Peel Castle, Peel, United Kingdom

Peel Castle was originally constructed by Vikings. The castle stands on St Patrick's Isle which is connected to the town by a causeway. It is open to visitors during the summer.

The castle was built in the 11th century by the Vikings, under the rule of King Magnus Barefoot. While there were older stone Celtic monastic buildings on the island, the first Viking fortifications were built of wood. The prominent round tower was originally part of the Celtic monastery, but had battlements added at a later date. In the early 14th century, the majority of the walls and towers were built primarily from local red sandstone, which is found abundantly in the area. After the rule of the Vikings, the castle continued to be used by the Church due to the cathedral built there – the see of the diocese of Sodor and Man – but was eventually abandoned in the 18th century.

The castle remained fortified, and new defensive positions were added as late as 1860. The buildings within the castle are now mostly ruined, but the outer walls remain intact. Excavations in 1982-87 revealed an extensive graveyard as well as the remains of Magnus Barefoot's original wooden fort. The most spectacular finds were the 10th century grave of 'The Pagan Lady' which included a fine example of a Viking necklace and a cache of silver coins dating from about 1030. The Castle's most famous 'resident' is the so-called Moddey Dhoo or 'Black Dog' ghost.

User Reviews

Joshua Loy (2 years ago)
Just beautiful but I wish there was a little more to do there and would have liked some of the history. Nigel was a great tour guide and I recommend looking him up if you make it over that way.

Chris Rodrigues (2 years ago)
Lovely castle out there. Absolutely worth a visit. Also, the views of the castle from the adjacent hill are super.

Iain Ames (2 years ago)
Lovely visit when the sun is out. Beautiful place. Nice stop off. Put your hiking boots on to take full advantage

Nigel Spink (2 years ago)
A pity it wasn't open for half term, especially as the weather was perfectly suited for exploring and open air location. It looks like a fun place for children to explore.

Karen Rigby (2 years ago)
Great walk around the castle. Collect shells from the beach below . Look out for the seals. Great cafe on the quayside for take out drinks Visit the lifeboat station. Well worth it.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Martin M. Miles

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