The Nunnery

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The Nunnery is an estate outside Douglas on the Isle of Man, named after a religious foundation on the site, at grid reference SC372754.

The Priory of Douglas was a Cistercian foundation, possibly dating from the 12th century and known to have been in existence by 1313 when it was visited by Robert Bruce. It may have been dedicated to St Brigid (St Bridget's Chapel is the current name for one of the few remaining buildings) although a dedication to St Mary would have been more usual. Its Prioress was an important Baron in the island, holding her own courts. The Priory was suppressed by Henry VIII in 1540 and granted to Thomas Hungate.

The buildings were acquired by Richard Calcot, Comptroller of the Isle of Man, who is said to have married the ex-Prioress. The family occupied a house on the site before selling it to the Taubmans in 1776. A new house was built for John Taubman in 1823 by John Pinch Junior, of Bath, in the "Strawberry Hill gothic" style. St Bridget's Chapel remained as a coachhouse and was restored in the 1880's.

The house remained in the possession of the Tabuman/Goldie family: George Taubman Goldie was born here in 1846.

The estate became the Isle of Man International Business School in 1999.

[edit] Trivia

The estate has been the location for several films, including Stiff Upper Lips, Relative Values, Cromophobia and Stormbreaker. It was also owned for a number of years by Robert Sangster, the racehorse owner and of Vernons Pools.

The Nunnery Estate comprised of a Mill House, that was renamed The Dolls House, which fell into private ownership in 1992. This was repurchased, to return to the Nunnery Estate prior to the Isle of Man Government converting the property into the Business Centre.

[edit] References

David E. Easson, Medieval Religious Houses (Scotland), with an Appendix on the Houses in the Isle of Man (1957).
Ian B. Cowan, David E. Easson, Medieval Religious Houses (Scotland), 2nd ed. (1976). ISBN 0-582-12069-1.