|
| |
|
castletown |
| |
|
|
|
From the twelfth century until 1869, CASTLETOWN was the island's
capital, but then the influx of tourists and the increase in trade
required a bigger harbour, so Douglas took over. So much the better for
Castletown, which is a much more pleasant place than it might otherwise
have been. Its sleepy harbour and low-roofed cottages are all dominated
by Castle Rushen (Easter-Sept daily 10am-5pm; £4), one of the most
complete and compact medieval castles in Britain. Formerly home to the
island's legislature and still the site of the investiture of new
lieutenant-governors, the present structure was probably started in the
thirteenth century, its limestone walls well under way by the time the
last Viking monarch, Magnus, died here in 1256. The heavy defences must
have made entry a forbidding objective. Today, a mannequin archer guards
access to displays on the castle's history, a prelude to five floors of
rooms furnished in medieval and seventeenth-century styles, the most
evocative being the tapestry-draped banqueting hall.
The Old Grammar School was the former capital's first church, built
around 1200, and used as a school from 1570. There's not a lot to see,
save a few information boards, but it does house a handy tourist office
(Easter-Sept daily 10am-5pm). Something of the island's nautical
heritage can be gleaned from the little Nautical Museum on Douglas
Street (daily 10am-5pm; £2.75), just across the harbour footbridge,
which displays an armed eighteenth-century yacht ("The Peggy") among
other exhibits.
The steam train station is five minutes' walk from the centre of
Castletown, out along Victoria Road from the harbour; buses #8 (from
Peel/Port Erin) and #1 (from Douglas) stop in the main square. The only
central accommodation is the George Hotel in the square (tel
01624/822533; £40-50). There's a clutch of cafés around the marketplace,
though for a view of the harbour head for the Chablis Cellar , 21 Bank
St (tel 01624/823527; closed Sun eve), which does inexpensive bistro
lunches and evening meals. The Castle Arms , across on the quayside,
also serves food.
|
| |
|
