Hear ye hear ye tales of Malew a parish steeped in history. Malew is one of seventeen parishes on the Isle of Man. It sits proudly in the south of the island part of the Rushen sheading.
Imagine a place where the past whispers through the ages. This is Malew. This small parish has a rich history. It’s named after Saint Malew or Saint Moluag a Celtic saint whose feast day is June 25th. His story is interwoven with Malew’s own. This land carries the echoes of centuries.
Malew stretches from the dramatic Langness Peninsula and Scarlett all the way up to Foxdale. It’s a diverse landscape. It boasts both Ronaldsway and Balthane industrial estates. The Isle of Man Airport sits within its boundaries. Its geography is varied. The northern part is hilly and home to South Barrule. South Barrule is the highest point in the south of the island reaching a height of 1585 feet. The southern area is low and undulating. The Silver Burn river snakes through this landscape. It flows under Monks Bridge at Ballasalla before reaching the sea.
The coastline is stunning yet treacherous. Castletown Bay is a deep inlet. It’s also exposed and dangerous between Langness and Scarlett. The headlands are impressive. Dreswick Point and Langness Point mark the southern extremities of the Langness Peninsula. Scarlett Point a conical mass of basalt adds to its beauty. St Michael’s Isle sits at Langness’s northern end.
Agriculture has long been the lifeblood of Malew. Near Ballasalla stand the ruins of Rushen Abbey. Founded in 1098 it was dissolved late in Elizabeth I’s reign. Nearby is the ancient Monks Bridge. This packhorse bridge over the Silver Burn is too narrow for modern vehicles. Derbyhaven a tiny hamlet boasts a natural harbor. It’s protected by a small breakwater. St Mark’s a small agricultural village. It’s nestled around a chapel of ease in the north. Malew’s unique blend of nature industry and history makes it unforgettable.
The parish has a population of around 2167 people a slight decrease from 2385 in 2011. It was once home to Manx Airlines. Its head office was at the Isle of Man Airport. BA Connect once had an engineering base at Ronaldsway employing 110 people. Flybe’s acquisition of BA Connect led to the base’s closure.
So next time you visit the Isle of Man remember Malew. Remember its history its landscape its people. Remember the stories it whispers on the wind. This is Malew a place where the past present and future intertwine.