Stonemasons begin repairs to Peel Castle's 'fragile' wall tops

The gatehouse at Peel Castle has been roped off to protect the public from falling masonry

Urgent repairs are being made to the "fragile masonry" around a 1,000-year-old castle on the Isle of Man.

Repairs to the Gatehouse at Peel Castle were last made in the 1870s.

Manx National Heritage (MNH) said although the Victorian's had done a "pretty good job", weather damage meant the walls were becoming unsafe.

The fortifications on the site were built by the Vikings in the 11th Century, with more battlements added about 300 years later.

MNH historic buildings architect John-Paul Walker said the work would also be extended to other weathered and damaged walls on the site on St Patrick's Isle.

Battlements, a cathedral and round tower are among the historic structures on St Patrick's Isle

"Architecture conversation is not a glamorous job in a way, because if you do it well it looks exactly like it did when you started," Mr Walker said.

The work was "effectively a repair of a repair", he said, adding: "The Victorians did a pretty good job, but there is a constant requirement to maintain these important and unique structures."

"This is one of these sites where there will always be something to repair, it is one of those sites where once you have kind of worked all the way around, then you will need to start back at the beginning."

The walkway around the castle will be shut for a period during the conservation work

Stonemasons had already started securing the wall heads to "protect the integrity" the structures beneath them, which were constructed using local red sandstone, Mr Walker said.

While the castle remains open during the work, the footpath around it has been temporarily closed to allow the outer walls to receive the specialist attention.