Prior to 1821, the House of Keys had no official home, but met first at Castle Rushen, and later at the Bishop of Sodor and Man's library in Castletown.

After criticism from a Royal Commission, plans were drawn up for a new meeting house for the Keys in 1813, but after concerns about the cost, they were redrawn and approved in 1819.

At that time, the members met irregularly at Castle Rushen, when called upon by either the Lord of Mann or one of his Deemsters to help with legal and taxation issues.

[3] The Keys continued to meet at Castle Rushen until 1710, when they moved to Thomas Wilson's (the Bishop of Sodor and Man) library in Castletown.

Late in the 18th century they still met in the library, of which a Royal Commission reported that "...the Keys assemble in a mean decayed building little more than sufficient to contain the number which they consist.

"[4] Over twenty years after the Royal Commission's damning report on the state of the library in which the Keys met, the 4th Duke of Atholl, the Governor of the Isle of Man, instructed Thomas Brine, the Clerk of Works for public buildings, to cost and draw up plans for a new House of Keys.

These plans were rejected by the British Home Department and Treasury as too expensive, and despite repeated demands for a new meeting place, the proposal was put on hold.

[5] The new plans were agreed upon by all concerned, but there continued to be disagreements between the British Treasury department and the Keys over how to fund the project.

The external appearance of the building was described as bland and "more like that of a small country villa, or village jail, than a Senate House.

Until 1866, the Keys were a self-elected body, but following pressure from the public, most notably Isle of Man Times editor James Brown,[6] the House agreed to be elected by popular vote.