Sheadings of The Isle of Man - Sheadings

Sheadings

The Isle of Man is divided into six sheadings, Ayre, Glenfaba, Garff, Michael, Rushen and Middle, which are now only significant as:—

• the districts of the Coroners, and
• the basis of certain electoral constituencies.

(The Coroners are responsible for process-serving and enforcement of judgments, not for holding inquests of death; that function is carried out by the High Bailiff, who is ex officio Coroner of Inquests.)

The origins of the term sheading are unclear. There are three main possibilities:

• from the Norse word skeid – meaning ship-assembly, with each sheading providing men for a warship.
• from a Celtic word meaning sixth part – with the sheadings having been a 14th century Scottish introduction.
• from the Middle English word for an administrative division, scheding – with the sheadings having been introduced following English rule in the late 14th century.