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'Douglas Head' is a rocky point on the Isle of Man overlooking Douglas Bay and harbour. Views extend to include Snaefell Mountain and Laxey

Contents

General

Current Facilities

Historic Facilities

Memorials

Trivia

External links

General

Until 1870, the headland was originally owned by the Nunnery Estate when Sir John Goldie-Taubman gave part of it to 'the people of Douglas' by donating it to Douglas Town Council.
The headland was a popular area during the Victorian Tourism period with access available via South Quay or by using the 3 steam ferries of Douglas Harbour FerryService.

Current Facilities

★ Douglas Head Lighthouse

★ Manx Radio

Historic Facilities

★ Douglas Head Amphitheatre

★ Douglas Head Hotel

★ The Camera Obscura

★ The Black Mast

★ Warwick Tower

★ Funicular Railway

★ Marine Drive Tramway

★ Port Skillicon Pool

★ Douglas Head Restaurant

Memorials

Douglas Head is home to three memorials:

★ A statue of RNLI founder and Isle of Man resident Sir William Hillary. He was the man behind the building of the Tower of Refuge on Conister Rock.

★ A stone anchor dedicated to the contribution and sacrifice made by Manx people during the Battle of Trafalgar

★ A Granite bollard and plinth from the harbourside in the Isle of Whithorn, Scotland. The inscription gives thanks from the families and friends of those lost their lives at sea in the Solway Harvester scallop dredger whose bodies were recovered by the Manx Government contrary to previous maritine tradition.

Trivia

During WW2 Douglas Head was the location of a major RADAR station. Extensive research, development and training of systems and operators took place here.
Despite UK reluctance, Manx Radio was the first licenced Independant radio station in the British Isles.
Marine Drive was a toll road, the impressive arched gateway was the toll gate. Evidence of the Marine Drive Tramway exists in the top of the landside arch where the overhead cable was attached to the stonework. The road runs the full length of Marine Drive however is closed to through traffic (other than walkers and cyclists) due to rock instability.

External links

★ Manx Notebook