Ramsey, Isle of Man

infobox UK place
crown_dependency = Isle of Man
official_name= Ramsey
manx_name= Rhumsaa
latitude= 54.321111
longitude= -4.384444
population = 7,309 (2006 Census)
manx_parish= Ramsey
manx_shedding= Ayre
constituency_manx_parliament= Ramsey Town
post_town= ISLE OF MAN
postcode_district = IM8
postcode_area= IM
dial_code= 01624
os_grid_reference= SC449943
douglas_distance=
static_

static_image_caption=Looking south through Mooragh Park to Ramsey

Ramsey ( _gv. Rhumsaa) is a town in the north of the Isle of Man. It is the third largest town on the island after Douglas and Onchan. Its population is 7,309 according to the 2006 census (7,322, 2001 census). 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 a couple of royal visits from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1847 and another in 1907 by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

The Albert Tower was built to commemorate the royal visit of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria 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 convert|45|ft|m high, and stands as a landmark not only for the town of Ramsey, but also for the Isle of Man.

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 Sulby river.

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.

The Millennium Way footpath ends a mile from the centre of the town on the A3 road at the foot of Sky Hill.

The town has a secondary school called Ramsey Grammar School, which opened in 1946.

The town boasts several sports clubs including Ramsey Rugby Club, Ramsey Football Club and Ramsey Youth Centre Football Club as well as a Hockey Team, Gaelic Football Team, Ramsey Ravens swimming team and a Golf Club.

A distinctive landmark of the town is the controversial Queen's Pier, closed for many years and the constant subject of re-opening appeals. It was served by its own tramway. Queen Victoria landed here in 1847, when heavy seas made it impossible to enter Douglas harbour.

The pier is now closed to the public for safety reasons, but in 2007 the Council of Ministers Working Group, considering the future of Queen’s Pier in Ramsey, issued a questionnaire to the public as the first stage of its consultation on the issue of the future of the pier.

The questionnaire was mailed to 3,200 randomly selected addresses – 1,800 in Ramsey and 1,400 in the rest of the Island. It sought respondents’ views on a range of possible options, from doing nothing to restoration funded by commercial development.Analysis of the results is ongoing.

The local authority is the [http://www.rtc-iom.com/ Ramsey Town Commissioners] . Ramsey is also a House of Keys constituency electing 2 MHKs.

MHKs & Elections

References

External links

* [http://www.isleofman.com/Tourism/Introduction/Towns/Ramsey.aspx Information about Ramsey]
* [http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/treasury/economic/census/isleofmancensusreport2006.pdf Isle of Man Census Report 2006 ]
* [http://www.iomguide.com/albert-tower.php Albert Tower]
* [http://www.ramseypier.iofm.net/index.htm The Friends of Queen's Pier, Ramsey]
* [http://www.iomguide.com/ramsey.php Ramsey Isle of Man]
* [http://www.gov.im/lib/news/cso/workinggroupbegi.xml IOM Govt Council of Ministers Working Group]