The Church in Man
During the rule of the later Norse Kings of Man and the Isles in the 12th century the Church was reorganised to bring it into line with the Roman Church of western Christendom.
A parochial system was established and a Bishopric was created, embracing all the Western Isles of Scotland, which was controlled by the Archbishopric of Nidaros (later modern Trondheim) in Norway. Once the island came under English rule in the 14th century, the Manx Bishopric eventually passed to the control of the Archbishopric of York.
The new parish system replaced the numerous scattered keeills (Early Christian chapels), which formerly had been served largely by priests from the Celtic monasteries.
A new cathedral was erected on St Patrick’s Isle at Peel. Regular monastic orders, in line with the European tradition, were established and given grants of land in the Island. Notably, Cistercian monks built the monastery of Rushen Abbey which grew in wealth, power and influence throughout the later middle ages.
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