Carlisle History

A Roman town whose first fort was raised here in 72AD replaced the original Celtic settlement. The Romans left and in came the Saxon’s, which were repeatedly fought over by the Danes and Scots with the Scots finally loosing it to the Normans.

Its position near the Scottish border has shaped the town’s history with Carlisle changing hands many times and suffering the most recent Scottish capture in 1745. Carlisle Castle has been at the epicentre of the border strife down the years and is the largest and best-preserved castle in Cumbria.

The city’s cathedral dates from the 1122 though it is built on the site of a church that may have stood since the 8th century. Carlisle Cathedral was badly fire damaged at the end of the 13th century and was rebuilt throughout the 1300s and today it has many fine features with the choir ceiling and the East Window being among the highlights.