"We met first at Peel Methodist Church, where one or two items of business were dealt with, and then proceeded first to Poortown, where the quaint ruins of an old Primitive Methodist Chapel can be seen, situated on the ancient highway which runs from Poortown to the Tynwald Mills area at St. John's." ~ (From the minutes of the May 1984 meeting of the Manx Methodist Historical Society.)

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POOR TOWN, ST. JOHN'S
AND THE ISLE OF MAN

~

We all know that Norfolk and Suffolk in Virginia were named for cities in Old England. And we know that Bertie County's Colerain was named for the City of Coleraine in Northern Ireland (Ulster).

Now we find a name link between Hertford County's Poor Town and Saint Johns ~ and the Island of Man.

The following excerpts were compiled by James D. Pearce from the "Manx Methodist Historical Society Newsletter 1" published in 1984.

"Manx" is the locals' name for the Island of Man, which is situated in the Irish Sea, equidistant from Ireland, Ulster, Scotland, England and Wales.

~
An Editorial

Manx Methodist Historical Society - First 14 Years

Methodism came to the Island over 200 years ago, the Historical Society is about 14 years old, and this (we think) is the first Newsletter - so we say 'hello' to old friends, and welcome to new ones.

It was on October 18th, 1970, that a group of Methodists met at Trinity Church, Douglas, encouraged by Rev. Henry Wilkinson, to discuss the formation of the Society. The first activity as a Society was in April, 1971 - a guided tour by Mr. Leighton Stowell, which included a visit to 'Butcher's Beach' at Derbyhaven, and to the White Stone by the Magnetic Mile, where Wesley is said to have preached.

The Society's first Annual General meeting was held in the Victoria Street Schoolroom. on October 30th 1971, when Mrs. Norah Wilson gave an account of the Dorcas Society. Miss Ann Harrison was appointed the Methodist Archivist at that meeting.

To commemorate the visit of John Wesley to the Island in 1777, Mr. Frank Cowin, Mr. Cecil McFee, and Mr. Arthur Craine arranged for a special issue of stamps from the Post Office. A plaque was unveiled in Castletown Square where Wesley preached, and the short service that included that ceremony was conducted by Rev. Ron Pearce, Chairman of the District.

The Society is now planning a complete history of Methodism in the Isle of Man - and this is where we need your help. Any reminiscences or documents that you think might be helpful, we would be grateful to know about. If you would like to Join the Society you will find an application form on the back page. Please help to circulate this Newsletter, and make our activities more widely known.

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Spring Meeting - May 1984

One Saturday in May a convoy of cars could be seen traveling round the Peel area - it was the Manx Methodist Historical Society on its spring outing.

We met first at Peel Methodist Church, where one or two items of business were dealt with, and then proceeded first to Poortown, where the quaint ruins of an old Primitive Methodist Chapel can be seen, situated on the ancient highway which runs from Poortown to the Tynwald Mills area at St. John's. Its architectural features are maintained by the symmetrical archways of the ruins, and it could well be considered as a historic building to be 'listed.'

Why the Primitive Methodists should decide to build a chapel in what appears to be an isolated spot where there is no evidence of a village, was the question every one was asking. Mr. Fred Palmer indicated that the name is a corruption of a Dutch name - that of a Dutch man [Kneen has 'De la Poer'] who lived in the area and who had a scheme to build a village there. It was in anticipation of that, that the Primitives built their chapel. The village never materialised, but there was a worshipping community, who maintained Poortown for many years. (End of excerpts from the newsletter.)

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THE HAMLETS ON THE ISLE OF MAN

According to Frances Coakley, University of Surrey, Guilford, Isle of Man, their "Poortown" has approximately 100 people and their Saint John's has around 1,000 (on a good day).

But their Saint John's is historically important as the site of the last open-air parliament ~ or "Tynwald" ~ held on midsummer's day (c. 1752). The word "Tynwald" is from the Norse and, and the parliament was identical to the Icelandic open-air parliament, which ceased in the 1720s.

Saint John's (Isle of Man) has records dating from 1420 A.D. and the village was old then (probably as far back as the 10th and 11th centuries A.D.)

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Ruins of the Poortown Primitive Methodist Chapel
on the Isle of Man

The people dispersed after the closing of a nearby quarry,
and the old church on the Poortown Road fell into ruins.

(Photo courtesy Isle of Man website.)