Jurby

Jurby Manx: Jourbee
Isle of Man
The view from Jurby churchyard
	Map showing Jurby
Area:	4,472 acres
Population:	797  2011
Grid reference:	SC371981
Location:	54°21’9"N, 4°30’29"W

Jurby is a parish on the Isle of Man. A rural area, the parish had just 797 residents recorded at the 2011 census. This is one of three parishes of the Michael Sheading (the other two being Ballaugh and Michael).

Apart from the Jurby airfield buildings, there are no significant settlements in the parish.

Geography

It is largely an agricultural district on the north-western coast of the island but also has an industrial park on the old RAF Jurby Airfield.

Jurby borders the parishes of Andreas to the east, Lezayre to the south-east, and Ballaugh to the south.

The parish is low-lying: the highest elevations are some coastal dunes at up to 128 feet.

About the parish

Jurby Airfield

Jurby Airfield was originally used as a Royal Air Force training base in Second World War, as 'RAF Jurby'. During the 1950s it was used as a training camp for Officer cadets on short term commissions in the RAF. The course lasted 3 months. Part is now used as an industrial and retail estate. The old runways and taxiways now form the Jurby motorcycle race track.

The grassland surrounding the airfield harbours a fine range of wildflowers, as the land has never been ploughed. Skylarks can be heard in summer when there are no races on. A large part of the airfield therefore has statutory protection under the Wildlife Act 1990 as an 'Area of Special Scientific Importance'.

Museums

Main article: Jurby Transport Museum

A museum dedicated to transport in the Island, the Jurby Transport Museum, is housed in an old aircraft hangar.

Another museum nearby, the Isle of Man Motor Museum, was officially opened by the Lieutenant Governor on 22 May, 2015.

Church

A tiny 8th century chapel dedicated to St Cecilia (the patron saint of music), was Jurby's first recorded church. St Cecilia's Day on 22 November was the parish festival day. There are several Viking carved crosses and gravestones within the church. Mediæval objects have occasionally been excavated when new graves were prepared in the church grounds.

In the Middle Ages the church was part of the Whithorn diocese, in Galloway. This caused some political trouble when the English and Scots were at war; the Bishop invited the Scottish clergy of Jurby to visit him and was criticised by English authorities for fraternising with the enemy.

The present St. Patrick's Church, Jurby was built during the war with help of RAF Jurby. Its churchyard holds a number of war graves, for British, Commonwealth and Polish servicemen, who died mostly from aircraft training accidents.

The church is set on a headland on the coast and there are dramatic views south to Peel, north to Scotland, and inland across the rural north of the Island, towards the hills. There are also fine sunsets towards Ireland.

Prison

The Isle of Man Prison operated by the Isle of Man Prison Service is located at Jurby.

Parish and treens

The Parish of Jurby is divided into five treens:

1. Sertfell
2. Knoksewell
3. Dalyott
4. Slekby
5. Le Soulby

Pictures

• 
  Jurby Church
• 
  One of the Viking Crosses (J.G.Cumming, 1857)

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Jurby)

• A Manx Notebook: Jurby
• RAF Jurby Airfield on 'Control Towers UK'
• "New Prison". Isle of Man Guide. 6 September 2005. http://www.iomguide.com/news/general-news.php?story=100217. 
• Jurby Church Air Force war graves
• Map of Jurby showing division into treens
• Website of the Isle of Man Motor Museum

References

• Isle of Man Building Control Districts showing parish boundaries
• Glenology - Manx Glens. An ongoing study of Manx glens, their locations and meanings.