Meayll Circle

Meayll Circle, sometimes known as Mull Circle is located on Meayll/Mull Hill (Manx: Cronk Meayll) close to the village of Cregneash in the south of the Isle of Man. This unique archaeological monument was built around 3500 BC. There are some monuments in Wales, Scotland and Ireland which share similar characteristics, but none have the same combination of short passages leading to paired cists in a circular arrangement. The monument consists of twelve burial chambers placed in a near circle, with six entrance passages each leading into a pair of chambers. Sherds of ornate pottery, charred bones, flint tools and white quartz pebbles have been found in the burial chambers which can be seen at the Manx Museum (Manx: Thie Tashtee Vannin). In the centre of the circle is a large quartz boulder. 

We just could not get enough of this site and came back to visit it on a number of occasions. There is a certain atmosphere here that gives it a special quality. Touching the stones that make up the monument gives a feeling of connection with the ancient people who felt the spiritual motivation to venerate this location. As the sun went down over the headland below the site it cast a light directly through the circle. While at the same time the mountains of Ireland were silhouetted in the background west across the Irish Sea. Magical and mysterious.

How to get to Meayll Circle

Close to the Ballnahowe Road between Port Erin and Cregneash and marked with a green plaque.

• By car - Follow the A31 from Port St Mary to Cregneash and Ballnahowe Road to Port Erin. The site is up a hill on the right.
• By bus - The no. 1 bus route from Douglas, Castletown, Port Erin or Port St Mary to Cregneash. From Cregneash approximately a half a mile walk along Ballnahowe Road.
• By rail - Take the Steam Railway to Port St Mary. Then walk into Port St Mary and on to Cregneash or take the bus route no. 1.