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Balladoole Historic Monument Site

Type:Historic Site

Balladoole Historic Monument Site

About

Just outside of Castletown, Balladoole is one of the Isle of Man’s most impressive ancient monuments.

Balladoole has been the site of many excavations that have revealed a number of significant finds including prehistoric flints, Bronze Age burials, Iron Age earthworks and early Christian lintel graves.

A 10th century AD Viking boat burial which dates back to between 850AD and 950AD was discovered in 1945 by a German refugee and a team from the internment camps based on the Island. The group were originally looking for an Iron Age hill fort but found the burial instead, lying within early Christian lintel graves, which contained a 36ft long Viking ship and the bodies of a man and woman.

In 1918, an ancient Keeill chapel dating between 900AD and 1000AD and a Bronze Age grave dating to 1000 BC were also discovered at the Balladoole site in an area now known as Chapel Hill. 

Information boards are provided next to each section of the site and for more information on the history of the site as well as dioramas of the burial and artifacts from the excavation, visit the Viking Gallery in the Manx Museum in Douglas. 

Bay Ny Carrickey, Balladoole

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Map & Directions

Road Directions

Journey time from Douglas is approximately 25 minutes. The site is 2km from Castletown. From Castletown head towards Port St Mary (A5). After 1.5km you will pass a right turn signposted Ballabeg (A28), do not take this turn but continue along the A5. After a further 200m take a left turn into Poyllvaaish Road (SC 2493 6859). The footpath for Chapel Hill is signposted on the right a further 400m up the road. There is parking for 3-4 vehicles at the entrance to the footpath.

Public Transport Directions

The route between Castletown and Port St Mary (A5) is a main bus route. Please ask the driver to drop you as near as possible to Poyllvaaish Road/Balladoole Farm. Poyllvaaish Road is on the level, and is a small country road with no pavements. It is a 400 metre walk up the road

What's Nearby

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