Carlisle City Guide

Introduction

Carlisle, in the very north west of England, is the biggest town in Cumbria and the only city in this rural county. It’s a historic town that dates back to Celtic and Roman times and for years it served as a strategic fortress in the battles over the English border with Scotland. Evidence of this still remains today in the medieval castle and citadel and the Roman-built Hadrian’s Wall.

Attractions

Green Market
Get your bearings by starting off at Green Market, one of the oldest public thoroughfares in the city. The tourist information office is located in the Elizabethan building that once served as the town hall. Other remnants of the medieval city can be seen in the market cross, which dates from 1680, and in the timber-framed Guildhall building, where all of the city’s medieval guilds and trade organisations once met. Today it houses a small museum on Carlisle’s guild heritage.

Carlisle Castle
The pride of Carlisle is its magnificent castle, built by William the Conqueror’s son at the end of the 11th century. The outer bailey houses mainly modern buildings, from the Napoleonic era to the First World War, but the inner bailey is much more historic. It’s where Elizabeth I kept Mary Queen of Scots imprisoned for a short while. In the armoury there’s a military museum full of fascinating artefacts relating to local regiments – the Border Regiment, the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment and Cumbria’s County Infantry Regiment. The most exciting part of the castle is the dark and dingy dungeons. Legend has it that the damp ‘licking stone’ provided the only water for the Jacobite soldiers captured and incarcerated when Bonnie Prince Charlie lost his short-lived control of the castle in 1745.

Citadel
The striking circular red sandstone towers of the citadel mark the southern entrance to the city. Originally built by Henry VIII, turbulent times have taken their toll on the building and what you see today dates mainly from the 18th and 19th centuries. Its most recent function was as a courthouse, and after recent refurbishment, public visits can be arranged by guided tour. You’ll be taken round some of the marvellous oak-panelled courtrooms and the grand and imposing jury room, its walls adorned with paintings of local dignitaries. 

Cathedral
Again built of bright red sandstone, Carlisle’s cathedral has fared better than many of the other historic buildings in the century, and even emerged relatively unscathed from the bloody fighting and sieges of the Civil War. The highlight is the 14th century stained-glass East Window, and also of interest is the collection of gleaming religious silverware on display in the Treasury.

Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery
This marvellous museum reveals the history of Cumbria in a highly imaginative series of displays and exhibits. There’s something on every key aspect of local history, from the Roman settlements to the Civil War and the Jacobite siege as well as the wild and lawless lives of the Reivers, or borders families who dodged the jurisdiction of both the English and the Scottish authorities in centuries past. There are also collections of archaeology, geology, wildlife, paintings and decorative art. Don’t miss the Millennium Gallery in the basement, a celebration of Carlisle’s extraordinary history with some weird and wonderful exhibits.  

Hadrian’s Wall
Built by Roman Emperor Hadrian in AD122 to protect this north-western extremity of the Roman Empire from the ‘barbarians’ to the north, Hadrian’s Wall stretches an impressive 75 miles across the North of England from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Carlisle (it’s several miles south of the modern border with Scotland), dotted with numerous forts, garrisons and outposts. It’s listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s a must-see if you’re in the area. The highest number of Roman sites can be seen at the stretch between Chollerford and Gilsland, including the well preserved defences at Birdoswald, where there’s an excellent visitor centre outlining the history of Roman habitation in the area. 

Lake District
Carlisle lies just to the north of the beautiful Lake District area, a designated National Park of rolling hills and dales, dry stone dykes, field upon field of sheep and picturesque towns and villages. Walkers, watersports lovers, cyclists and anglers flock here from all over the country to enjoy the glorious scenery. Don’t miss Lake Windermere, the largest of the lakes, and the charming towns of Ambleside, Hawkshead, Keswick, Kendal and Grasmere.

Eating Out

Carlisle’s wonderfully relaxing city centre makes it the perfect place for dining out. The Café Courtyard on Fisher Street is great for lunches, daytime snacks and light meals, as is John Watt’s Victorian Coffee Shop on Bank Street. For evening meals, undoubtedly the best Italian restaurant in the city is Ristorante Adriano’s on Rickergate, while Alexandros on Warwick Street is a wonderfully authentic, family-run Greek restaurant. For Asian cuisine, you won’t go far wrong with a curry at Stanwick’s Tandoori on Scotland Road or a Chinese buffet at the Golden Pheasant on Church Street.

Nightlife

There’s a great pub or bar on just about every corner in Carlisle city centre, so you’ll never be stuck on a night out. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing pint in a quiet local pub or the lively atmosphere of a trendy café-bar, you’re sure to find somewhere to suit your taste.

If you’re looking for entertainment, Carlisle is home to Cumbria’s biggest and best arts venue, the Sands Centre, which hosts a variety of events and performances from plays and ballets to classical and rock music. It also has an extensive range of recreation and sports facilities and it’s conveniently situated in the heart of the city centre.

Photos provided by Panoramio are under the copyright of their owners

Image by: © Douglas MacGregor