship purposes, is a football league for clubs on the Isle of Man run by the Isle of Man Football Association. The league does not form part of the English football league system. All clubs on the island are...
are based at the Laxey Football Ground on Glen Road.