Castletown
 Castles |
From the 12th century until 1869 Castletown flourished as the Isle of Man's capital until an upsurge in tourism and trade required that the island find a larger harbour, thus it was supplanted by Douglas. The sleepy harbour and low-roofed cottages are dominated by Castle Rushen, one of the most complete and compact medieval castles in Britain. Formerly home to the island's legislature the present castle dates back to the 13th century. Construction of its huge limestone walls were well under way before the last Viking monarch, Magnus, died here in 1256. In tiny Parliament Square stands the Old House of Keys built in 1821, the site of the Manx parliament, the Keys, until 1874 when it was moved to Douglas. The Old Grammar School, built around 1200 and located in Quay Lane, was formerly the capital's first church, and from 1570 was employed as a school.