Members of the public have been urged not to attempt to remove graffiti from the historic Hango Hill while the extent of the damage is being assessed.

The walls of the building, which stands at the top of the hill near Castletown, were extensively spray-painted in an incident which has been reported to the Isle of Man Constabulary.

Manx National Heritage (MNH), which cares for the site, has asked people to leave the graffiti untouched, warning that attempts to clean it could cause further damage to the historic stonework.

A spokesperson from MNH commented: ‘The incident has been reported to the Isle of Man Constabulary, as deliberate damage to an Ancient Monument is a criminal offence.

‘We will begin carefully removing the graffiti once we have received clearance from the Constabulary to proceed.’

Hango Hill is one of 17 Ancient Monuments cared for by Manx National Heritage and is among the island’s historically significant locations.

It is a site of significant historical importance, dating back to the Bronze Age when it was used as a burial mound.

It later became a place of execution during the Viking Age, with its Norse name translating as 'hanging hill'.

The site is perhaps best known as the location where Illiam Dhone, also known as William Christian, was executed in 1663.

Christian was a prominent figure in Manx history who was shot following his involvement in the surrender of the Island to Parliamentary forces in 1651. His execution remains a significant episode in the island's political history.

The graffiti has affected the walls of the later summerhouse situated on top of the hill, rather than the burial mound itself.

In a previous statement, an MNH spokesperson said: ‘This historic site is open for everyone to enjoy and is visited by both residents and visitors throughout the year.

‘We ask anyone visiting our sites to help protect our shared heritage by treating sites with respect.’