MANX LOTTERY TRUST HELPS FUND NEW DISPLAY AREA FOR MANX CROSSES AT MALEW CHURCH

The historic collection of Manx Crosses and carved stones in Malew Church is to be made more accessible in a new display project being run by the Friends of Malew Church, supported by the Manx Lottery Trust.

Currently the stones are located inaccessibly at the back of the gallery above the main nave. As part of a £23,000 project to which Manx Lottery Trust granted £16,310, the stones will be relocated to an area at the end of the North Transept. To achieve this, two pews will be removed to create an attractive area in which to display the cross and stones to good effect.

All the stones predate the present building and set the Malew timeline back to the distant past. They include the Sigurd Slab, two grave markers and another cross with similar markings to St Patrick’s chair, also in the south of the Island, near Crosby. The stones are scheduled ancient monuments and Manx National Heritage, as custodians, have given consent to the stones being moved and agreed to supervise the necessary work in moving and re-presenting the stones.

President of the Friends of Malew Church, Simon Riggall, said: ‘We are very grateful to Manx National Heritage for its permission to move the stones and to the Manx Lottery Trust for financial support. In recent years we have seen interest in the cross and carved stones increasing. So, to make it easier to view them, a more accessible and appropriate display area will make a big difference. We hope work will be completed by 4 September 2020’.

Manx Lottery Trust Chairman Sarah Kelly added: ‘The Manx Crosses and carved stones are all part of our Manx heritage and we were pleased to be able to help increase accessibility to these interesting and important artefacts from the Island’s history.’