Manx Collection

Archibald Knox (1864–1933) was a renowned Manx designer and artist, celebrated for his distinctive role in the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts movements. Deeply inspired by the natural beauty and Celtic heritage of the Isle of Man, Knox created timeless designs for Liberty & Co. in London, where his flowing patterns and intricate metalwork became icons of early 20th-century design. His work continues to reflect the spirit and creativity of the island he called home. The background of this card features one of Knox’s original Liberty fabric designs, a tribute to his enduring artistic legacy.

The Phynodderree is a famous figure in Manx folklore, a hairy fairy known for helping farmers with heavy work overnight. Though strong and generous, he vanished from the Isle of Man after being mocked for his wild appearance, leaving behind one of the island’s best-known legends.

“I came upon a Phynodderree at Cashtal yn Ard. 

He was just wandering in the mist.

We spoke for a time of birds and rain and stones.

He then politely took his leave and disappeared back into the mist”.

Fenella’s Tower and Fenella beach derives it’s name from Sir Walter Scott’s novel, “Peveril of the Peak” where the heroine, Fenella, helps the hero escape from the castle by way of the tower down to a boat hiding in a cave below.

“Such, in form and habits, was the little female … Fenella was by no means a favourite with the rest of the household. In fact, it seemed that her temper, exasperated perhaps by a sense of her misfortune, was by no means equal to her abilities.”

Sir Walter Scott. 

The Pagan Lady of Peel was uncovered within the ancient walls of Peel Castle, and for many years people believed she had been a shaman or priestess of a forgotten faith. Later study revealed she was in fact a noblewoman from the island’s early past, laid to rest with great care and dignity. Her grave held the famous necklace of brightly coloured glass beads, a rare and precious treasure that marked her wealth and status in the pre-Christian Manx world. Mysterious yet deeply human, she remains one of Peel’s most intriguing and enduring historical figures, linking the present island to its earliest stories.

Castle Rushen (Cashtal Rosien) was first attributed to the Norse King Reginald in the tenth century. The island was ruled by the Norse Kings of Mann and the Isles until the death of Magnús Óláfsson in 1265. King Magnús died at the Castle and the Viking reign came to it’s end. 

This painting is dedicated to the little known Aufrica Magnúsdóttir, daughter of King Magnús Óláfsson and Queen Consort Maria de Ergadia.

After being sentenced for witchcraft in 1717, Joney Lowney was imprisoned in the open crypt at St German’s prison, on St Patrick’s Isle for four months. After her prison sentence she was forced to stand at the four market crosses, dressed in a sackcloth and holding a white wand. 

Joney Lowney is depicted here in the market square in Castletown during her public shaming as a witch and a sorceress. Her trial was the largest and most famous witch trial ever held on the island and earned her a place in Manx legend as Jinny the Witch. 

The Glashtyn is a mythical Manx shapeshifter, appearing either as a powerful water-horse or a hairy, clothed goblin. Said to guard hidden treasure and sometimes lure the unwary to a watery end, it is closely tied to storms, shorelines, and the restless sea. A creature of the island’s oldest tales, the Glashtyn embodies the wild and unpredictable magic of the Isle of Man.

He is presented here near Ballagorrey Methodist Chapel where he was rumoured to be lurking around in the field nearby.