St Andrew's Church, Andreas, Isle of Man, Parish church in Andreas, Isle of Man.
St Andrew's Church is a Church of England parish church in Andreas, built of stone from Sulby Glen, as the parish has no quarry of its own. Many slates from the earlier church were reused on the roof. A tower built alongside the church between 1867 and 1869, originally 120 ft high, is linked to the nave by an arch.
A church dedicated to St Andrew was built in Andreas between 1270 and 1344, when parishes were created under Scottish rule. By 1800 the old church was in poor repair, and a vestry meeting chaired by John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl, on 19 February 1800 decided to rebuild after the 1800 Act of Tynwald. Mr Radcliffe of Andreas built it with stone from Sulby Glen, reusing slates from the old church. Between 1867 and 1869 the west tower was demolished and a new one built alongside, its foundation stone laid by Mrs Francis Hall on 30 May 1867.
The name Andreas derives from St Andrew, patron saint of Scotland, reflecting the parish's creation under Scottish dominion between 1270 and 1344. The RAF Ensign still flies at the church, recalling the links with RAF Andreas, opened in 1941, whose personnel donated the organ's electric blower.
The church welcomes visitors during regular Sunday services and for general visits to view the building. It is helpful to check local service times in advance, as these may vary depending on the season or special religious occasions.
The tower once stood 120 ft (36.6 m) tall, but its middle section was removed on Air Ministry orders after RAF Andreas opened in 1941; the numbered stones were stored for postwar rebuilding, never replaced, and later disappeared. Granite circles in the tower came from a split farm roller given to the builders.
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