Kirk St Ann or Kirk Santon, Isle of Man

Historical Description

Kirk St Ann or Kirk Santon, a parish in the S of the Isle of Man, 3f miles SE of Castletown. It has a post office of the name of St Ann (S.O.) Acreage, 4250; population, 510. Two eminences near the coast have altitudes of 306 and 392 feet, and Mount Murray, in the extreme N, of 714 feet. A stone circle is on one of the coast eminences, at a height of 300 feet above sea-level, and commands a fine view of the southern section of the island. Another stone circle is 1½ mile farther NE. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Sodor and Man; gross value,, £150 with residence. Patron, the Crown. A great stone in the churchyard covers the graves of six clergymen of the name of Cosnahan, four of whom were successive vicars of the parish; and a fine granite tombstone covers the grave of a student of King William's College, who was killed by a fall over a neighbouring sea-cliff. The church is dedicated to St Sanctain or Sanctan, and the parish used to be called Santan, of which it seems St Ann and Santon are corruptions.