LARGEST - known Megalithic tomb on the Isle of Man - Minorca, Laxey, Isle of Man - Superlatives on Waymarking.com

The largest known Megalithic tomb on the Island and is located in the garden of a private cottage. The Cairn (a conical heap of stones built as a monument or a landmark) grave is made of coloured sandstone with a forecourt of 12 metres across and 4 metres deep. It contains three chambers once filled with burials. When excavated only one burial and bowl survived.

King Orry was also known as King Godred of Crovan a well known Manx legend. He took control of the Isle of Man and many of the islands between it and Norway, in 1079 after the Battle of Skyhill. To honour him, many monuments were named after him, but there is no connection between this historical figure and these prehistoric remains.

King Orry is one of the Kings depicted in a statue situated in the grounds of the Old Courthouse in Ramsey.

"In 1953 the eastern part of the site was subject to an archaeological dig and investigation. The western site remained hidden by the garden of a private cottage till the Manx National Heritage acquired the listed monument. It is believed from records over 200 years old that the two sites were once connected, but with the building of roads and houses this is difficult to prove. The complete site now has public paths, maintained landscape, and information signs."

"These are the remains of two prehistoric chambered tombs. King Orry’s Grave was built by farmers about 5000 years ago, who were able to devote spare time and resources to the construction of these tombs in remembrance of their ancestors. The tombs consisted of a line of stone-built chambers buried under a cairn of earth and stones.

Across the road and behind Gretch Lea Cottage is the other tomb, where the two parts of the graves were all connected, but clear evidence for this has been complicated by the construction of the houses and roads."

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Type of documentation of superlative status: LARGEST - known Megalithic tomb on the Isle of Man Location of coordinates: Land owned by Manx National Heritage Web Site: [Web Link]

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