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The Braaid
What to see
The Braaid began as a stone roundhouse, constructed in either the Neolithic or Bronze age periods. Much later the site was used by the Vikings as a farmstead. The remains of the Celtic stone roundhouse and two rectangular Viking longhouses are still visible today.
The Celtic roundhouse was approximately between sixteen and seventeen metres in diameter supported by large standing stones. The walls were made of stone and the roof of turf. With regards to the Viking longhouses, the largest of the two had external curved walls but no internal ones and a roof held up by posts. The second longhouse was used for cattle and other animals. There is an excellent depiction of the site on a sign provided by Manx National Heritage. It gives a clear view of the structures and their dates of occupation.
Our visit
When we visited it was a clear July morning. We parked the car in a layby across the road and close to the path that leads to the site. We noticed that there is car park some metres further, where you could park if there was no space in the layby. It was short walk to the site and as is often the case with these Manx sites there was no one else around. Our presence was just a curiosity to the sheep in the surrounding fields. There are beautiful views of the rolling hills that surround The Braaid. It was great being able to walk around and touch the stones and get a sense of the long history of the place. We had also taken with us a booklet 'Prehistoric Sites in the Isle of Man' published by Manx National Heritage that we bought from the Manx Museum. We highly recommend that you visit The Braaid.
Getting there
- Midway between Douglas and Foxdale in the south of the island. The site is marked with a green sign posted on the main road.
- By car - From Douglas, drive along the A24 towards Foxdale.
- By bus - Take the 4 bus between Douglas and Peel. Get off at the Braaid crossroads and then walk along the A24 in the direction of Douglas.
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