The Castles and Forts of the Isle of Man DVD

The Castles and Forts of the Isle of Man features nearly three thousand years of history from the earliest hill and promontory forts to the great castles at Peel and Castletown.

There are well over forty sites around the Island that have been fortified over the years, either for people to live in and protect their families, or as positions for canon to defend the Island from attack. Some of the sites have extraordinary evidence of what they once looked like. There are the faded remains of a whole village of thatched huts on the top of South Barrule, and homesteads behind earthen banks high above the sea. There are the remains of a motte and bailey castle, of star forts and round forts, and of course, the great stone fortress of Castle Rushen and the romantic ruins of Peel Castle on St Patrick’s Isle.

Presenter Charles Guard visits many of these sites and bringing together the latest research, paints a fascinating picture of the turbulent life and times of those who built and lived in these remarkable structures. Using computer graphics, animations and stunning aerial photography, Charles shows the sites as they have never been seen before and recreates some of the grander ones to give us an idea of what they might have looked like many centuries ago.

Running time: 90 minutes