A new exhibition examining the history of churches and chapels in the south of the island has opened at Rushen Heritage Centre.

Titled ‘Churches and Chapels in the South: Past and Present’, the exhibition features a range of religious buildings from across the region, including Mount Tabor Methodist Church, St Peter’s Church and St Mary’s Catholic Church.

It also highlights several lesser-known and lost chapels, including Fisher’s Hill and Kentraugh.

The exhibition has been curated by Rushen Heritage Trust board member Ali Graham alongside volunteers Jane Saywell and Glenda Murphy. Contributions were also provided by members of Colby Methodist Church, Mount Tabor, Ballakilpheric and Ballafesson chapels.

Talking about the exhibition, Ali said: ‘Religion has played a large part in the lives of islanders over the years, and many chapels were built and paid for by local residents.

‘For this exhibition, we wanted to look at an overview of religion in the south, focusing on some of the churches and chapels that were built over the years, including those that have been lost and replaced with private dwellings – but it’s by no means a comprehensive list.

‘It has been fascinating doing the research and we hope to see many visitors at the centre over the coming couple of months. For some locals, it may bring back happy memories of attending anniversary services and Sunday School picnics.’

The exhibition will run until Saturday, July 4, at the heritage centre on Bridson Street in Port Erin. Opening hours are from 10am to 4pm from Tuesday to Saturday, and admission is free although donations are welcome.

Run by volunteers, Rushen Heritage Trust operates the heritage centre in partnership with Visit Isle of Man. The centre also serves as a visitor information point and sells books, greetings cards, maps and other merchandise related to the local area.