Castle Rushen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Castle Rushen |
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Castle Rushen as seen from Castletown's market square.
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Castletown |
| Country | Isle of Man |
| Completed | 16th century |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Several |
Castle Rushen (Manx: Cashtal Rosien) is a very old castle from the Middle Ages (around 500 to 1500 AD). It is located in Castletown, which used to be the capital of the Isle of Man. The castle stands tall over the Market Square and the harbour. It is one of the best examples of medieval castles in Europe. Today, it is used as a museum and a place for learning.
Contents
Building the Castle: A Strong Start
People think Castle Rushen was first built in the 900s. This was when the Kings of Mann and the Isles ruled the Isle of Man. An old wooden beam found inside the castle even had the date 947 on it. The last King of Man, Magnús Óláfsson, died at the castle in 1265. This was recorded in the Chronicle of Mann.
The first part of Castle Rushen was a central square stone tower, called a keep. It was built to protect the entrance to the Silver Burn river. Over the years, different rulers added more parts to the castle. Its strong limestone walls showed how powerful these rulers were. By 1313, the original keep had extra towers on its west and south sides. In the 1300s, an east tower, gatehouses, and a strong outer wall called a curtain wall were also added.
Inside Castle Rushen: Defenses and Features
The first line of defense for Castle Rushen's main tower (the keep) is an outer wall. This wall is about 7.6 meters (25 feet) high and 2.1 meters (7 feet) thick. Five towers are attached to this wall. After the castle was no longer needed for defense, these towers were used for government jobs.
The keep itself has very thick walls. They are about 3.6 meters (12 feet) thick at the bottom and 2.1 meters (7 feet) thick at the top. Four towers stand on top of the keep. The tallest one in the north is about 24 meters (80 feet) high. The other three are around 21 meters (70 feet) tall.
Protecting the Entrance
The castle's entrance is guarded by a drawbridge. There is also a strong inner gatehouse. This gatehouse has two portcullises, which are heavy metal grates that can be lowered. Between these two grates is a "killing area." Here, defenders could drop things or shoot through three "murder holes" at anyone trapped below.
On each side of the gatehouse are guardhouses. These were later turned into prison cells. Soldiers on duty would spend most of their time in these guardhouses. Inside the gatehouse, there is also a lower level with a tide mill. This mill used the power of the tides to grind corn.
Special Features
The castle also had a medieval chapel. This chapel housed Castle Rushen's famous clock. The clock still works today and is an important landmark in Castletown. Queen Elizabeth I of England gave this clock to the castle in 1597. She was in control of the island at that time.
The outer parts of the castle are protected by a moat, which is a ditch filled with water. There is also a glacis, which is a sloping bank of earth. The glacis originally went all the way around the castle's land side, reaching the moat.
Castle History: Battles and Rulers
After it was first built by the Norse–Gaels (people with both Norse and Gaelic roots), Castle Rushen was often fought over. It changed hands many times between the Scots and the English.
Changing Hands: Scotland and England
The Isle of Man was given to Scotland in 1266. This happened after the Treaty of Perth, which ended a war between Scotland and Norway. On May 18, 1313, the Scottish king Robert the Bruce invaded the Isle of Man. He captured the island in just five days. The only strong resistance was at Castle Rushen, defended by Dungal MacDouall. After a short siege, Robert captured the castle. This gave Scotland a strong outpost to protect its western coast.
After more changes of hands, the English eventually took control. The English king Edward I Longshanks said that the island had always belonged to the Kings of England. He was just taking back what was rightfully theirs.
From 1405 to 1738, the Stanley family controlled the Isle of Man. This started with Sir John Stanley. He was given the title of King of Mann by Henry IV of England in 1405. Later, in 1521, the title changed to Lord of Mann. Today, the reigning British monarch holds this title.
Castle Rushen During the English Civil War
During the English Civil War (1642–1651), James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby was the Lord of Mann. He supported the King's side, known as the Royalists. James, also called The Great Stanley, set up a Royalist court at Castle Rushen. Then he left to fight the Parliamentarians in England.
In August 1651, James sailed with 300 Royalists from the Isle of Man to meet Charles II. Lord Derby was captured in a battle and later executed. When James left the Isle of Man, his wife, Countess Charlotte, was in charge. She was famous for defending Lathom House in 1644. Countess Charlotte held Castle Rushen until a local rebellion and a mutiny by her own soldiers forced her to give up. This happened in October 1651 to the Parliamentarian forces.
Other Uses of the Castle
An Important Administrative Center
As the castle became less important for defense, it was used more and more as a government center. In the 1700s, a place for making money (a mint) was located there. The southern law court of the Isle of Man is still active there today. The Manx law books were also kept in The Lord's Treasury at Castle Rushen.
In the 1500s, the castle was a meeting place for the 24 Keys. This was an early name for the lower house of the Manx Parliament, the House of Keys. The Keys did not have a permanent home until 1710. They met sometimes at Castle Rushen. From 1710, they met in Bishop Wilson's library in Castletown. Then they moved to their own building, The Old House of Keys, in 1821. Since 1874, the House of Keys has been in Douglas, the current capital of the Isle of Man.
Castle as a Prison
By the end of the 1700s, the castle was starting to fall apart. It was then turned into a prison. Even though it was used as a prison, its condition kept getting worse. This continued until the early 1900s. Then, it was repaired under the direction of Lieutenant Governor George Somerset, 3rd Baron Raglan.
After the repairs and the opening of a new prison, Victoria Road Prison, in 1891, the castle was given to the Isle of Man Government in 1929. Before this, it belonged to the British Crown.
The castle continued to be used as a prison even after it lost its other uses. Prisoners were moved there from Peel Castle in 1780. After 1765, money from fines was no longer used to maintain the castle. This caused it to get very run down. Prisoners suffered from the cold and bad weather. There were protests, but not much changed for a while.
In 1813 and 1827, the buildings were finally renovated for prison use. Healthy prisoners were expected to do forced labor. They had to meet certain work goals.
By the 1880s, conditions for the prisoners were so bad that it was hard to keep order. An inspection in 1885 recommended building a new prison for 30 inmates. After some debate about the cost, a new site was chosen. The modern Victoria Road Prison opened in April 1891.
During its time as a prison, Castle Rushen held both women and men. Children born to prisoners were allowed to live with their mothers inside the prison walls.
Some well-known people were held at Castle Rushen. One was Thomas Wilson, who was a bishop from 1697 to 1755. He was imprisoned in 1722 after a disagreement with James Stanley, 10th Earl of Derby, the Lord of Mann. They argued about who had power over church court cases. Later, 19th-century Manx democracy activists Robert Fargher and James Brown were also jailed there. They were punished for criticizing the House of Keys and demanding public elections.
Besides holding criminals, Castle Rushen was also used as a place for people with mental illnesses. However, people who committed crimes because of mental illness were sent to institutions in Scotland and England.
A Manx National Heritage Site Today
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In 1988, the castle was given to Manx National Heritage for restoration. It was opened as a major heritage site in July 1991 by the Earl of Derby. Castle Rushen is one of four Manx National Heritage sites in Castletown. The others are the Nautical Museum, The Old Grammar School, and the Old House of Keys.
Today, Manx National Heritage runs Castle Rushen as a museum. It tells the story of the Kings and Lords of Mann. Most rooms are open to visitors from March to October. Signs in each room explain their history. The museum has a working medieval kitchen where real old-fashioned food is made on special days. There are also re-enactments of medieval life. These events are especially good for teaching local children about their history.
Archaeological finds from the 1980s are on display. They are used to help visitors learn. A big part of the school activities at the castle is recreating the preparations for a visit by Thomas Stanley, 2nd Earl of Derby, the King of Mann, in May 1507. This visit was a big deal because most Kings of Mann rarely visited the island. They usually left the government to other officials. The exhibitions at Castle Rushen are part of the Manx National Heritage Story of Mann collection. This collection includes many cultural and historical sites. Besides being a museum, the castle is still used as an official court house.
Castle Rushen is shown on the back of the Manx pound £5 notes issued by the Isle of Man Government. The Castle Rushen £5 note even shows a pub, the Castle Arms, across from the castle.
The closing ceremony for the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games, held on the Isle of Man, took place in Castletown's Market Square in front of Castle Rushen on September 12, 2011.
Castle Rushen also gives its name to Castletown's high school, Castle Rushen High School.
During World War II, a Castle-class corvette (a type of warship) was named after Castle Rushen: HMS Rushen Castle.
The 28 miles (45 km) Millennium Way long-distance footpath starts at Castle Rushen. This path opened in 1979, which was 1000 years after the Tynwald (the Manx Parliament) was founded. The path goes north towards Ramsey.
Some people say Castle Rushen is haunted by a lady ghost. She is said to walk the castle drawbridge.
Images for kids
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Castle Rushen's barbican seen from inside the curtain wall
