From the Visit Isle of Man web-site:
'St Patrick's Church, Jurby has stood a bare 200 years, a landmark from sea, land and air. Where the War Memorial now stands was once a church dating from the beginning of the 13th Century, traditionally built on the site of an early Christian keeill, itself constructed on an an ancient pagan burial ground dating back thousands of years. It was through St Patrick that the Christian faith was first taught to the Manx people and it was said that St Patrick first landed in Man at Jurby Head. Jurby has a rich Viking heritage with a string of burial mounds along the coast, two of which were excavated with the contents of the graves now at the Manx Museum. A Viking burial mound remains in Jurby Churchyard and from it can be seen another mound Cronk-ny-Arrey Lhaa, which could be a Viking mound or may date back to late Neolithic times. As well as some simple Early Christian Manx Crosses in the church porch there are also cross slabs from the 10th Century, including the beautiful Heimdall Cross. From the Old Church came the oldest piece of church silver on the Island, the beautiful pre- Reformation Jurby Chalice. A replica was made for Jurby Church after the original was sold to the Manx Museum. The wall plaques and stained glass windows dedicated to the Farrant family illustrate the signiifance of the family in the history of Jurby Church. The War Memorial at the church gate and the rows of War Graves in the churchyard remember the Jurby men who died in two world wars and those who died in accidents from RAF Jurby. Jurby Church has been described as a magical place with some of the best views on the Island. Exhibitions where tea and Jurby cake are served take place in the summer months.'
St. Patrick's is part of the Parish of The Northern Plain and is one of six churches in this Parish the others being St Mary de Ballaugh; Ballaugh Old Church: St Andrew, Andreas; St Jude, St. Judes; and St Stephen, Sulby.
Construction of the present church commenced in 1813 and was completed in 1817, although the Church was not consecrated until 1829. The porch to the north of the Church was added in 1940 and now contains a selection of some of the Celtic Crosses found on the Isle of Man.
The present church was built on the site of an older Church which it seems likely was built on the site of a Keeill. The Old Church probably dated from the beginning of the thirteenth century and was only 60ft by 14 ft.
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source: 'Isle of Man History at Jurby Church' by Sandra Kerrison for the Friends of Jurby Church
source: 'An Introduction to the Architecture of the Isle of Man' by Patricia Tutt (ISBN:978-1-907945-10-6)
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visit link)
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