Eary Cushlin

Eary Cushylin is a little-known area of the Manx coastline that truly astounds. It’s beautiful rolling landscape and views of the jagged, dramatic, south-western cliffs have inspired many an artist, poet and musician. The area is located just south of Niarbyl and just north of Cronk ny Arrey Laa.

About

The area itself comprises of numerous Raad Ny Foillans around the headland, one of which leads south along the coast line to the ancient ruins of one the first sites of Christianity on the island. These ruins are referred to as Keeils in Manx and can be found all over the island. One particularly good website named Keels and Cake (https://manxkeeills.wordpress.com/) explores each and every Keeil on the island.

History

The famous Eary Cushylin house shown in this articles’ pictures was first built and inhabited by famous Manx recluse Colby Cubbon. Cubbon had well-known eccentric tendencies and originally purchased the land believing that it would be safe from German Luftwaffe Bombing Raids during WWII. However, only two German bombs fell on the island over the whole duration of the war, ironically one of these landed less than a thousand feet from Cubbon’s abode. Cubbon donated the house to Manx governments Department of Education where it was used for a number of years by various Manx secondary schools as part of outdoor enrichment programs. The house was then passed over to Manx National Heritage who decadently refurbished the house to a very high standard, and now rent the house out as self-catering holiday accommodation. The house itself has also been used as a principle filming location by director John Fawcett in 2005 British-German horror film ‘The Dark’.

Family History

My family has been closely entwined with the area and its history for over 70 years. As a child, my grandmother spent many idle hours here with her father exploring the headland and beaches. Later in her life she also took her own children to the area frequently, often staying at the house for family holidays. Both my father and my grandmother have took me there countless times during my childhood, one of my siblings even had a birthday party at the house one year. As time took its toll on the family, the area has seen the ashes of my grandfather and great-grandmother scattered there. To this day, whenever I am on the island, it is a place I visit to think and reflect, and of course, also explore…

— Juan Shimmin