Castles
The Isle of Man is blessed with two of Britain's finest castles, namely those in Peel and Castletown. Peel Castle was built on St Patrick's Isle under Papal licence by William Le Scrope in 1392. It was constructed out of local red sandstone and although the buildings are largely roofless shells, the fine curtain wall is still impressively solid. The Cathedral of St German built within the castle walls is the oldest Celtic cathedral in the British Isles.
Further south, Castle Rushen has been watching over Castletown since the thirteenth century. The imposing limestone fortress is one of the most complete castles in the British Isles and has been 'brought alive' by Manx National Heritage with lifelike figures and medieval-style furnishings. The oldest part of it is the lower keep, built by the Norse king Magnus in about 1250, the highest tower is eighty feet high and the walls are up to twelve feet thick. For many years the Castle was used as the seat of Government and as the Island's prison. It is still used for register office weddings and court proceedings.