Ward & Lock's descriptive and pictorial guide to the Isle of Man ...

—Kirk Michael. 139who derive great benefit from the pure air and the tranquilpleasure which the beautiful locality offers,There are three places of worship—the parish church(Kirk Michael), a Weslojcm and a Primiiive Mtthodist chapel.The church, one of the largest in the island, was rebuiltchiefly by English contributions, in 1835. It is a handsomebuilding, with a square tower. There are seven Kunicmonuments in the churchyard. Opposite the principal doorof the church is a tall stone, with sculpturtMl ligures representinga stag-hunt, and an inscription which has beendeciphered and understood to imply that " Joalf, son ofThorold the Red, erected this cross to his mother Frida."The cross was dug up in the ^-icar's glebe, in the latter partof the last centuiy. Partly embedded in the wall on thenorth side of the gate is a cross bearing the effigy of a harper,two men carrpng weapons, a dog and a stag. The inscriptionhas affoi'ded a considerable puzzle to the island archaeologists,the characters differing from those in use on other monuments.Translations, however, have been achieved by the laboursof Mr. Kneale and Professor Miincli, of Christiana, andperhaps the ordinary visitor will be satisfied to know that" Mai Lumkun and the daughter of Lufkul the Keen, whomAthisi had to wife, raisetl this cross to Malmor, his fosterfather."There is an island tradition tliat two brothers,]\Ialmor and Lufkal (or Dugall) fell in a fight at TyuwaldHill, in 1238, and it is possible that the memorial may havehad some connection with the event. A cross, with reallyelegant ornamentation of knotwork, is on the south side oftlie church gate, and bears an inscription, Avhich has a personalinterest, and perhaps served as an advertisement (if such athing was known in the happy primitive times) for the monumentalmasons of the period. It is to the eft'ect that'' JMailbrigd, son of Athakan the smith, erected this crossfor his soul : but his kinsman Gaut made this cross and allin Man." Gaut was evidently an industrious man, possessingno inconsiderable amount of artistic taste. Isear Bishop"Wilson's tomb, in the churchyard, is another cross witliremarkable dragon-shaped animals with knotted tails.Besides Bishop Wilson, two later bishops of the island, Drs.Hildesley and Cregan, are buried in the churchyard. Thelast restmg-place of the venerable and good ^yilson bearsthis record :"Sleeping in Jesus, here lieththe body of Thomas Wilson, D.D., Lord Bishopof the Isle, who died March 7, 1755, aged 93, in the 58th year of his consecration.This monument was erected by Ids §on Thomas Wils'ju, D.D., a native uf