Onchan (pronounced onk-an), is a
villageA village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet, but smaller than a town or city. Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New York City and the Saifi Village in...
in the parish of
OnchanOnchan , is a parish in the Isle of Man. It is also a House of Keys constituency, electing three MHKs. It is in the sheading of Garff, but was formerly in the sheading of Middle.-Parish:...
on the
Isle of ManThe Isle of Man , or Mann , is a self-governing British Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Britain and Ireland. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Crown is represented by a Lieutenant Governor...
. It is at the north end of Douglas Bay. Although administratively a village, it has the second largest population on the island, after
Douglasright|thumb|250px|Loch 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...
, with which it forms a
conurbationA conurbation is an urban area or agglomeration comprising a number of cities, large towns and larger urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
.
In
ManxManx , also known as Manx Gaelic, is a Goidelic language spoken on the Isle of Man. The last native speaker, Ned Maddrell, died in 1974, but in recent years it has been the subject of language revival efforts, and it is now the medium of education at the , a primary school for four- to...
the name for the village is
Kione Droghad meaning "bridge end".
Village history
In the 1890s a 5,000 year old stone age axe was found in the Cassa Field by Onchan wetlands. In the Viking reign Onchan became part of Middle sheading. The name of the village is identified with St Connachan who was
BishopThe 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...
of
Sodor and ManSodor and Man is a diocese of the Church of England. Originally much larger, today it covers just the Isle of Man and its adjacent islets.-Early history:...
in 540 and the church named after him, Kirk Coonachan. An early name for the village is which literally translated means "bridgehead". The earliest written record of Kiondroghad was in the 1643 Manorial Roll, when it was very small. The name Kiondroghad appeared on the 1841 census but not the subsequent one a decade later.
The village of Kiondroghad remained little changed for a couple of centuries apart for the old cottages being replaced by newer ones if they fell into disrepair. Gradually the village moved out of Church Road, known locally as The Butt, and spread a little. At the junction with the track that led towards the mountains (Avondale Road) a few more cottages appeared in the early 1800s. As Onchan approached the 20th century land was sold off for terraces of houses to be built.
In the early 20th century development was taking place in the
Port JackPort Jack Halt is the name of the first official stopping place on the Manx Electric Railway on the Isle of Man and is situated a short distance from the terminus.-Environs:...
area as part of the Douglas Bay Estate Company’s promotion of land sales on the Howstrake Farm. Coupled with this they built an electric urban railway which later became a coastal railway to Ramsey. However, it never achieved its goal of connecting with the heart of Douglas to act as a commuter run. There was then was a mixture of private houses, terraced houses and guest houses to take the overflow of visitors to Douglas. Further development took place in the 1930s. After
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
development gradually continued and in the 1960s the village commissioners built local authority housing.
William BlighVice-Admiral William Bligh FRS RN was an officer of the British Royal Navy and a colonial administrator. A notorious mutiny occurred during his command of HMS Bounty in 1789; Bligh and his loyal men made a remarkable voyage to Timor, after being set adrift by the mutineers in the Bounty's launch...
, an officer of the
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
, and best known as "Captain Bligh" of
Mutiny on the BountyThe mutiny on the Bounty occurred aboard a British Royal Navy ship on 28 April 1789, and has been commemorated by several books, films, and popular songs, many of which take considerable liberties with the facts. The mutiny was led by Fletcher Christian against the commanding officer, William Bligh...
fame, married Elizabeth Betham, the daughter of a Customs Collector, on 4 February 1781 in Onchan.
During the Victorian and Edwardian tourism boom Onchan made a bid to become the island's second resort, encouraging the building hotels and guest houses. The
Manx Electric RailwayThe Manx Electric Railway is an electric inter-urban tramway connecting the towns of 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...
was constructed in 1893 and in the early 1900s Lower Onchan, around the Port Jack area, was the first area on the island to have electric-powered street lighting, powered by the
Manx Electric RailwayThe Manx Electric Railway is an electric inter-urban tramway connecting the towns of 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...
generators.
Onchan is now principally a dormitory village, providing homes for workers in nearby
Douglasright|thumb|250px|Loch 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...
.
Government House
The
official residenceAn official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside. They may or may not be the same location where they conduct their work-related functions.-=* Presidential Palace...
of the
Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of ManThe Lieutenant Governor is the representative on the Isle of Man of the Lord of Mann, currently Queen Elizabeth II. He 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...
, the representative on the Isle of Man of the
Lord of MannThe title Lord of Mann , is used on the Isle of Man to refer to Queen Elizabeth II, who is the Island's Lord Proprietor and head of state.-Relationship with the Crown:The title is not correctly used on its own...
, currently Queen Elizabeth II, is
Government HouseGovernment House is the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man. It is situated in Onchan, Isle of Man.Government House is also used to provide accommodation for official guests to the Isle of Man and is used extensively for official functions, such as receptions or...
on Governor's Road. Originally named Bemahague House, the house was leased to Governor
Henry Brougham LochHenry Brougham Loch, 1st Baron Loch GCMG, KCB was a Scottish soldier and colonial administrator.-Military service:He was the son of James Loch, Member of Parliament, of Drylaw, Midlothian...
in 1865, and purchased by the
Isle of Man GovernmentThe Isle of Man Government is the government of the Isle of Man. The head of the Isle of Man Government is the Chief Minister.Douglas, the largest town on the Isle of Man is its capital and seat of government, where the Government offices and the parliament chambers are located.The Civil Service...
in 1903 as the official residence for the Sovereign's representative.
Demographics
The Isle of Man census 2006 lists the population as 9,172, an increase from the population of 8,803 in 2001. It is the largest village on the island. It also has a higher population than three of the four towns -
CastletownCastletown is a town geographically within the Malew parish of the Isle of Man but administered separately. Lying at the south of the island, it is the former Manx capital.-History:...
,
Peel||-||-||-|Peel is a town on the Isle of Man, in the parish of German. It is often called the only "city" because it is the home of the island's cathedral. It is the third largest town on the island after Douglas and Ramsey and the fourth largest settlement as Onchan has the second largest...
and
RamseyRamsey 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...
, making it the second largest settlement on the island.
Transport
There are two Manx Electric Railway line stopping places in Onchan.
Onchan Head railway stationOnchan Head was once the first official stopping place on the Manx Electric Railway on the Isle of Man and is less than one mile from the southern terminus of the line....
was the first official stopping place on the line and served the former White City pleasure grounds. There is also a stop at Port Jack.
Education
There are two primary schools in Onchan, Onchan Primary School on School Road with nearly 400 pupils and Ashley Hill Primary School on Ashley Road which was opened in 1972 and has about 350 pupils. Most students in the village go to Douglas for
high schoolHigh school is the name used in some parts of the world, particularly in Scotland, Northern America and Oceania, to describe an institution that provides all or part of secondary education...
.
Religion in Onchan
The
Church of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the oldest among the communion's thirty-eight independent national and regional churches...
parish church in Onchan is St Peter's on Church Road. The original church dated back to the 12th century which was dedicated to St Conchan. By 1760 the walls and roof had become dangerous and it was condemned in 1771. However, nothing was done until The
Bishop of Sodor and ManThe 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...
,
Bishop Ward commissioned a new church, and a foundation stone for the new church was laid in 1830, but due to pressures from the parishioners, was moved to its current position. The church was consecrated in 1833 and built by John Samuel Skillicorn. It was dedicated to
Saint PeterSimon Peter , Pétros “Rock”, Kephas in Hellenized Aramaic) was a leader of the early Christian Church, who features prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. Peter was the son of John, and was from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee...
. The church was refurbished in 1863. It was the first church on the island to be lit by electricity in 1897 to celebrate the
Diamond JubileeA Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary in the case of a person or a 75th anniversary in the case of an event A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary in the case of a person (e.g. wedding anniversary, length of time a monarch has reigned as...
of
Queen VictoriaVictoria was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India of the British Raj from 1 May 1876, until her death...
and was supplied by the Isle of Man Tramways and Power Company.
St Anthony's Roman Catholic Church is located on Ridgeway Road. Onchan Methodist Church, part of the Douglas and Peel circuit is on Main Road. Onchan
BaptistA Baptist is a Christian who subscribes to a theology and may belong to a church that, among other things, is committed to believer's baptism and, with respect to church polity, favors the congregational model...
Church is on Whitebridge road.
Sport
Onchan is home to two football clubs, both of whom compete in the
Isle of Man Football LeagueThe Isle of Man Football League 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 amateur.-Format:...
.
Douglas High School Old Boys F.C.Douglas High School Old Boys A.F.C. are a football club from Onchan on the Isle of Man. They compete in the Isle of Man Football League and wear a blue and white kit...
(DHSOB FC) are based at the DHSOB Football Ground, Blackberry Lane.
Onchan F.C.Onchan Association Football Club are a football club from Onchan on the Isle of Man. They compete in the Isle of Man Football League and wear a yellow and blue kit. They play their home games at the Nivison Stadium in Onchan.- History :...
are based at Nivison stadium, Onchan Pleasure Park. The stadium was opened in 1952. There is stock car racing held each week in the summer months in the Pleasure Park organised by the
British Stock Car AssociationThe British Stock Car Association is widely known as "BriSCA" or "BriSCA Formula One", and is an association of promoters.BriSCA is the governing body of Formula One Stock Car Racing in Britain and has associations with stock car racing organizations in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, New...
. There is also bowling, tennis and go karting at the park as well as the Onchan Squash and Social Club. The Abbeyland Equestrian Centre is on Scollag Road
King Edward Bay Golf Club is an 18 hole golf course located in an elevated position on the east side of the village off the A11 King Edward Road.
The
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 footpathLong-distance trails are the longer recreational right-of-way routes mainly through rural areas, used for non-motorised recreational travelling ....
opened in 1986 runs along the coast in the village.
Onchan Pleasure Park
Onchan Pleasure Park is a leisure park which has a
boating lakeThe Boating Lake Park is a large public park in Cwmbran, Torfaen in Wales. As its name suggests, the park features a boating lake. There are in fact two lakes, the larger being home to various wetland birds and the smaller being the actual boating one. Water area is 5 acres...
,
miniature golfMinigolf, or miniature golf, is a miniature version of the sport of golf. While the international sports organization World Minigolf Sport Federation prefers to use the name "minigolf", the general public in different countries has also many other names for the game: miniature golf, mini-golf,...
course, football pitch,
tennis courtA tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s and a
British Stock Car AssociationThe British Stock Car Association is widely known as "BriSCA" or "BriSCA Formula One", and is an association of promoters.BriSCA is the governing body of Formula One Stock Car Racing in Britain and has associations with stock car racing organizations in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, New...
stock car racing track.
Onchan Village Commissioners purchased farmland after
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to build new homes and a recreation area with a large park containing a stadium with the first ever banked cycle track which was opened by
Reg HarrisReginald - 'Reg' - Hargreaves Harris was a leading English track racing cyclist in the 1940s and 1950s. He won the world amateur sprint title in 1947, two Olympic silver medals in 1948, and the professional title in 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1954...
, World Champion Sprint Cyclist and Britain's Sportsman of the Year, on 19 June, 1951. The park cost £50,000 to build. The stadium is no longer used for cycling.
Geography
Within the boundaries of the village are three glens including two the seventeen
National Manx GlensThe 17 National Manx Glens are the officially adopted glens situated throughout the Isle of Man. The island country is renowned for its natural beauty and its "pocket sized" scenic natural glens....
.
Groudle Glen
Groudle GlenGroudle, 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 tourist...
and Molly Quirk's Glen. They meet at the Whitebridge, at the northern edge of the village on the main
A2 coast roadThe A2 road or Ramsey Coast Road in the Isle of Man is a primary road which connects Douglas on the east of the island with Ramsey in the north....
to
LaxeyLaxey 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 The 17 National Manx Glens, with Dhoon Glen being located close by...
. Groudle Glen extends right down to the coast and has been described as one of the most spectacular of all the island's glens. It was developed in the 1890s as a pleasure glen, with trees planted and long winding paths added. A bandstand, swings and various other minor attractions were also added. On the rocky headland, a small inlet had been dammed off to form a deep pool, which became the centre of the small headland zoo which exhibited sea lions and polar bears. To get visitors out to the highland zoo, the glen owners built a miniature railway. Today, the attractions have all but disappeared apart from the
Groudle Glen RailwayThe Groudle Glen Railway is a narrow gauge railway north of Douglas, Isle of Man 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 and certain evenings in peak summer as well as annual special...
, which still runs during the summer months operated by a group of local railway enthusiasts, who in the 1980's completely re-built the line after it was closed and ripped up in the early 1960s.
Molly Quirk's Glen
Molly Quirk's Glen was reputedly named after a woman who was murdered in her cottage. The glen covers about . At the far end of the glen the Clypse and Kerrowdhoo reservoirs now have a series of footpaths and ancient tracks for walkers.
Onchan wetlands (Curragh Kiondroghad nature reserve)
The Onchan wetlands is a
nature reserveA nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in Onchan village that contains a variety of habitats. The site was donated to the Manx Wildlife Trust in 1988 and is open to the public for viewing and has a footpath which is suitable for wheelchair users.
The site contains
curragh (wetlands - willow scrub), broadleaved trees,
dub (pond), neutral grassland and embankments of tall grassland. This variety of habitats leads to a diversity of wildlife and plant life. Some of the plants and trees that grow in the wetlands are
silver birchBetula pendula is a widespread European birch, though in southern Europe it is only found at higher altitudes. Its range extends into southwest Asia in the mountains of northern Turkey and the Caucasus...
, ash, holly, rowan, marsh marigold, yellow flag,
reed canary grassReed canary grass is a tall, perennial grass that commonly forms extensive single-species stands along the margins of lakes and streams and in wet open areas, with a wide distribution in Europe, Asia, northern Africa and North America.The stems can reach 2.5 m in height. The leaf blades are...
,
hemlock water-dropwortThe water dropworts, Oenanthe , are a genus of plants in the family Apiaceae. Most of the species grow in damp ground, in marshes or in water....
, woody nightshade and cuckoo flower. Birds recorded on the site are the
grey wagtailThe Grey Wagtail is a small passerine in the wagtail family Motacillidae, which also includes the pipits and longclaws. This species was first described by Marmaduke Tunstall in his 1771 Ornithologia Britannica...
,
goldcrestThe Goldcrest, Regulus regulus, is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family, resembling the Firecrest but with a plainer face.-Description:...
,
woodcockThe woodcocks are a group of seven or eight very similar living species of wading birds in the genus Scolopax. Only two woodcocks are widespread, the others being localised island endemics; most are found in the Northern Hemisphere, but a few range into the Wallacea...
,
chiffchaffThe Common Chiffchaff, or simply the Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita, is a common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds in open woodlands throughout northern and temperate Europe and Asia....
and
hen harrierThe Hen Harrier or Northern Harrier is a bird of prey. It breeds throughout the northern parts of the northern hemisphere in Canada and the northernmost USA, and in northern Eurasia. This species is polytypic, with two subspecies. Marsh Hawk is a disused name for the American form.It migrates to...
along with invertebrates and bats. There are also many frogs and spawn in early summer.
Facilities and accommodation
The main shopping areas are The Village Walk, a small shopping arcade and Avondale Court, both off Avondale Road, Main Road and Port Jack. A house on the Whitebridge Road at one time had its own (private)
miniature railwayThe Whitebridge Miniature Railway was a small garden "ride-on" line in Onchan in the Isle of Man; it was well-known locally but never made publicly accessible and very few images of it are in existence...
in its grounds. This was never a public railway. Onchan Community Centre is located off School Road with a community hall, sports hall, games room and committee room.
There are a number of hotels and guest houses in the village and the Glen Dhoo and Lower Ballacottier campsites. DHSOB FC operate a campsite each year during the annual
Isle of Man TTThe Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motor-cycle race in the world...
motorcycle racing.
Societies
Onchan Silver BandThe 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...
is a community-based fourth section
brass bandA British-style brass band is a musical ensemble comprising a standardised range of brass and percussion instruments. The modern form of the brass band in the United Kingdom dates back to the 19th century, with a vibrant tradition of competition based around local industry and communities...
. It was founded in 1937.
External links