Michael (parish)

Michael Manx: Maayl
Parish of Michael, Isle of Man
Population	1,522
OS grid reference	SC3396689582
Sheading	Michael
Crown dependency	Isle of Man
Post town	ISLE OF MAN
Postcode district	IM6
House of Keys	Ayre & Michael
List of places Isle of Man 54°16′29″N4°33′01″W / 54.274722°N 4.550278°W / 54.274722; -4.550278

Michael (Manx : Maayl) is one of the seventeen historic parishes of the Isle of Man.

It is located in the northwest of the island (part of the traditional North Side division) in the sheading of the same name.

The village of Kirk Michael is the principal settlement in the parish. Smaller hamlets include Barregarrow.

Local government

For the purposes of local government, the whole of the historic parish forms a single district with Commissioners. ^[1]

The district of Michael was formed in 1989 by the re-amalgamation of two local authority areas, Kirk Michael village and the larger rural area of Michael parish. ^[2] These two local authority areas had been separated from one another in 1905. ^[3]

The Captain of the Parish (since 1970) is John James Martin Cannell. ^[4]

Politics

Michael parish is part of the Ayre & Michael constituency, which elects two Members to the House of Keys. Before 2016 it was in the Michael constituency.

Geography

Michael parish is bounded by the parishes of Ballaugh to the north, German to the southwest, Braddan to the southeast, and Lezayre to the east. The parish/district stretches from the Irish Sea in the west, inland to Druidale in the east and from Orrisdale in the north to Glen Cam in the south. ^[5]

The principal settlement in Michael parish is the inland village of Kirk Michael. It also encompasses the hamlet of Barregarrow. There is also Orrisdale (also known as Four Towns), ^[6] Glen Wyllin and Ballacarnane Beg. ^[7]

Michael consists of an agricultural area, with a roughly 3 km wide coastal strip of agricultural land, and the rest hilly moorland. The south of the hills are sparsely populated, which has been attributed to the misty atmosphere and poorer soil quality compared to the north. ^[8] The highest points are Slieau Freoaghane (488 metres (1,601 ft)), Sartfell (454 metres (1,490 ft)), Slieau Curn (351 metres (1,152 ft)) and Slieau Dhoo (432 metres (1,417 ft)) (together known as the Michael Hills). Michael's glens are Glen Wyllin, Glen Mooar and Glen Trunk. ^[9]

The coast of Michael has faced coastal erosion, with Rev John Crellin in 1774 describing how the coast "often falls down… washed away". ^[8] Keeill Pharlane and its cemetery were lost to erosion. ^[10] This erosion has "accelerated" over the years. Kirk Michael village is located inland, but is gradually moving closer to the sea. ^{[11] [12]}

Landmarks

• Bishopscourt, the former official residence of the Bishop, is located just north of Kirk Michael village. Though a private residence, it is occasionally open to the public.
  • Bishopscourt Glen, shared with Ballaugh and formerly the personal garden of Bishopscourt. ^[13] The glen includes an artificial mound called Mount Aeolus and The Cave of the Winds. Until 1987 the mound had two cannon on top. The mound was built under Bishop Mark Hildesley to commemorate the victory of Captain Elliot over the French privateer François Thurot off the coast near Ramsey in 1760. ^[14]
• Cronk Urleigh or Reneurling, a hillock reported to be the site of the original Tynwald courts ^[15]
• Glen Mooar
  • Cabbal Pherick, a ruined keeill just by Spooyt Vane, a waterfall ^[10]
• Glen Wyllin, which contains Cooildarry Nature Reserve and a seasonal campsite. ^[16]
• Montpelier, house and woodland east of the Michael hills ^[17]

Demographics

According to Rev John Crellin, Michael parish had a population of 870 in 1774 when he was writing. The parish figure was 749 by 1927, according to John R. Quayle. ^[18] In the 2016 census, Michael parish had 1,591 residents, ^[19] down from 1,729 in 2011. ^[20]

Michael parish (census) [21]
Year	1981	1986	1996	2001	2006	2011	2016	2021
Pop.	977	1,044	1,261	1,431	1,640	1,729	1,591	1,522
±%	—	+6.9%	+20.8%	+13.5%	+14.6%	+5.4%	−8.0%	−4.3%

References

1. "Michael Commissioners" . Retrieved 10 April 2019.
2. John Grimson "A Guide to Village and Parish" published by Michael Commissioners, 1986, revised 1991, page 39
3. Tynwald Hansard for 25 October 1983
4. "Captains of the Parishes". Culture Vannin. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
5. "Michael". Isle of Man. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
6. "Orrisdale or Four-Towns". Manx Notebook. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
7. "Ballacarnane: 500 Years of Manx History". Culture Vannin. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
8. Crellin, John (1774). "The Parish of Kirk Michael described". Cronkbourne Collection. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
9. Brown, James (1881). "Michael". Brown's Isle of Man Directory with the History of the Island. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
10. "Parish of Kirk Michael". Third Report of the Manx Archaeological Survey Committee. 1911. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
11. "Coastal monitoring for Michael". Isle of Man. 20 June 2007. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
12. "Isle of Man group considers 'worsening coastal erosion'". BBC News. 28 January 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
13. Quine, John (1911). "Antiquities: Prehistoric". Isle of Man. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
14. Bellet Cowen, George (1920). "Bishopscourt Glen memorial tablet, Bishopscourt, Isle of Man". iMuseum. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
15. Oliver, J. R. (1860). "The Tynwald Court". Manx Soc. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
16. Curphey, Tom (28 June 2025). "I swapped tent wrestling for a luxury cabin at Isle of Man campsite - I may never go back". Isle of Man. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
17. Campbell, James (12 January 2025). "The mysterious abandoned house in the Manx wilderness with a tragic past". Isle of Man Today. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
18. Quayle, John R (1927). "Saint Michael's Church: Historical gleanings of the church and parish" . Retrieved 30 August 2025.
19. "2016 Isle of Man Census Report" (PDF). Gov.im. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
20. "Isle of Man Census Report 2011" (PDF). Gov.im. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
21. "Census and Population". Government Isle of Man. Retrieved 31 August 2025.