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The city of Carlisle lies
in the far north of Cumbria, 10 miles from the Scottish border.
Once the county town of Cumberland,
Carlisle is the administrative centre for both the district
and for Cumbria. The Border City is also the main shopping,
commercial and industrial centre for North Cumbria and a good
part of southern Scotland.
An ancient site, Carlisle lies
on a slight rise at the confluence of the Rivers Eden, Caldew
and Petteril. The Romans established a settlement here
to serve the forts on Hadrian's Wall. Because this was
the last English town before the border with Scotland, Carlisle
became an important military stronghold.
Carlisle Castle was built in
1092 by William Rufus, son of William the Conqueror.
In 1568 Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner at the castle.
Today the ancient fortress houses the King's Own Royal Border
Regiment and the intriguing Border Regiment Museum. The
Norman keep, boasting panoramic views, hosts an exhibition
on Bonnie Prince Charlie's uprising. In 1746 'The
Young Pretender' and his supporters briefly captured Carlisle
Castle.
In the early 12th century Henry
I allowed the foundation of a religous settlement in Carlisle.
When he made the town a dioese in 1122, the priory became
the cathedral.
Carlisle's fine red sandstone
Cathedral has the largest east window of any cathedral in
Europe (Note: already done under Cathedrals). Within
the grounds of the Cathedral is the Prior's Tower, dating
from the 14th century, which has a painted 16th century heraldic
ceiling and houses a small exhibition.
At the end of the 18th century
Carlisle began to prosper as a textile centre. In the
19th century Carlisle's strategic position meant that it developed
as an important railway town, with seven railway companies
sharing its impressive station.
The city lies at the northern
end of the famous 72 mile Settle - Carlisle Railway and steam
trains can often be spotted at Carlisle Station.
Tourist attractions nearby include
the award-winning Tullie
House Museum and Art Gallery, located in the 17th century
home of the Tullie family, details the long history of Carlisle
and the border country. The Romans in Britian exhibition
includes lots of information on Hadrian's Wall, the great
Roman defensive structure which ran through the Stanwix area
of Carlisle.
Linking the museum and the castle
is the Millennium Subway, featuring specially commissioned
art works. These include the Bishop Stone, a 2.5 meter
boulder inscribed with the colourfully worded curse, issued
500 years ago by the Archbishop of Glasgow on border rustlers
and robbers.
A feature of Carlisle is the
Citadel, two immense oval towers which once formed the southern
entrance to the city. Until recently the towers housed
the city's civil and criminal courts. Now restored,
the building houses the Cumbria County Council and the West
Tower, which held the criminal courts, is open to the public.
Other visitor attractions include
the Guildhall
Museum, located in Carlisle's only medieval building,
dating from in 1407, and the Linton
Mill Visitor Centre at Shaddongate.
The city's Tourist Information
Centre is located in the upper floor of the former town hall,
dating from 1717.
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the internet holiday and travel guide to the UK
Carlisle
Carlisle
Castle
has always played a vital part in Britain's history due to its
location.Begun in 1092, extended by Henry I it fell to Scottish
hands,although reclaimed by Henry II, and besieged by the Scottish
king ,William the Lion. Much altered and restored, now it houses
the museum of the Border Regiment & King's Own Royal Border
Regiment. 
