Conservation work on part of Peel Castle’s historic outer wall is expected to be completed by February 2027, Manx National Heritage has confirmed.

The latest phase of repairs is focusing on the Barbican Wall, with scaffolding erected around the section of the castle’s curtain wall near its entrance.

John-Paul Walker, historic buildings architect for Manx National Heritage, told Isle of Man Today that contractors had initially erected part of the scaffolding while the castle remained open to visitors, before completing the installation following its seasonal closure.

He said the work involved considerably more than simply repointing the stonework, with damaged masonry being carefully repaired or replaced.

This includes piecing replacement stone into existing blocks, replacing entire stones where necessary and repointing sections of the wall using traditional techniques.

Aerial shot of Peel Castle
Aerial shot of Peel Castle (Media Isle of Man/Dave Norton)

Mr Walker said particular attention was also being paid to the internal structure of the wall, known as the core work, which can deteriorate when water penetrates the exposed masonry.

He explained that contractors were inspecting inside the wall as repairs progressed, rebuilding damaged sections and strengthening the structure where required.

He said the full extent of the repairs could only be properly assessed once scaffolding was in place and contractors had begun removing mortar from the joints and investigating individual stones.

The initial schedule of work could therefore need to be revised depending on what was discovered.

Work at the St Patrick’s Isle castle earlier this year when it was scaffolding wrapped in yellow mesh along the curtain wall (Photo: Tom Curphey) (Media Isle of Man )
Work at the St Patrick’s Isle castle earlier this year when it was scaffolding wrapped in yellow mesh along the curtain wall (Photo: Tom Curphey) (Media Isle of Man ) (-)

The latest project follows a £70,000 conservation scheme announced in September, funded through a capital projects loan from the Isle of Man Government.

Mr Walker said the current phase was expected to be completed in February 2027, weather permitting.

The programme forms part of MNH’s wider efforts to protect the castle’s curtain wall, which stretches for almost one kilometre around St Patrick’s Isle.