Hearth & Home
The archetypal home of the Manx crofter or fisherman was the traditional thatched cottage, a compact whitewashed stone built affair. Inside the crofter and his family gathered around the chiollagh or fireplace. Many such homes had dressers laden with lustreware jugs, the bright glaze of which reflected the glow of the fire. Manx, a Gaelic language, was spoken in such homes in the 18th Century, and survived in remoter areas into the 20th.
 | How the interior of a typical Manx crofter’s cottage might have appeared |
Methodism, with its emphasis on abstinence from alcohol, was the strongest religious denomination in the Isle of Man. The Manx were by nature a thrifty people, who believed in making ends meet. Before the arrival of the Welfare state most were heavily involved in Friendly Societies. Yet alongside their non-conformist religion, many of the ancient beliefs and customs of the Manx persisted and still survive today.
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