Rhencullen

Rhencullen or "Holly Ridge" ["Place Names of the Isle of Man" by John Kneen MA pp446 (1970) Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh The Scolar Press] including Birkin's Bend is situated between the 15th Milestone and 16th Milestone road-side marker on the Snaefell Mountain Course between Kirk Michael Village and Bishopscourt on the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road and the road junction with the secondary C19 Orrisdale Road in the parish of Michael in the Isle of Man.

This series of bends was part of the Highland Course and Four Inch Course used for the Gordon Bennett Trial and Tourist Trophy automobile car races held in the Isle of Man between 1904 and 1922. Also, Rhencullen is part of the Snaefell Mountain Course used since 1911 for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix Races.

The area is dominated by the farmland at Ballarhenny and the manse of Bishopscourt, including Birkin's Bend, Cloudy Lane and Rhencullen Hill. During an early morning practice session for the 1927 Isle of Man TT, Archie Birkin swerved to avoid a fish-van travelling to Peel and collided with a wall and was killed. The corner at Rhencullen on the A3 primary road where the accident occurred was renamed 'Birkins Bend.' From 1928 practice sessions for the Isle of Man TT Races and Manx Grand Prix were held on closed-roads.

The Rhencullen complex of bends including Birkin's Bend was subjected to road widening and reprofiling during the winter of 1953/1954 for the 1954 Isle of Man TT Races. ["Isle of Man Weekly Times" dated 29th May 1954]

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External links

* [https://www.iomtt.com/TT-2009/Circuit-Guide/Competitors/Barregarrow-Rhencullen.aspx Barregarrow to Rhencullen] with Steve Hislop, 11 times TT winner
* [https://www.iomtt.com/TT-2009/Circuit-Guide/Spectators/11th%20Milestone%20to%20Rhencullen.aspx TT Spectator Guide Section 11th Milestone to Rhencullen]
* [http://www.iomtt.com/TT-2009/Circuit-Guide.aspx Map of course]