Laxey

Village history

In the 19th century, mining for lead and zinc began, becoming the largest industry the village has had. The Great 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.

In the late 1800s the Manx Electric Railway line was built through the village, opening it up to tourists. Various other attractions were built at that time, such as Snaefell Mountain Railway and the Laxey Glen Pleasure Gardens.

Laxey village is now a mainly residential and a tourist area. There are several public gardens, 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 wooded glen with a number of steep winding streets and paths leading to the floor of the glen, from where one can walk by the side of Laxey River to its outflow to the sea at the small harbour, and onto the beach and promenade. One can also walk around the cliffs to the north of the beach from opposite the "La Mona Lisa Restaurant". This walk goes, over the cairn (kern), from where there are views of Clay Head to the south. A Laxey born & bred person would say, "I'm going over the kern for a walk".

Many of Laxey's buildings were built as mining cottages in the traditional Manx style. Old Laxey is made up of winding streets around the harbour. A newer, late Victorian section, further inland, is the area of shops and services around the railway station.

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.

Governance

Historically, Laxey was in the parish of Lonan within the sheading of Garff.

Until 2016, Laxey was a village district with its own commissioners. From 1 May 2016, it merged with the parishes of Lonan and Maughold to form the new parish district of Garff, within which it is a ward.

Laxey is also part of the Keys constituency of Garff, whose representation increased in 2016 from one to two members.

Laxey Wheel

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 feet 6 inches (22.10 m) in diameter and 6 feet (1.83 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.

Laxey Woollen Mills

The Laxey Woollen Mills were founded by John Ruskin 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 Manx Loaghtan wool and woven on traditional-style looms. One loom runs by bicycle power. The mills are now mainly a working shop, but still weave the Manx tartan and other cloth. The Laxey Woollen Mills also contain a busy craft shop, a tearoom, and the Hodgson Loom Gallery, which holds monthly arts and crafts exhibitions.

Laxey Harbour

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.

Transport

Laxey lies on the Manx Electric Railway line, a vintage line which runs for 17 miles along the coast, between Douglas and Ramsey. Laxey station is in the north of the village and is also the southern terminus of the Snaefell Mountain Railway which runs for 5 miles between Laxey and the top of Snaefell mountain. Laxey also has a short section of restored mine railway, which runs on steam this railway is called Great Laxey Mine Railway

Laxey is also on the route of most buses between Douglas and Ramsey.

Religion in Laxey

Laxey had a number of Methodist 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 Glen Road and Minorca 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.

Education

Laxey School is a primary school located on Quarry Road.

Sport

Laxey F.C. who play in the Isle of Man Football League are based at the Laxey Football Ground on Glen Road.

Notable people