Peel Castle Part 1: Battles and Defences

St Patrick’s Isle lies at the mouth of the River Neb—in the old Norse language, neb means ‘river under the headland’ or ‘headland river’.

For the past 1,000 years, Peel Castle has stood on this rocky 7.5-acre islet, a home to soldiers, priests, prisoners, and the nobility who ruled over them. Its strategic position in the Irish Sea made it a natural base for all who controlled the island.

Stone stairs lead up to the gatehouse, the castle’s fortified entrance. Before the causeway was built, this gate was accessible only by boat. The sea channel was just the first in a series of many defences. 

These structures date from the 14th through the 17th centuries and show the advancement of warfare technology through the ages, as defences on the vulnerable south-east side of the castle were improved.

If attackers broke through the castle gate, they would be stopped here in the ‘killing ground’.

The curtain wall, the outermost wall of the castle, was built in the 1400s and joined together the earlier towers.

It was not unusual for castles to evolve in this way: first the keep, a round or rectangular tower set strategically on high ground; then a gatehouse, additional towers, and more elaborate battlements; and, only later, the encircling curtain wall.

Where other castles had an artificial water barrier in the form of a moat, Peel Castle had the surrounding sea.

Near the west end of the Bowling Green a gate gives access to an underground passage leading to fortifications beyond the castle walls. This opening was a weak point in the walls, so in the 17th century extra defences were built to remedy the problem. 

Later, one such structure became known as Fenella’s Tower, after a character from Peveril of the Peak, a novel by Sir Walter Scott published in 1823.

This view illustrates the development of artillery weapons and firearms through the ages, and shows how muskets and cannon took the place of arrows, spears, and swords. These developments were in part a response to real threats. 

In the late 16th century, for example, Man had a role in (Catholic) Spain’s plan to occupy (Catholic) Ireland before attacking and overthrowing (Protestant) England.

The gun battery is part of the latest—early 19th century—development in Peel Castle’s defences. New ‘modern’ structures were called for to defend against possible attacks from France, and later, the United States. 

Those who did the actual defending through this period were local militia and reserves called ‘fencibles’. A first fencibles battalion was raised in 1793, a second in 1795; and in 1803, a third battalion was raised specifically to defend against possible attack by the French.

Close to the garrison hall are the remains of stores and workshops that soldiers required to be self-sufficient. When off duty, the soldiers, many originally from Lancashire and Cheshire, lived in the town.

While on duty during peacetime, soldiers spent their time training with weapons and maintaining weapons and equipment. It seems there was time for leisure activities, too.

Artefacts uncovered by archaeologists include stone game boards, a stone inscribed with the suits of playing cards, and a bone die.

One of the most challenging problems facing the inhabitants of medieval castles was hygiene. In the event of a siege, poor sewage arrangements could lead to disease. At Peel Castle eleven latrines have been identified.