Onchan
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Onchan (pronounced onk-an), is a village (Manx: Kione Droghad – Bridge End) and parish (Manx: Connaghyn – Kirk Conchan) in the Isle of Man. Although administratively a village, it has the second largest population on the island, after Douglas, which it forms a conurbation with. Its population is 8,803 according to the 2001 census. It is also a House of Keys constituency, electing three MHKs.
In Manx the parish and the village have different names. The name for the parish is Connaghyn (Kirk Conchan) and for the village is Kione Droghad (Bridge End).
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[edit] Parish
Onchan (formerly known as Kirk Conchan, as it was dedicated to St. Conchan) is situated on a headland to the north of Douglas, and has good views over Douglas Bay. The parish stretches from Cairn Gerjoil and Port Groudle to the town of Douglas; and from the River Glass and the East Baldwin Valley to the Irish Sea.
The coastline comprises the northern part of Douglas Bay and the Banks' Howe headland (which is 120 m high). The highest peak in the parish is Slieau Ree, at 316 m.
The parish is agricultural in nature and has only one centre of population, Onchan village. Apart from the hilly region in the north west, it is a fertile and well-cultivated district and also contains, along the hillside nearest Douglas, country villas. Onchan also is home to several large reservoirs that form part of the water supply to Douglas and the surrounding villages.
The parish has three national glens - Molly Quirk's Glen, Groudle Glen and Bibaloe Walk, which end at Groudle Beach, where there is holiday accommodation. The Groudle Glen Railway line runs along the coast line from Lhen Coan to the Headland and then on to the terminus at Sea Lion Rocks where passengers can alight and see the remains of the Victorian Zoo which until World War II used to house sea lions and polar bears.
As with the other parishes on the island, Onchan can be subdivided into Treens (areas of land bounded by natural formations such as rivers). Onchan contains, according to the 1511 Manorial Roll, the following treens:
- Slekby
- Alia-Begod
- Begod (now Bygoad)
- Byballo (now Bibaloe)
- Hawstrake (now Howstrake)
- Horaldre
- Tremsare
- Tremott
- Douglas
[edit] The Church
The current parish church was built in 1833 by John Samuel Skillicorn. It was dedicated at that time to Saint Peter. The church replaced the damaged and dangerous old church, which was condemned in 1771. However, nothing was done to build the new church until Bishop Ward, famous for his church building, commissioned a design from John Welch. 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 the first on the island to be lit be electricity, which was done in 1897 to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria and was supplied by the Isle of Man Tramways and Power Company.
[edit] Village
Onchan is now principally a dormitory village, providing homes for workers in nearby Douglas. It has two primary schools and most students in the village go to Douglas for high school. The village contains many shops (including the 'Onchan Village Walk', a small shopping arcade) and a leisure park (Onchan Pleasure Park) which boasts a boating lake, mini golf course, football pitch, tennis courts and a stock-car racing(BriSCA) track. A house on the Whitebridge Road at one time had its own (private) miniature railway in its grounds. This was never a public railway.
Some items of note about Onchan are that Lower Onchan, around the Port Jack area, was the first area on the island to have electric-powered street lighting, thanks to the generators of the Manx Electric Railway based there in the early 1900s. The Onchan Silver Band was founded in 1937 and still plays to this day.
[edit] Onchan Wetlands
The Onchan Wetlands Manx: Curragh Kiondroghad is a one-acre reserve 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 boardwalk 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/trees that grow there are silver birch, ash, holly, rowan, marsh marigold, yellow flag, reed canary grass, hemlock water-dropwort, woody nightshade and cuckoo flower. Also, among the wide variety of birds that on the site are the grey wagtail, goldcrest, woodcock, chiffchaff and hen harrier along with invertebrates and bats. There are also many frogs and spawn in early summer.
[edit] References
- Manxnotebook - Onchan with full description of the parish
- Isle of Man Building Control Districts showing parish boundaries
- Glenology - Manx Glens. An ongoing study of Manx glens, their locations and meanings.
[edit] MHKs & Elections
| Year | Election | Turnout | Candidates | Elected | Notes |
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| 1986 |
General Election |
67.2% |
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| 1988 |
By Election |
48.7% |
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| 1991 |
General Election |
66.9% |
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| 1994 |
By Election |
44.7% |
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Called following the elevation to the LegCo of George Waft MLC. |
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| 1996 |
General Election |
57.8% |
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| 1998 |
By Election |
? |
Called following the elevation to the LegCo of Ray Kniveton. |
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| 2001 |
General Election |
57% |
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| 2006 |
General Election |
60.8% |
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[edit] External links
- Out and about in Onchan
- The Isle of Man Guide
- A Manx Notebook
- St. Peter's Church, Onchan
- GeoHive Census 2001 Information
- Curragh Kiondroghad, Manx Wildlife Trust
- The Official Site Of Onchan Silver Band
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