07-Mar-2026
Archibald Knox again (1864-1933). Manx artist and designer extraordinaire.
A couple of weeks ago, we visited the grave. Today the objective was the birthplace (although I didn't find out exactly which house it was until after the trip).
Brilliant walk, that you can do right from our door:
A tad muddy up here...
But the views are FANTASTIC
I wonder who lived here... They had a good outlook...
On down to Union Mills
And back up to The Strang. The weather wasn't actually as boding as it looks. The Isle of Man does a good line in skyscapes
Pop into the cafe at the Roundhouse community centre (the latte tastes like good old-fashioned milky coffee, and is served piping hot)
Cross the pleasant hospital grounds, hoping you never have to return in anger
And take in some of the Millennium Oakwood, planted in March 2000. The sculpture represents the solar system, and features a replica of the Manx Sword of State
And then you reach Cronkbourne Village, your actual objective.
It's an interesting project in its own right. There are various accounts out and about on the internet, but I'm going to plump for the one given by the Archibald Knox Forum:
Built in the 1840s, the Village was designed to house workers employed in William F. Moore’s sailmaking factory in Tromode. If you leave aside the mining industry, it was probably the only such housing settlement for workers on the Isle of Man, and it predated kindred examples such as Port Sunlight and Bourneville across the water.
The architect was Ewan Christian. One of the Milntown Christians, he was a brother-in-law of W.F. Moore, and over the course of his life achieved renown for many building projects, most notably the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Approaching the Village
Archibald Knox’s father, William, came from Scotland in the 1850s. He must have worked for Moore, as that was the only way to come by a residence in Cronkbourne Village. By 1861 Moore employed at least 150 people, and William Knox is down on the census return as a Herring Net Machinist, so nets must also have been part of the factory's remit.
It sounds like a hard life: "Work was 6 days per week. 6am to 7pm Mon to Fri with 35 mins for breakfast and 45 mins for dinner. Saturday 6am to 5pm. So total work time 68 hours per week and away from family 76 hours per week... Strict rules were enforced by the company and everybody was expected to attend church on Sunday."
Archibald was the fourth son; after him came another son, and two daughters.
Knox's birthplace was probably the third house from the top of this row
The Old School House, formerly the centre of village life, and provider of free education long before it became compulsory to do so
And then you continue your loop down through Braddan New Cemetery, where daffodils have now replaced the snowdrops of a few weeks ago:
The monument to Henry Bloom Noble, a noted Island philanthropist
Such a great day for a walk...
And here's a different view of Braddan Old Church before we start the climb home...