Monday 1 March 2010

Ramsey

Ramsey is a town in the north of the Isle of Man. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas. It has one of the biggest harbours on the island, and has a prominent derelict pier, called the Queen's Pier. It was formerly one of the main points of communication with Scotland. Ramsey is also known as 'Royal Ramsey' due to royal visits from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1847 followed by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1907.

The Albert Tower was built to commemorate the royal visit of Prince Albert on the 20th of September, 1847. Prince Albert climbed to the top of the hill where he viewed the surrounding town of Ramsey and the northern plain. The hill was renamed Albert Mount and a year later the tower's foundation was laid. The tower is made of granite and rises 45 feet (14 m) high, and stands as a landmark not only for the town of Ramsey, but also for the Isle of Man.
If you look to the upper right of this photo, Ramsey and the Ramsey Bay shore appear as a curve

The name of the town derives from the Old Norse for 'Garlic River' or 'Garlic Island'. Despite the origins of the name, there is no island currently in the River Sulby.

The town hosts the northern terminus for the Manx Electric Railway and is the start of the mountain section of the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix motorcycle races held annually on the island. A popular vantage point is "Ramsey Hairpin" where many enthusiasts gather to watch the racers.
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