Peel, Isle of Man
Peel (Manx: Purt ny h-Inshey 'port of the Island') is a seaside town[2] and small fishing port in the Isle of Man, in the historic parish of German but administered separately.
An earlier name for the settlement was Holmtown meaning 'UIsland town',
This is the same referent of the Manx name Purt ny h-Inshey 'harbour of the Island', sometimes Balley ny h-Inshey 'town of the Island'; inshey comes from the genitive of a hypothetical Manx *insh 'island' (related to Irish inis) and only appears in toponyms.
[3] Peel is on the west coast of the Isle of Man, on the east side of the mouth of the River Neb.
[9] The last King of Man, Magnús Óláfsson, is recorded in the Chronicle of Mann to have died at Rushen Castle in 1265.
There is evidence of local settlers in the Mesolithic Age on both St Patrick's Isle and the nearby Peel Hill, and Neolithic farmers are believed to have settled in the area.
[12] Norsemen first came to Mann around the year 800, and ruled the Island for four-and-a-half centuries before finally ceding it to the King of Scotland in 1266.
In 1266, as agreed in the Treaty of Perth, Norway's King Magnus VI ceded the Isle of Man to Scotland.
[14] The town of Peel developed on the east bank of the river and the settlement was known as Holmtown until the 17th century.
Later development, apart from the late 19th century guest house building on the sea front, has been inland, away from the coast.
By the time the local councils were established in 1883, the name Peel referred to the town rather than the castle.
The harbour and breakwater were gradually improved, with much of the local income derived from the export of salted herring.
[14] In 1979 Odin's Raven, a replica of a Viking longship, sailed from Norway to Peel to commemorate the millennium of the legendary first sitting of the Isle of Man's Parliament, Tynwald.
[15] In 2005, a new floodgate was installed at Peel to retain the waters of the River Neb and thus enable the moored boats to float at low tide.
[citation needed] Peel has a campsite, swimming pool, tennis courts, BMX track, football ground, golf club, bowling green and various other amenities.
The museum covers the past and present of the Island and houses Odin's Raven, a two-thirds scale replica of a Viking longship which had been built in and sailed from Norway, arriving on 4 July 1979 to celebrate the millennium of the High Court of Tynwald, the legislature of the Isle of Man.
No pagan Viking-age burial in the British Isles has produced grave goods of such high quality.
It runs a programme of films, live concerts (local, British, and international acts), and other community events.
The former railway line is now a footpath and cycleway:[24][25] the path is close to the main road and leads to St John's, from where it continues to Douglas, the Island's capital.
[26] Peel Harbour is the most active fishing port in the Isle of Man and is also used to import fuel oils.
They play their home games at the Peel FC Football Ground, Douglas Road.
Formed in 1888, they are the most successful club on the Island with 29 league titles and 32 victories in the Manx FA Cup.
[30] Valkyrs Hockey Club play their home matches at the Queen Elizabeth II High School astro turf pitch.
The Raad ny Foillan long distance coastal footpath opened in 1986 runs along the coast through Peel.
It is the cathedral church for the Anglican diocese of Sodor and Man and is located in the centre of the town.
[38] Before Peel Castle was built on St Patrick's Isle, there was an early Celtic Christian religious community.
[38] Peel Elim Community Church holds meetings at the Philip Christian Centre.
There is also another Evangelical church in Peel named Living Hope which is now held in QE2 High School.
It was opened on 5 July 1979 by Queen Elizabeth II, during her visit to the Island to celebrate the millennium of Tynwald, and since then has grown to about 850 pupils with about 50 staff.
After changing sites in the town a number of times, as it grew and developed, it finally moved to Derby Road after World War II and officially opened there in 1953.
