The 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. 

Manannán Mac Lir, the ancient sea-god of the Isle of Man, is said to travel the waves on his magical horse Enbarr, whose swiftness carries him between the worlds. In legend, Manannán could cloak the island in protective mist and even shape-shift into a hawk, soaring above the sea he ruled. Pictured here at Bradda Head, he stands as a timeless guardian of the coastline, weaving enchantment through storm, tide, and sky. A master of illusion and a keeper of hidden knowledge, Manannán remains one of the most powerful and enduring figures in Manx mythology.

King Orry, known historically as Godred Crovan, was a Viking warlord and a central figure in Manx history and folklore, remembered for bringing unity and stability to the Isle of Man. He is often associated with the early foundations of Tynwald, one of the oldest continuous parliamentary traditions in the world, linking his rule to the island’s enduring system of law and governance. Standing at the meeting point of legend and recorded history, King Orry connects the Isle of Man’s Norse heritage with its Celtic roots. Whether remembered as a historical ruler or a legendary hero, he remains a powerful symbol of leadership and Manx identity.

Tehi Tegi is a dramatic and powerful figure from Manx folklore, strongly associated with the northern parishes of the Isle of Man. Renowned for her beauty and sharp intelligence, she challenged her many suitors with impossible tasks and lured those who failed to their deaths in the river. In legend, she could shape-shift into a wren to escape capture, a transformation that links her directly to the Manx tradition of Hunt the Wren. She is also closely connected to her magical horse, Skeabeg, which carried her swiftly across the landscape as she fled pursuit. Both feared and admired, Tehi Tegi embodies transformation, cunning, and the darker, untamed spirit of Manx storytelling.

Arinbjörk is remembered from the Viking Age on the Isle of Man, a time when Norse families lived and settled across the island. She is believed to have been a woman of standing, and the carved slab at Kirk Andreas is thought to have been made by her husband, Sandulf the Black, as a memorial to her after her death. In this portrait, she is pictured at Kirk Andreas infront of a traditional Manx keel, accompanied by her strong fjord horse. Alongside these traces of her life, the slab becomes a deeply personal tribute — a husband’s lasting act of remembrance for Arinbjörk, set within a world shaped by sea routes, family ties, and Norse tradition.

The Caillagh in Manx tradition, literally meaning “old woman” or “hag,” is a powerful figure often described as a divine hag linked to the land, weather, and the turning of the seasons. She is associated with storms, prophecy, and the shaping of the Manx landscape, embodying both creation and destruction within folklore. In this portrait, she is pictured at Cronk ny Arrey Laa, a place tied to ancient Manx legend and coastal views, reinforcing her connection to the island’s wild and untamed spirit. The Caillagh represents the deep, older layer of Manx culture, where nature, myth, and belief are closely intertwined.

Fand is the fairy queen of Manx legend and the wife of the sea-god Manannán Mac Lir. In Celtic mythology, she is known for her love affair with the hero Cú Chulainn, a tale of love, jealousy, and the pull of the Otherworld. When confronted by Cú Chulainn’s wife, Emer, Fand returned to Manannán, who used his magic to separate the lovers and erase their memories of one another. Associated with beauty, enchantment, and transformation, Fand represents the mysterious world that lies beyond the mortal realm. In this portrait, she is pictured as a young woman at Dragon Rock in the south of the Isle of Man, where the rugged coastline reflects her enduring connection to the sea and Manx legend.

Magnus Barelegs, or Magnús berfœttr, was the Viking King of Norway who brought the Isle of Man and the western isles firmly under Norse control in the late 11th century. His nickname, meaning “Barelegs,” came from his adoption of Gaelic-style clothing worn in the isles. A skilled warrior and seafarer, Magnus strengthened Norway’s influence across the Irish Sea, securing the Isle of Man as a key part of his kingdom. He is closely associated with Peel, where he is believed to have established the first fortifications on St Patrick’s Isle, the site of modern Peel Castle. He remains an enduring symbol of the Isle of Man’s Viking heritage and its connection to the wider Norse world.