Peel Castle

PricingFree with English Heritage membershipEH memberFree entryNon-member£11

EH members go freeInfo

Free entry for English Heritage members

This place is cared for by Manx National Heritage, the Isle of Man's heritage charity. English Heritage members get free admission to all its heritage attractions from the first year of membership. Show your current membership card at admissions.

Free admission applies to the member only, plus children aged 4 and under; other adults and older children pay.
Admission charges may apply for some special events.
Several sites are seasonal, open from Easter to the end of October.

More information

Entry

Non-member prices

Adult£11.00

Student (over 18 with card)£5.50

Pricing details

Standard walk-up price; MNH adds an optional £1.50 donation at the desk which you can decline. Children aged 16 and under are free and must be accompanied by an adult. Free for English Heritage members showing a valid card (the named member only, plus children aged 4 and under; accompanying adults pay). Special events may charge extra. MNH advertises multi-site savings, a 7 or 14 day Holiday Pass (£35 / £40) and a £45 Annual Pass for Island residents.

Over 18 with a valid student card; optional £1.50 donation can be declined. Free for English Heritage members showing a valid card (the named member only, plus children aged 4 and under; accompanying adults pay). Group discount for pre-booked groups of 15 or more paying visitors booked 7 days ahead.

ParkingParking not known

The Trust's page does not say how parking is charged.

Parking details

MNH's Peel Castle Access Guide names a public car park at Fenella Beach, about 100 m from the castle entrance, tarmac surfaced with no marked disabled bays, and additional parking on Peel breakwater. Neither MNH, gov.im nor the Peel Town Commissioners' pages read on 17 October 2026 publish a tariff or state that it is free, so the charge is unknown; the Access Guide for the House of Manannan says street parking around Peel is free. Coaches drop at the entrance and park in the House of Manannan car park, or on the promenade coach park (free) with a walk over the harbour footbridge.

Driving pin: the Fenella Beach Car Park Google listing (ChIJmQDZBN2TY0gReDlRVcF_f2Y, parking_lot, 54.2248432, -4.6992476), about 230 m south-west of the official MNH page pin (54.226858, -4.697814), which sits on the West Quay at the castle entrance; the car park lies between the castle and Peel Hill at the landward end of the causeway.

On foot: from Peel beach cross the harbour swing bridge (about 5 minutes from the town centre) or walk round the harbour (10 to 15 minutes); Peel's streets and pavements are uneven. Buses 4, 4A, 5, 5C, 6, 6A, 8 and 8S; Peel bus station is a 10 to 15 minute walk; Douglas to Peel by bus takes about 25 minutes.

About

Peel Castle, Cashtal Phurt ny h-Inshey, fills St Patrick's Isle at the mouth of Peel harbour, joined to the town by a causeway. Cared for by Manx National Heritage, which calls it the biggest and most complex heritage site on the Isle of Man, its 700 m curtain wall encloses almost two hectares of fortifications built over 700 years, with St Patrick's Church of a thousand years ago, a round tower raised 900 years ago against raiders, and the Cathedral of St German and its crypt. An audio guide covers each period, and the moddey dhoo, a ghostly black dog, is said to haunt the isle. Reviewers praise the size of the site, the sea views and the helpful staff, and climb Peel Hill opposite for the best view of the castle. Tips from visitors: entry is up 24 historic steps, the paths inside are uneven, and there is no cafe but picnics are welcome. Dogs on a short lead are welcome, with a water bowl at the kiosk.

Check today’s timesSee all times

Peel Castle11:00 – 16:30last entry 16:00

Opening times may change at short notice.

2026 season Friday 27 March to Sunday 1 November 2026, open daily 11am to 4.30pm, last entry 4pm. Closed over the winter until the 2027 season.

Conservation: the Barbican Wall project runs from November 2026 to spring 2027 with scaffolding around the castle entrance (lime mortar repointing, new lead sills to the Barbican windows and sandstone replacement). A larger project to protect the ancient curtain wall is also under way.

Entirely open-air: 24 uneven sandstone steps with a partial handrail lead from the causeway to the ticket office and there is no alternative way in; inside, grass and stone paths are uneven with slopes, steep inclines, narrow passages and steps into the ruins, slippery when wet. Sloped routes reach St German's Cathedral (no access to its stepped areas) and most buildings; the crypt is down steep irregular steps. Male and female toilets are reached via 8 steps down, a short low tunnel and 7 steps up; no accessible toilet or baby changing on site, the nearest being at Peel breakwater about 50 m from the entrance. Induction loop at the ticket office, audio guide with a printed transcript to borrow, benches around the site.

A small gift kiosk at the pay barrier sells soft drinks, water and sweet snacks; no cafe on site, picnics encouraged, the Peel Breakwater Kiosk is 50 m from the entrance. Watch for seagulls. Drones are not permitted.

Dogs: Pet dogs on a short lead are welcome throughout the open-air castle site, with a water bowl at the entrance kiosk; no dog bins, so waste must be taken away.

Photo: Peel Castle on St Patrick's Isle with Fenella Beach, the breakwater and Peel harbour seen from Peel Hill. Patrick Hamilton, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Peel_castle_and_beach,_Isle_of_Man_-_geograph.org.uk_-_6222129.jpg. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0. Resized and cropped for display; derivatives retain the source licence.