The Nunnery Estate
- Emma Butler
- Mar 28
- 4 min read
The Nunnery, just outside of Douglas, is a place I've often heard of and used as a landmark but never visited. Having recently attended a course there, I was impressed by the beautiful features of the building and the very peaceful, wooded grounds. The visit raised a few questions for me though. Why exactly is it called The Nunnery (I assumed nuns were involved) and what was it's history between then and it becoming the training and event venue that I've always known? Many of you who live on the Island probably know this history already, but for those who don't, here's what I found...
The Nunnery is considered of great historical significance and has a possible date for its founding of the 6th Century. This was allegedly by St Bridget of Kildare, the first Abbess, although the more commonly accepted theory is its founding by Aufrica, the daughter of Godred Crovan, King of Man. Whatever the truth, both point to a very early establishment on the Island.
The Chapel of St Bridget is considered the only existing remains of the original establishment, with parts of its structure dating back to the 12th or 13th Century. It is described as a survivor of the pre-Dissolution presence of a Cistercian religious house on the Isle of Man. An inquisition summary from 1515, described it as Cistercian and cast doubt on the early dedication to St Bridget, as Cistercian establishments were typically dedicated to St Mary.
Like other monastic establishments on the Isle of Man, the Nunnery was suppressed by Henry VIII as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This occurred in 1540 when it was recorded there were only three nuns and the Prioress Margaret Goodman. Following its dissolution, the property was granted to Thomas Hungate and later acquired by Richard Calcot, whose descendants, the Heywoods, occupied a house on the site before selling it to the Taubmans in 1776, marking its firm establishment as a private estate.
The present distinguished Mansion House, situated in the heart of the estate within formal gardens and parkland, was originally built in 1823. It has undergone numerous additions and alterations over the centuries. The interior is noted for its exceptional joinery-work, plaster work, and fire surrounds, which are considered comparatively rare within the Manx architectural context. The fire surrounds really caught my eye while I was there and can be seen in one of the pictures in this estate agent brochure https://www.blackgracecowley.com/property/the-nunnery-old-castletown-road-douglas/
They're easy to walk past when you're preoccupied, but make sure you take a closer look if you're ever there.
Beyond the Mansion House and the Chapel, the estate includes several other structures of interest. The Stables Building, a two-storey structure around a courtyard, features significant red Peel sandstone details and now serves as office space. The East Gate & Lodge, designed in the Gothic Revival style, is considered the best example of a substantial gatehouse on the Isle of Man. The West Gate & Lodge, dating to 1833 with distinctive red sandstone gate posts bearing features from the Taubman coat of arms, was restored after a traffic accident. St Bridget’s Well, once used for baptismal purposes, was restored in 1910 but has since suffered damage.
Several prominent families have shaped the Nunnery's history as a private estate. The Calcots were early owners after the dissolution. The Heywoods then occupied a house on the site. In 1776, the Taubman family acquired the estate, followed by the Goldie family. The marriage between General Alexander John Goldie and the daughter and heiress of Major Taubman led to the eventual combined name of Goldie-Taubman, a family generally associated with the Nunnery in the 19th century. Numerous monuments to this family still exist within the grounds.
It was the grounds that I particularly enjoyed when I visited. I was going to be spending several hours in a training room each day and the commuting in heavy traffic to and from Ramsey, so the short walk in the woods between the car park and the mansion building were welcome.
I photographed this tree in January 2025, just before a large storm hit the Island. I was relieved to find it remained when I visited again, a couple of weeks later, although other trees had not fared so well.
The Nunnery is now run by the International Centre for Technology Ltd and provides office space and venue hire. University College Isle of Man have been running courses from the Nunnery for many years but it was announced in March that this will cease at the end of this academic year. UCM stated that students will have greater access to services at the main UCM campus, although I know many will have preferred the green and tranquil grounds of The Nunnery.
I was going to draw the lovely tree in the photo above for this blog post, although time has got away from me this week. I'll spend a bit of time drawing over the weekend and post the result on my social media feeds.
Until next time,
Emma
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