Knockaloe Centre for WW1 Internment

The sleepy village of Patrick, near Peel, was home to the British Empire’s largest internment camp during World War 1. 

Over the course of the war, the Knockaloe Camp was home to 30,000 internees from Turkey, Germany, Italy and Austria. Ordinary men, many of whom had lived with their families in Britain for decades, some of whom even had children serving in the British Army, were transported to the Isle of Man - away from those families and the lives they had built.

The Knockaloe Visitor Centre, home to the Centre For WW1 Internment, is situated in the Old School House in Patrick village, overlooking the site of the camp. It tells the story of the camp and the people it became home to through a fascinating collection of artefacts, many made by internees, as well as many contemporary items and video presentations relating to the day-to-day running of the camp and life behind the fence. The centre’s pièce de resistance, though, is surely the massive 3D interactive map which, through the use of some impressive technology, enables you to really visualise the true size of the site.

The centre backs on to Patrick churchyard, which features the graves of some of the internees who weren’t fortunate enough to make it home. It’s a stark reminder of a time, not so long ago, when the world was a very different place.

The Centre For WW1 Internment is very much worth a visit - you can download an app (developed by the boffins here at 3Legs.com) and walk the site, where you’ll find signposts containing QR codes which can be scanned with your phone, revealing more information about what life was like during those dark times.

The centre was set up by the Patrick community as a not-for-profit charity, receiving no government funding, and is staffed and administered by volunteers. It's a stunning example of what dedication, peseverance and passion can achieve - easily surpassing in terms of research, presentation and interaction, many more established sites. It shines a pinpoint light onto a dark, and often overlooked, part of the Island - and the World's  - past.

Access

There is plenty of parking on the gravel carpark. The building is wheelchair accessible and has disabled toilets. There are excellent tea and coffee facilities onsite.

Contact Details

Location

Google Maps Directions

Opening Hours

Admission