Castletown talk will explore origins of ‘castle’ in village name
A talk in Castletown this month will examine the long-standing question of why the village has “castle” in its name.
It has been a topic of debate for generations, as there is no obvious castle-like structure to be seen locally.
Muriel Murray of Castletown Heritage Society will seek to resolve the issue by sharing her research into the settlement of Stangergill – the forerunner of Castletown.
She will focus on Stangergill Castle, discussing its location, what it might have looked like and who might have built it.
Mrs Murray’s talk at Castlehill Heritage Centre is scheduled for Tuesday, March 18, at 7.30pm.
The centre is welcoming spring not only with a display of mini-daffodils in the courtyard but a new exhibition on the theme of immigration and emigration.
Grouped together under a series of headings, the display features the stories of people who moved to the local area or undertook often hazardous journeys to distant parts of the world.
The exhibition contains many artefacts, some of which can be handled by visitors.
The annual general meeting of Castletown Heritage Society will be held at the heritage centre on Wednesday, April 23, at 7.30pm. It will be an opportunity for anyone interested to join the existing group of volunteers.
Guest speaker will be Roger Saxon. He will talk about the world-class fossil collection built up by his late father, Jack Saxon, now on show at Castlehill.
Castlehill Heritage Centre is open to visitors from 2pm to 4pm on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays throughout the year (apart from Christmas Day and New Year’s Day).
Groups can be accommodated at other times by prior arrangement. Entry is by donation.