Lost in time is Agneash. It is a small village with a big history. Are you ready to explore?
Agneash sits north of Laxey in the Laxey River valley. The area’s geology is part of the Creg Agneash Formation. This formation came from medium-concentration turbidity currents. These currents punctuated low-concentration events.
Agneash was once known as Hegness. Locals called it “The City”. An early Christian church once stood here. Lintel graves were found in the nearby field. Many were shallow. Ploughing removed the top stones.
Agneash Primitive Methodist Chapel opened in 1857. James Clague donated the land. The Oliver family ran it for decades. Preacher John Oliver died in the Snaefell Mines disaster of 1897. Benjamin and Elijah Oliver, with John Nelson Clague, moved to England. Agneash joined the Douglas circuit in 1981.
Mining shaped Agneash’s story. The Lady Isabella waterwheel is close by. It helped mine Engine Shaft after 1854. The wheel got its name from the governor’s wife. Lead ore output exceeded 1,000 tons in 1864. It stayed above that until 1892. Welsh Shaft was also mined here.
Mining operations had dangerous conditions. A woman disappeared one evening. She fell into an old mine shaft. She was found 35 fathoms below.
An ancient fair ground or market place was near the Keeill. People sold wool and flax there.
Many fairy tales come from this area. Some say changeling children replaced babies.
Kelly the Fiddery’s house ruins are between Agneash and Snaefell Mines. It once had an extensive garden. It was a shebeen for miners. They went there on their way to and from Snaefell.
Glen Foss or Foewrs was traditionally the site of the Bogane Moar. People told fearsome tales of its doings. The tunnel above the old Flax Mill hid men escaping the press gang. Laggan Dhoo was home to the Phinoderees. They often fought with the boganes.
Prehistoric hut dwellings once stood below Snaefell Mines. They were easily seen in boyhood days.
A disaster struck the Snaefell Mines. Twenty-two men died including some brave rescuers. Carbon monoxide overcame them.
Before the disaster, Capt. Kewley inspected the mines. He heard men struggling on ladders. He reached out but felt nothing. He later helped struggling men on those same ladders.
Agneash offers more than meets the eye. Its history is rich with stories of faith, industry, and folklore. Take a moment to imagine life here long ago. Consider the people who shaped this village. Their stories live on in Agneash’s landscape.