The Isle of Man has its own independent parliament; its members are elected to the House of Keys instead of the UK’s House of Commons. Their former meeting place, at Tynwald Hill, is on a hill thought to be made with soil from all of the Island’s seventeen ancient parishes. At the Old House of Keys in Castletown visitors can participate in a debate on the hot topics of the day. On Tynwald Day, the national day of the Isle of Man which falls sometime in early July, you can watch the formal ceremony on Tynwald Hill. The sitting includes the reading of the island’s new laws in both English and Manx and proceedings also include the chance for protesters to present petitions to the Lieutenant Governor. Based on Norse traditions, the event has been marked on the island for over one thousand years. More information here.
Photo credit: “Tynwald Day 2009” by crunklygill is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.
Discover more island adventures on over 300 islands in England Wales in our book Island bagging England and Wales
