Carlisle City
Carlisle has been a significant place since well before Roman times and is currently the largest city in England by area with a population of over 100,000. The city is at the northern extreme of the North West of England only 10 miles from the border with Scotland and is the urban capital of the county of Cumbria with the Lake District right on our door step.
Carlisle Castle
On a prominent site north of the city centre, Carlisle Castle has played an important role in the history of Carlisle for centuries. First built by William Rufus (William the Conqueror's son), the castle is strategically located on the border between England and Scotland and has witnessed many attacks over its 900 years of history. In 1306, a parliament was held here by Edward 1 during his Scottish campaign. In 1567 it became a temporary prison for Mary, Queen of Scots, and in 1745 it was a place of incarceration for rebel soldiers loyal to Bonnie Prince Charlie during the Jacobite Rebellion.
