Research

Summary

This section contains rather more detail than the others on specific aspects which interest me, and which haven't yet resolved (by an examination of the records or modern references) to my satisfacation. As such it is somewhat more informal than other sections. It also includes my transcription of several contemporary manuscripts which directly bear on the early records and adminstration of the Isle of Man, and which were written by knowledgable people (generally members of the Lord's Council) specifically to explain them.

Questions

One of the questions addressed here concerns the selection of the Setting Quest jury prior to the 1704 Act of Settlement. The members of the jury can generally be discovered from the records and they rotated each year. Each of the 17 parishes had a 4 man jury and (based on the estimated population of the time) a rotational system would have had to have resulted in most eligible men taking a turn. As such the setting quest juries could provide a crude census of the population. Potentially it could also provide a indication of tenancy changes (particularly since it seems likely that membership was restricted to the larger tenants) which weren't recorded in the Libri Vastorum.

Another question concerns the allowance provided to Moars (and certain other officers) against their customary payments in lieu of provisioning the castles. This allowance is approximately the rent of one quarterland, but varies from individual to individual in a manner which must be related to their land holding (although it is not obvious how). Understanding this could allow us to reliably link moars with their specific tenancy.

Another question concerns the best way of dating particular records, in particular the early Libri Assedationis.

Another area which these pages are trying to address (under the heading Baronies is a comprehensive summary of the nature and ownership of abbey lands and spiritualties pre 1700.

Another question concerns the original nature of land tenure in the Isle of Man, and in particular what records remain concerning leases pre 1600.

Another question concerns the backdrop to the 1703 Act of Settlement, and what in particular the grievances were at this time.

Another question concerns the lands and transition of ownership of the Baronies.

Another question concerns the distribution of tithes, both before and after the Reformation.