What makes Carlisle famous?

Carlisle is a city filled with extensive historical ruins, buildings and culture. It’s close proximity to popular areas such as The Pennines and The Lake District makes it a passing place for thousands of tourists. The production of the nearby railway and status of the area as a cathedral city has attracted visitors from near and far since the Victorian era and earlier. 

  • Historical buildings and ruins

Carlisle is renowned for its history, with the city being home to a number of museums, Roman ruins, an ancient castle and priory.

  • Roman History

Carlisle began as a Roman town called Luguvalium and was the northern frontier. Evidence of Roman settlements in the city are still visible today; excavations have shown that the fort at Carlisle, which lay between the castle and Tullie House, was occupied from AD 73 to the early 5th century. Evidence of Roman baths was also found beneath Carlisle Cricket Club in 2017. The site revealed original floors, walls, painted plasterwork, preserved coins and cooking vessels. And of course the most famous, Hadrian’s Wall is just a stone’s throw away from Carlisle and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Frontiers of the Roman Empire.’ The wall ran north of Carlisle through Uxelodunum (modern Stanwix, now a suburb of Carlisle). This was the largest fort on the entire wall.  More can be learned about Carlisle’s Roman history at the nearby Birdoswald Roman Fort or in the city’s Tullie House Museum.

  • Carlisle Castle

Standing proudly over the city as it has done for over 900 years, Carlisle Castle remains in outstanding condition considering it has withstood many battles and sieges from the Celts and the Scots. The castle has remarkably been continuously occupied since its foundation by William II in 1092 and was the principal fortress of England’s north-western border with Scotland. The castle once held Mary Queen of Scots prisoner here!  This amazing piece of history is open to explore today; visitors can look around the medieval castle rooms, wander through the dungeons, walk on the castle walls and learn about the fortresses’ turbulent history through exhibitions.

  • Carlisle Cathedral

Carlisle Cathedral isn’t the most well-known or largest cathedral in the UK, but it is one of the most impressive. The red sandstone building is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Carlisle. It has survived on the border with Scotland for nine centuries, with the building dating back to 1133, when it was founded by King Henry I. It’s notable features include figurative stone carvings, a set of medieval choir stalls and the largest window in the Flowing Decorated Gothic style in England. The cathedral is still used for worship today and is open to everyone.

  • Sport

Carlisle is known for it’s range of professional sports and teams including football, rugby, golf and horse racing. In 2012, Carlisle was one of the official stop points for the Olympic Torch.

  • Football

Carlisle is represented by Carlisle United, which currently plays in the fourth tier of English football. The team play at Brunton Park stadium at Warwick Road. 

  • Rugby

 Carlisle also has two rugby union clubs: Carlisle RFC and Creighton RUFC. Carlisle RFC play at Warwick Road, alongside Carlisle United Football Club. 

  • Horse Racing 

In 1904 Carlisle Racecourse was established to the south of the city, it is now a first class racecourse. However, Horse racing has been held in Carlisle for centuries before the racecourse was formally established. 

  • Golf

The city is also home to over several golf clubs including Stoneyholme and Carlisle Gold Club, which hosts regional qualifying to the Open Championship.

  • Armed Forces

As a frontier town for over a millennium and a half, Carlisle is a military city and is home to extensive military history. Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life is located beside the castle and showcases more than 300 years of army history in Cumbria. You can see a huge variety of items including uniforms, medals, weapon and silver dating from 1700 to present day, alongside interactive displays.  A recent addition features an immersive exhibition recreating a First World War trench environment. The museum, which has been operating for over 80 years, aims to reinforce the strong link between Cumbria’s regiments and the local community. It provides a source of information for former soldiers and families as well as those interested in learning more about the region’s military history.