Castletown, the former capital of the Isle
Of Man, is a pleasant, smart little town with
narrow, twisting streets dominated by the medieval Castle Rushen, which
overlooks the small harbour. The town is
on the northwest side of Castletown
Bay, and is just one mile
from the airport. Built for a Norse king
in 1265, with further developments between the 13th and 16th centuries, the
castle is remarkably well preserved for its age. As well as the vaulted rooms and halls of the
interior, visitors can enjoy the views of the coast and countryside from the
castle walls. A large number of
executions were carried out in the castle, so it is no surprise that it has a
reputation for hauntings, most notably the mysterious woman in grey, thought to
be the ghost of an innocent woman who was executed for killing her son. Isle Of Man Ghost Tours organises ghost walks
around the castle.
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| Castle Rushen, from the town side |
Another notable building in the town is the Old House Of
Keys, where the Tynwald - the island's parliament - used to convene. One of the Tynwald's former members, a colourful local
character called Captain George Quayle, had a yacht called Peggy, named after his mother and probably one
of the earliest yachts to be built, having been launched in 1791. During the time the yacht was in use it is
believed to have been used for smuggling among other activities. After the
death of the real Peggy, Quayle locked the boat away in a harbourside
boathouse, and there it remained until it was rediscovered in 1935. The boathouse Quayle built for the Peggy now houses the Nautical Museum,
where the Peggy has pride of place. The
museum includes a number of quirky features which are a reminder of the
inventiveness and eccentricity of Quayle.
To the south of the town is the Scarlett Visitor Centre with displays of
the island's flora and fauna and a nature trail along the coastline. Birdwatchers should be on the lookout for wheatears, stonechats and meadow pipits as well as the many seabirds.
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| The harbour |
Webcam view of Castletown Bay.
Map of the area.
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