Name

Harbour Detective: Castletown in 1760

Description

Walk through Castletown today and it’s a quiet, handsome place — a few boats, some gulls, a nice spot for a coffee. In 1760 it was the capital of a commercial operation that smelled of salt, tar, tobacco leaf, and brandy.

This walking guide gives you a map of Castletown with twelve numbered stops. At each stop, read what was happening at that exact spot in the 1760s — the warehouses along the quay, the customs house, Bridge House where the Clerk of the Rolls worked fifty yards from Castle Rushen, the sail lofts and cooperages that kept the trade running.

Can you find all twelve locations? There’s a sketch challenge at each stop: draw what you think it looked like then, next to what it looks like now.

Key Stage / Type

Family Activity

Ages 8+

Outdoor / Visit-based

Period

1703–1765

Topic

Smuggling & Trade