Castletown Bay & Scarlett Wrecks

Castletown was IoM's CAPITAL until 1869 — Castle Rushen (one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Europe) dominates the harbour. The rocky Scarlett coast south of town is both a shipwreck zone and a fossil site (Carboniferous limestone with volcanic rocks). The harbour has been the centre of Manx political power for centuries. WHY DETECT HERE: Former capital = centuries of concentrated wealth and activity. The harbour area, the old market square, and the beach toward Scarlett are all productive. At Scarlett you get a unique double opportunity: metal detecting for maritime items AND fossil collecting in the limestone. The volcanic rock formations (nature reserve) are spectacular.