
A step pyramid, on the Isle of Man ?
A step pyramid, on the Isle of Man ?
Keep off the grass.
Tynwald Hill, with St John’s church spire behind.
Taken 25th August 2003: The hill viewed from the direction of the Ballaharra Stones.
Taken 25th August 2003: This uninspiring photo shows the hill, viewed from the east, with Louise and Alfie for scale.
The poles to the left and right are flag-poles, lining the path that connects the hill with the church. The pole in the middle is both a flag pole and a tent pole, used support an awning to shelter dignitaries at the Tynwald assemblies.
The Isle of Man has been continually let down by the British Government in its pursuit of world heritage status for Tynwald Hill, a member of the Tynwald House of Keys (MHK) has claimed. Martyn Quayle made the statement in Tynwald as he called for action to be taken to gain international recognition for the St John’s site, the hill which has been a focus for activities for nearly 4,000 years.
Mr Quayle said the site was first put forward as a site deserving world heritage status in 1984 when other sites, including the Laxey Wheel, were also considered. But it was not included in a list of sites favoured by the UK Government.
The motion on initiate action in gaining recognition for the site was passed unanimously. How it will be achieved has not been determined although members agreed the importance of the site to the people of the Island and its preservation is of more significance than the recognition of third parties.
Source: Isle of Man Online (12 December 2003)
Visited 25th August 2003: Tynwald Hill is smaller than I’d expected. It doesn’t look like a prehistoric mound, largely because of the terracing that runs up it, and the staircase built into the eastern side. Is it prehistoric? I’m not sure that this particullar site it is, but perhaps the parliamentary customs that surround it started off at a similar Bronze Age mound nearby (a cist was discovered).
As well as the hill, it’s worth visiting the Royal Chapel of St. John (which is very modern) and Ballaharra Stones, just opposite.
The name Tynwald is derived from the old Norse ‘Thing-wald’ – ‘Assembly Field‘
There’s some debate as to how old Tynwald Hill is, and what it originally represented. The web site Isleofman.com has this to say about the origins of the hill:
The mound is nowadays thought originally to have been a burial mound of the Bronze Age. Similar sites were found throughout the Scandinavian lands and are said to have been raised as altars to the god Thor. From religious sites they developed into places where people of a community gathered together.
The hill has never been excavated, so nobody really knows. A burial cist was discovered near Tynwald Hill (50 yards to the north) and some people believe that this (not the existing hill) represents the site of a mound, which was re-used as the original parliamentary meeting place. Presumably this theory places the existing hill within the Viking period.
This page contains photos of the hill ‘in use’ and a description of how it is used ceremonially.