Castle Rushen is at the heart of historic Castletown at the south-east corner of the Isle of Man. Its origins are thought to date to an 11th-century fortified settlement at the entrance to the Silverburn River. It is frequently referred to as one of the most complete medieval castles in the British Isles, although it has undergone later modifications, including adaptation to become the island’s first prison in the 19th century.
After the closure of the prison in the 1890s, Castle Rushen became the home of the Manx Museum for about 30 years, until it moved to Douglas. The castle remained a popular visitor attraction through to the late 1980s when it was formally transferred to Manx National Heritage (MNH) from Isle of Man Government. A major conservation and redisplay and interpretation project was then undertaken.
There is usually a balance required between investment in the fabric of a building and its presentation and interpretation. Increasingly, our innovative teams of curators and designers are using theatre to create experiences for visitors to museums and heritage sites. But behind the set-dressing and in the unseen spaces we still have an obligation to maintain and conserve our buildings.
The production of a conservation management plan for Castle Rushen in 2012 enabled MNH to objectively review the development and social history of the site. It was particularly helpful in drawing out the strongest themes and stories for a new interpretation strategy.
This knowledge underpins and enables a strategy for the repair, conservation and improvement of the physical fabric of the castle and its amenities. There are all the predictable constraints of a historic building, to be planned to reflect the needs and expectations of our audiences and staff.
Recently, a modest project - the first of a number of planned interventions - was completed to replace a replica drawbridge constructed in around 1907 by the Manx Arts and Crafts architect Armitage Rigby. This single change made it possible to radically improve the accessibility of the ground floor of the castle’s keep, freeing our curatorial team to completely redesign the arrival and orientation experience.
We have found that the interdependencies of a building such as Castle Rushen can only be managed successfully by taking a holistic view of the site. This can guide the process of prioritising both hard or soft interventions and highlight opportunities for conservation to act as a catalyst to create high quality visitor experiences, or vice-versa.
Steve Blackford is the head of properties at Manx National Heritage
