View source for Carlisle

{{Short description|City in Cumbria, England}}
{{about|the city in England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name = Carlisle
| type = City
| coordinates = {{Coord|54|53|41|N|02|56|11|W|display=inline,title}}
| population = 77,730
| population_ref = (Built up area, 2021)<ref>{{cite web |title=Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021 |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/articles/townsandcitiescharacteristicsofbuiltupareasenglandandwales/census2021 |website=Census 2021 |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=8 August 2023}}</ref>
| constituency_westminster = [[Carlisle (UK Parliament constituency)|Carlisle]]
| unitary_england = [[Cumberland (district)|Cumberland]]
| lieutenancy_england = [[Cumbria]]
| region = North West England
| country = England
| post_town = CARLISLE
| postcode_district = CA1-CA6
| postcode_area = CA
| dial_code = 01228
| london_distance = {{cvt|261|mi|km|0}}&nbsp;[[Boxing the compass|SSE]]
| static_image_name = {{multiple images|border=infobox|perrow=1 2|total_width=270px|align=center
| image1 = Carlisle Market Cross 6310907 2233337d.jpg
|caption1= [[Old Town Hall, Carlisle|Old Town Hall]]
| image2 = 1208430 Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, seen from the Southeast Carlisle 20240527 0066.jpg
| caption2 = [[Carlisle Cathedral|Cathedral]]
| image3 = 1210129 5 and 6 Green Market Carlisle 20240527 0080.jpg
| caption3 = [[Carlisle Guildhall|Guildhall Museum]]
| image4 = The Citadel, English Street, Carlisle (NHLE Code 1196940) (April 2016) (3).jpg
| caption4 = [[Carlisle Citadel|Citadel]]
| image5= Half-moon battery, Carlisle Castle - geograph.org.uk - 6311799.jpg
| caption5 = [[Carlisle Castle|Castle]]
}}

| static_image_caption = 
| static_image_2_name = 
| static_image_2_caption = Coat of arms
| pushpin_map = 
| pushpin_map_caption = 
| label_position = 
| os_grid_reference = NY395555
}}

'''Carlisle''' ({{IPAc-en|k|ɑr|ˈ|l|aɪ|l}} {{respell|kar|LYLE}}, {{IPAc-en|local|ˈ|k|ɑr|l|aɪ|l}} {{respell|KAR|lyle}};<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/englishpronounci00dani |title=Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary |publisher=CUP |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-521-68086-8 |editor-last=Roach |editor-first=Peter |edition=17th |location=Cambridge |editor2-last=Hartman |editor2-first=James |editor3-last=Setter |editor3-first=Jane |editor4-last=Jones |editor4-first=Daniel |editor-link4=Daniel Jones (phonetician) |url-access=registration}}</ref> from {{langx|xcb|Caer Luel}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Snyder |first=Christopher A. |title=The Britons |publisher=John Wiley and Sons |year=2003 |page=204}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=The Spirit of Hadrian's Wall |publisher=Cicerone Press Limited |year=2008 |page=177}}</ref><ref name="railwaynames">{{Cite web |title=List of railway station names in English, Scots and Gaelic |url=http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/component/content/article/2999-list-of-railway-station-names.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122064223/http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/component/content/article/2999-list-of-railway-station-names.html |archive-date=22 January 2013 |access-date=14 November 2012 |publisher=Newsnetscotland.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cairl |url=https://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cairl |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181213224516/https://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cairl |archive-date=13 December 2018 |access-date=3 May 2021 |publisher=Dictionary of the Scots Language}}</ref>) is a city located in the [[Cumberland (unitary authority)|Cumberland]] district of [[Cumbria]], England. It is the largest settlement and only city in Cumbria. In 2021 it had a population of 77,730.

Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called [[Luguvalium]] to serve [[castra|forts]] along [[Hadrian's Wall]] in [[Roman Britain]].<ref>{{cite EB9 |mode=cs2 |wstitle=Carlisle (1.) |volume=5|ref={{harvid|''EB''|1878}} |pages=108–110 }}</ref> Due to its proximity to Scotland (being located {{convert|8|mi|km|0|abbr=off|spell=on|disp=or}} south of the current [[Anglo-Scottish border]]), [[Carlisle Castle]] and the city became an important military stronghold in the [[Middle Ages]]. The castle served as a prison for [[Mary, Queen of Scots]] in 1568 and currently hosts the [[Duke of Lancaster's Regiment]] and the [[Border Regiment]] Museum. A priory was built in the early 12th century, which subsequently became [[Carlisle Cathedral]] in 1133 on the creation of the [[Diocese of Carlisle]]. As the seat of a diocese, Carlisle therefore gained [[city status in the United Kingdom|city status]]. Carlisle also served as the [[county town]] of the [[Historic counties of England|historic county]] of [[Cumberland]] from the county's creation in the 12th century.

In the 19th century, the introduction of [[textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution]] began a process of [[socioeconomic]] transformation in Carlisle, which developed into a densely populated [[mill town]]. This, combined with its strategic position, allowed for the development of Carlisle as an important [[railway town]], with seven railway companies sharing [[Carlisle railway station]]. Nicknamed the 'Great Border City',<ref>{{citation |first=Gordon |last=McKelvie |date=2017 |title=Henry VII's Letter to Carlisle in 1498: His Concerns about Retaining in a Border Fortress |journal=Northern History |volume=54 |number=2 |pages=149–166 |doi=10.1080/0078172X.2017.1327188 |s2cid=159780799}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Carlisle: A Frontier and Border City |series=Cities of the Ancient World |first=Mike |last=McCarthy |publisher=Routledge |date=2017}}</ref><ref name="OS">{{Cite book |title=Landranger 85: Carlisle & Solway Firth |publisher=[[Ordnance Survey]] |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-319-22822-7 |scale=1:50,000}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=News & Star {{!}} News {{!}} Carlisle council leader says it's time to ditch 'Great Border City' tag |url=http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/carlisle-council-leader-says-it-s-time-to-ditch-great-border-city-tag-1.960029 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211072134/http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/carlisle-council-leader-says-it-s-time-to-ditch-great-border-city-tag-1.960029 |archive-date=11 December 2015 |access-date=15 October 2015 |website=www.newsandstar.co.uk}}</ref>

==History==
{{Main|History of Cumbria}}

=== Ancient Carlisle ===
{{Main|Luguvalium}}

The ancient history of Carlisle is derived mainly from archaeological evidence and the works of the [[Roman historiography|Roman historian]] [[Tacitus]]. The earliest recorded inhabitants in the area were the [[Carvetii]] [[list of Celtic tribes|tribe]] of [[Britons (historical)|Britons]] who made up the main population of ancient [[Cumbria]] and [[Lancashire|North Lancashire]].<ref name="carvetii">{{Citation |title=Celtic Tribes of Britain; The Carvetii |url=http://www.roman-britain.org/tribes/carvetii.htm |df=dmy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425010043/http://www.roman-britain.org/tribes/carvetii.htm |publisher=Roman Britain Organisation |access-date=3 May 2011 |archive-date=25 April 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> According to [[Hector Boece|Boethius]] and [[John of Fordun]], writing in the 8th and 9th centuries, Carlisle existed before the [[Roman conquest of Britain|arrival of the Romans in Britain]] and was one of the strongest [[Britons (Celtic people)|British]] towns at the time. In the time of the [[list of Roman emperors|emperor]] [[Nero]], it was said to have burned down.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Samuel Sampson |title=The Agreeable Historian, or the Complete English Traveller |year=1746}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Fordun |first1=John of |last2=Skene |first2=Felix James Henry |last3=Skene |first3=W. F. (William Forbes) |date=19 May 1872 |title=John of Fordun's Chronicle of the Scottish nation |url=http://archive.org/details/johnoffordunschr00fordrich |publisher=Edinburgh, Edmonston and Douglas |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> The Roman settlement was named '''Luguvalium''', based on a native name that has been reconstructed as [[Common Brittonic|Brittonic]] *'''Luguwaljon''', "[city] of Luguwalos", a masculine Celtic given name meaning "strength of [[Lugus]]".<ref name="Jackson1953">{{cite book |last1=Jackson |first1=Kenneth |title=Language and History in Early Britain |date=1953 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |page=39 |url=https://archive.org/details/languagehistoryi0000jack/page/38/mode/2up |access-date=13 April 2025}}</ref>

Excavations undertaken along Annetwell Street in the 1970s dated the Roman timber fort constructed at the site of present [[Carlisle Castle]] to the winter of AD&nbsp;73.<ref>{{Citation |title=Settling in Cumbria |url=http://romans.tulliehouse.co.uk/roman_settling.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826085330/http://romans.tulliehouse.co.uk/roman_settling.aspx |publisher=[[Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery|Tullie House Museum]] |access-date=3 May 2011 |archive-date=26 August 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> It protected a strategic location on the Roman road to the north and overlooking the confluence of the Caldew and Eden rivers.<ref name="irom">{{Cite web |title=Tullie House |url=http://www.iromans.co.uk/tullie-house |access-date=3 May 2011 |publisher=iRomans, a [[Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery|Tullie House]] website |archive-date=6 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306162752/http://www.iromans.co.uk/tullie-house |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{Css Image Crop
| Image = Agricola.Campaigns.78.84.jpg
| bSize = 250
| cWidth = 250
| cHeight = 150
| oTop = 200
| oLeft = 0
| Location = right
| Description = General [[Gnaeus Julius Agricola]] advances through Carlisle in AD&nbsp;79.
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The fort at Carlisle was reconstructed in AD 83 using [[oak]] timbers from further afield, rather than local [[alder]] as a possible result of the increased Roman control of the area.<ref name="tullietimeline">{{Cite web |title=Timeline of Roman Carlisle |url=http://romans.tulliehouse.co.uk/flash/timeline/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826085256/http://romans.tulliehouse.co.uk/flash/timeline/index.htm |archive-date=26 August 2011 |access-date=3 May 2011 |publisher=[[Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery|Tullie House Museum]]}}</ref> At this time the Roman fort was garrisoned by a 500-strong cavalry regiment, the ''{{lang|la|Ala Gallorum Sebosiana}}''.<ref name=irom/>

By the early 2nd century, Carlisle was established as a prominent stronghold. The 'Stanegate' frontier, which consisted of Luguvalium and several other forts in a line east to [[Corbridge]], was proving a more stable frontier against the [[Picts]] than those established deeper into [[Caledonia]]. In AD 122, the province was visited by [[Hadrian]], who approved a plan to build a wall the length of the frontier. A new fort, [[Petriana]], was therefore built in the [[Stanwix]] area of the city north of the river on [[Hadrian's Wall]]. It was the largest fort along the wall{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} and was completed in stone by around AD 130. Like Luguvalium, which lay within sight, Petriana housed a nominal 1,000-strong cavalry regiment, the ''[[Ala Gallorum Petriana]]'', the sole regiment of this size along the wall. Hadrian's successor [[Antoninus Pius]] abandoned the frontier and attempted to move further north; he built the [[Antonine Wall]] between the [[firth]]s of [[Firth of Forth|Forth]] and [[Firth of Clyde|Clyde]]. It was not a success and, after 20 years, the garrisons returned to Hadrian's Wall.<ref name=tullietimeline/>

At one time, Carlisle broke off from Rome when [[Carausius|Marcus Carausius]] assumed power over the territory. He was assassinated and suffered ''[[damnatio memoriae]]'', but a surviving reference to him has been uncovered in Carlisle. Coins excavated in the area suggest that Romans remained in Carlisle until the reign of [[Valentinian II|Emperor Valentinian II]], from AD 375 to AD 392.

===Middle Ages===
[[File:Carlisle Castle 03.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|[[Carlisle Castle]] was built in the reign of [[William II of England|William II]].]]
{{main|Rheged|Cumberland|Curse of Carlisle}}
The period of [[Sub-Roman Britain|late antiquity]] [[Roman withdrawal from Britain|after Roman rule]] saw [[Cumbria]] organised as the native [[Britons (historical)|British]] [[kingdom of Rheged]]. It is likely that the kingdom took its name from a major stronghold within it; this has been suggested to have been broadly coterminous with the ''{{lang|la|Civitas Carvetiorum}}'', Carlisle.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Higham, Nick |title=The Northern Counties to AD 1000 |publisher=Longman Higher Education |year=1986}}</ref> King [[Urien]] and his son and successor [[Owain mab Urien|Owain]] became the subjects of a great deal of [[Arthurian legend]]. Their capital has been identified as the {{nowrap|'''{{lang|owl|[[caer|Cair]] Ligualid}}'''}} listed by [[Historia Brittonum|Nennius]] among the 28 cities of Britain,<ref name="nashford">Ford, David Nash. "[http://www.britannia.com/history/ebk/articles/nenniuscities.html The 28 Cities of Britain] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415120312/http://www.britannia.com/history/ebk/articles/nenniuscities.html |date=15 April 2016 }}" at Britannia. 2000.</ref> which later developed into {{nowrap|'''[[Caer]]-luel'''}},<ref>{{Cite book |last=John T. Koch |title=Celtic Culture : A Historical Encyclopedia |date=16 December 2005 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |author-link=John T. Koch}}</ref> whence the city's modern Welsh name '''Caerliwelydd'''. [[Rheged]] came under Northumbrian control before 730, probably by inheritance after Rienmelth, daughter of Royth and great-granddaughter of Urien, married [[Oswy]], [[King of Northumbria]]. For the rest of the first millennium, Carlisle was an important stronghold contested by several entities who warred over the area, including the [[Celtic Britons|Brythonic]] [[Kingdom of Strathclyde]] and the [[Angles (tribe)|Anglian]] [[kingdom of Northumbria]]. In 685, St [[Cuthbert]], visiting the Queen of Northumbria in her sister's monastery at Carlisle, was taken to see the city walls and a marvellously constructed Roman fountain.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bede |title=The Life and Miracles of St. Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne |url=http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/bede-cuthbert.asp |access-date=27 November 2015 |website=Internet History Sourcebook |publisher=Fordham University: The Jesuit University of New York |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625103657/https://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/bede-cuthbert.asp |archive-date=25 June 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

By the time of the [[Norman Conquest]] of England in 1066, Carlisle was in the possession of the Scots. It was not recorded in the 1086 [[Domesday Book]]. This changed in 1092, when [[William the Conqueror]]'s son [[William II of England|William Rufus]] invaded the region and incorporated Carlisle into England. The construction of [[Carlisle Castle]] began in 1093 on the site of the Roman fort, south of the [[River Eden, Cumbria|River Eden]]. The castle was rebuilt in stone in 1112, with a [[keep]] and the [[Carlisle city walls|city walls]]. The walls enclosed the city south of the castle and included three gates to the east, south, and north called the Irish or Caldew Gate, the English or Botcher Gate, and the Scotch or Ricker Gate respectively. The names of the gates exist in road names in Carlisle today. [[Carlisle Cathedral]] was founded as an [[Augustinians|Augustinian]] priory and became a cathedral in 1133.<ref name="TTB">Tim Tatton-Brown and John Crook, ''The English Cathedral'', New Holland (2002), {{ISBN|1-84330-120-2}}</ref> In 1157, Carlisle became the seat of the new county of [[Carliol]] (a name that was originally an abbreviation of Latin ''Carlioliensis'', meaning "[Bishop] of Carlisle"); in 1177 the county was renamed [[Cumberland]].

The conquest of Cumberland was the beginning of a war between Scotland and England which saw the region centred around Carlisle change hands a number of times. It was a major stronghold after the construction of the castle. During the wars, the livelihood of the people on the borders was devastated by armies from both sides. Even when the countries were not at war, tension remained high, and royal authority in one or the other kingdom was often weak. The uncertainty of existence meant that communities or peoples kindred to each other sought security through their own strength and cunning, and they improved their livelihoods at their enemies' expense. These peoples were known as the [[Border Reivers]] and Carlisle was the major city within their territories.

The [[Border reivers|Reivers]] became so much of a nuisance to the Scottish and English governments that, in 1525, the [[Archbishop of Glasgow]] Gavin Dunbar cursed all the reivers of the borderlands. The curse was detailed in 1,069 words, beginning: "I curse their head and all the hairs of their head; I curse their face, their brain (innermost thoughts), their mouth, their nose, their tongue, their teeth, their forehead, their shoulders, their breast, their heart, their stomach, their back, their womb, their arms, their leggs, their hands, their feet and every part of their body, from the top of their head to the soles of their feet, before and behind, within and without."<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Border Reivers - The Curse |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/features/2003/07/restoration/the_curse.shtml |access-date=4 May 2011 |publisher=BBC Cumbria |archive-date=14 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114204513/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/features/2003/07/restoration/the_curse.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Early Modern era===
[[File:Jacobite broadside - Carlisle.jpg|thumb|300px|Historic view of Carlisle]]
After the [[Pilgrimage of Grace]], [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]], concerned at the weakness of his hold on the North, employed (1539) the engineer [[Stefan von Haschenperg]] to modernise the defences of Carlisle. von Haschenperg was sacked in 1543 for having "spent great treasures to no purpose"; but (by him and his successors) at the north end the castle towers were converted to artillery platforms, at the south the medieval Bochard gate was converted into the [[Carlisle Citadel|Citadel]], an artillery fortification with two massive artillery towers.<ref name="Pevsner2">{{Cite book |last1=Hyde |first1=Matthew |title=The Buildings of England: Cumbria; Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness |last2=Pevsner |first2=Nikolaus |date=2010 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0-300-12663-1 |location=London}}</ref>{{rp|243}} The death of [[Elizabeth I of England|Queen Elizabeth I]] in 1603 and her succession by [[James I of England|James VI of Scotland]] as King James I of England allowed more determined and coordinated efforts to suppress reiving. The borderers were not quick to change their ways and many were hanged and whole families were exiled to Ireland. It was not until 1681 that the problem of the reivers was acknowledged as no longer an issue.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sadler |first=John |title=Border Fury: England and Scotland at War, 1296 - 1568 |publisher=Longman |year=2004}}</ref>

Following the personal union of the crowns Carlisle Castle should have become obsolete as a frontier fortress, but the two kingdoms continued as separate states. In 1639, with war between the two kingdoms looming, the castle was refortified using stone from the cathedral cloisters.<ref name=Pevsner2 /> In 1642 the [[English Civil War]] broke out and the castle was garrisoned for the king. It endured a [[Siege of Carlisle (1645)|long siege]] from October 1644 until June 1645 when the Royalist forces surrendered after the [[Battle of Naseby]]. The city was occupied by a parliamentary garrison, and subsequently by their Scots allies. In 1646, the Scots, now holding Carlisle pending payment of monies owed them by the English Parliament, improved its fortifications, destroying the [[Carlisle Cathedral|cathedral's]] nave to obtain the stone to rebuild the castle.<ref name="caherit">{{cite journal |url=https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/cumberland/contents.cfm?vol_id=639 |journal=Transactions |title=Carlisle during the siege of 1644–5 |first=W |last=Nanson |publisher=[[Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society]] |volume=7 |year=1884 |access-date=20 November 2021 |archive-date=20 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120101608/https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/cumberland/contents.cfm?vol_id=639 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>
{{Cite web |title=Carlisle Castle during the civil war |url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/carlisle-castle/history-and-research/history/civil-war/#footnote2 |access-date=4 May 2011 |publisher=English Heritage |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110305092233/http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/carlisle-castle/history-and-research/history/civil-war/ |archivedate=5 March 2011}}</ref> Carlisle continued to remain a barracks thereafter. In 1698 travel writer [[Celia Fiennes]] wrote of Carlisle as having most of the trappings of a military town and that it was rife with alcohol and prostitutes.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Fiennes |first=Celia |title=Through England on a Side Saddle |publisher=Penguin Classics |year=2009}}</ref>

In 1707 an [[Acts of Union 1707|act of union]] was passed between England and Scotland, creating [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]], but Carlisle remained a garrison town. The tenth, and most recent siege in the city's history took place after [[Charles Edward Stuart]] took Carlisle in the [[Jacobite Rising of 1745]]. When the Jacobites retreated across the border to Scotland they left a garrison of 400 men in Carlisle Castle. Ten days later [[Prince William, Duke of Cumberland]] took the castle and executed 31 Jacobites on the streets of Carlisle.<ref name="caherit" />

===Industrial Revolution===
[[File:Proof banknote designed by William Home Lizars for Carlisle City and District Banking Company, 1800s, Garratt Collection. On Display at the British Museum in London.jpg|thumb|A banknote designed by [[William Home Lizars]] for Carlisle City and District Banking Company highlights the town's industrial features.]]
Although Carlisle continued to garrison soldiers, becoming the headquarters of the [[Border Regiment]], the city's importance as a military town decreased as the [[Industrial Revolution|industrial age]] took over. The post of [[Governor of Carlisle]] as garrison commander was abolished in 1838.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mnBbAAAAQAAJ |title=Accounts and Papers: Seventeen Volumes |publisher=UK Government |year=1838 |page=58}}</ref>

In the early 19th century textile mills, engineering works and food manufacturers built factories in the city mostly in the [[Denton Holme]], Caldewgate and Wapping suburbs in the Caldew Valley.<ref>Allen J. Scott, "Solway Country" (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2015</ref> These included [[Carr's|Carr's of Carlisle]], [[Kangol]], Metal Box and Cowans Sheldon. [[Dixon's Chimney and Shaddon Mill|Shaddon Mill]], in Denton Holme, became famous for having the world's 8th tallest chimney and was the largest cotton mill in England.

The expanding industries brought about an increase in population as jobs shifted from rural farms towards the cities. This produced a housing shortage where at one point 25,000 people in the city only had 5,000 houses to live in. People were said to be herded together with animal houses, slaughter houses and communal lavatories with open drains running between them. Living conditions were so bad that riots were common and some people emigrated. The problem was not solved until the end of the 19th century when mass housing was built west of the city walls.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carlisle - History |url=http://www.edgeguide.co.uk/cumbria/carlislehistory.html |access-date=3 May 2011 |publisher=EDGE Guide |archive-date=25 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625090032/http://www.edgeguide.co.uk/cumbria/carlislehistory.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1823 a canal was built to Fisher's Cross ([[Port Carlisle]]) to transport goods produced in the city. This enabled other industrial centres such as [[Liverpool]] to link with Carlisle via the [[Solway Firth|Solway]]. This was short-lived and when the canal operators ran into financial difficulty the waterway was filled in.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Port Carlisle |url=http://www.visitcumbria.com/car/port-carlisle.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514054516/http://www.visitcumbria.com/car/port-carlisle.htm |archive-date=14 May 2011 |access-date=3 May 2011 |publisher=Visit Cumbria |df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway|A railway]] was built in place of the canal.

Carlisle became a major [[railway]] centre on the [[West Coast Main Line]] with connections to the east. At one time seven companies used [[Carlisle railway station|Carlisle Citadel railway station]]. Before the building of the Citadel railway station the city had several other railway stations, including [[Carlisle London Road railway station|London Road railway station]]. Carlisle had the largest railway marshalling yard in Europe, Kingmoor, which, reduced in size, is operational and used by railfreight companies.

The [[Strand Road drill hall, Carlisle|Strand Road drill hall]] opened in 1874.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carlisle |url=http://www.drillhalls.org/Counties/Cumbria/TownCarlisle.htm |access-date=1 September 2017 |publisher=The Drill Hall Project |archive-date=2 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902044236/http://www.drillhalls.org/Counties/Cumbria/TownCarlisle.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Modern history===
[[File:Carlisle city centre - geograph.org.uk - 1731484.jpg|thumb|Botchergate in Carlisle, 1957]]
At the start of the 20th century, the population had grown to over 45,000. Transport was improved by the [[City of Carlisle Electric Tramways]] from 1900 until 1931, and the first cinema was built in 1906. In 1912, the boundaries of Carlisle were extended to include Botcherby in the east and Stanwix in the north.<ref name="localhistories">{{Cite web |title=A History of Carlisle |url=http://www.localhistories.org/carlisle.html |access-date=4 May 2010 |publisher=Local histories |archive-date=15 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615063026/http://localhistories.org/carlisle.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Carlisle was subject to the decline in the [[textile industry]] experienced throughout Britain as new machinery made labour unnecessary. In 1916, during the [[First World War]], the [[British government|government]] took over the [[public house]]s and [[brewery|breweries]] in Carlisle because of drunkenness among construction and munitions workers from the munitions factory at [[HM Factory, Gretna|Gretna]]. This experiment [[nationalisation|nationalised]] brewing. As the Carlisle Board of Control, and subsequently the Carlisle & District [[State Management Scheme]], it lasted until 1971.

During the Second World War, Carlisle hosted over 5,000 evacuees, many of whom arrived from Newcastle upon Tyne and the surrounding towns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Evacuees |url=http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/hstchg/evacuees.htm |access-date=3 March 2018 |website=Holme St Cuthbert Local History Group |archive-date=22 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722230918/http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/hstchg/evacuees.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

A shopping centre (including a new central library) was built to the east and north-east of the market cross and opened in 1986.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Scott Parker |first=Mary Scott |title=Memories of the Lanes |date=November 2006 |publisher=Bookcase}}</ref> The area east of the market cross had formerly been occupied by narrow alleyways of housing and small shops (on a layout which had not changed much since medieval times) and referred to locally as ''The Lanes''. Carlisle city centre was pedestrianised in 1989.<ref name="localhistories" />

On the evening of Friday, 7 January 2005, the rivers Eden, Caldew and Petteril burst their banks due to as much as {{convert|180|mm|in|0|abbr=in}} rainfall upstream that day.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carlisle Floods January 2005 |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/interesting/jan2005floods/ |access-date=25 April 2011 |publisher=Met office |archive-date=5 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110405004919/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/interesting/jan2005floods/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 2,700 homes were flooded and three people died. The city's police and fire stations were flooded along with [[Brunton Park]] football stadium. The police, fire service and [[Carlisle United F.C.]] were mobilised, the latter as far as [[Morecambe]]. At the time of the flood, emergency services also had to respond to cases of car-related [[arson]] in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bernard Dolan |date=14 January 2005 |title=Message from, Bernard Dolan, to staff |url=http://www.cumbriafire.gov.uk/about/incidents/floods/story.asp |access-date=4 May 2010 |publisher=Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service |archive-date=25 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725150129/http://www.cumbriafire.gov.uk/about/incidents/floods/story.asp |url-status=live }}</ref>

==City centre==
Carlisle is the only city in Cumbria. The city centre is largely pedestrianised and the Lanes shopping centre is home to around 75 shops.

Carlisle has a compact historic centre with a [[castle]], [[cathedral]] and semi-intact [[Carlisle city walls|city walls]], as well as other medieval buildings including the [[Carlisle Guildhall|Guildhall]] and [[Carlisle Tithe Barn|Tithe Barn]]. The [[Carlisle Citadel|Citadel towers]], which until 2016 also served as offices for Cumbria County Council, were designed by [[Thomas Telford]], with the eastern tower incorporating part of the 16th-century building.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nisi Prius Courthouse, Associated Offices and Gate Arch, Carlisle, Cumbria |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-386723-nisi-prius-courthouse-associated-offices |access-date=7 April 2017 |archive-date=20 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220132406/http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-386723-nisi-prius-courthouse-associated-offices |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="VisitCumbria">[http://www.visitcumbria.com/car/carcitdl.htm Visit Cumbria] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713002932/http://www.visitcumbria.com/car/carcitdl.htm |date=13 July 2014 }} Carlisle Citadel</ref> The first Citadel building was a Tudor fortification replacing the medieval Englishgate, designed by the [[Moravia]]n military engineer [[Stefan von Haschenperg]] in 1541.<ref>Colvin, Howard, ed., ''The History of the King's Works'', vol. 4 part 2, (1982), 670-1.</ref> Next to the Citadel is [[Carlisle railway station]], designed by [[William Tite]] in the neo-Tudor style, considered by [[Historic England]] to be among the most important early railway stations in England.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Citadel Station, Carlisle, Cumbria |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-386689-citadel-station-cumbria |access-date=7 April 2017 |archive-date=20 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220131742/http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-386689-citadel-station-cumbria |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=4 December 2014 |title=10 Great English Railway Stations |url=https://heritagecalling.com/2014/12/04/10-great-english-railway-stations/ |access-date=7 April 2017 |archive-date=5 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105234344/https://heritagecalling.com/2014/12/04/10-great-english-railway-stations/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Carlisle Town Hall 2009.JPG|[[Old Town Hall, Carlisle|Old Town Hall]] 1668–69 with 1717 extension<ref>{{Cite web |title=Old Town Hall, Carlisle, Cumbria |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-386808-old-town-hall-cumbria |access-date=7 April 2017 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304211524/http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-386808-old-town-hall-cumbria |url-status=live }}</ref>
File:Carlisle City Centre, Cumbria.jpg|Carlisle Market Cross, 1682<ref>{{Cite web |title=Market Cross, Carlisle, Cumbria |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-386807-market-cross-cumbria |access-date=7 April 2017 |archive-date=20 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220132410/http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-386807-market-cross-cumbria |url-status=live }}</ref>
File:Guildhall Museum, Carlisle, Cumbria.jpg|Guildhall Museum, 1407
File:Tithebarn.JPG|The Tithe Barn, 1470s<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tithe Barn, Carlisle, Cumbria |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-386917-tithe-barn-cumbria |access-date=7 April 2017 |archive-date=20 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220131745/http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-386917-tithe-barn-cumbria |url-status=live }}</ref>
File:The Citadal, Carlisle - geograph.org.uk - 958858.jpg|The Citadel, 1810
File:CARLISLE STATION CUMBRIA SEP 2013 (9996254173).jpg|Carlisle Station frontage
File:West Walls Sallyport - geograph.org.uk - 1245457.jpg|West City Walls
File:Carlisle-Cumbria-1.jpg|[[Our Lady and St Joseph's Church, Carlisle]]
File:Old-School Barber Shop - geograph.org.uk - 111489.jpg|Traditional Barber Shop
File:Victoria Park, Carlisle - geograph.org.uk - 1440167.jpg|Bitts Park
File:Millennium Bridge over Castle Way - geograph.org.uk - 2143652.jpg|Millennium Bridge
File:Rickerby Park - Carlisle - geograph.org.uk - 503806.jpg|Chinese Gardens
File:Dixon's Chimney and Shaddon Mill, Junction Street - geograph.org.uk - 633019.jpg|[[Dixon's Chimney and Shaddon Mill]]
File:Creighton Memorial, Carlisle.jpg|Creighton Memorial
</gallery>

==Governance==
[[File:Carlisle Council Offices.jpg|thumb|[[Carlisle Civic Centre]] in the city centre]]
There is one main tier of local government covering Carlisle, at [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] level: [[Cumberland Council]]. The council is based in Carlisle, with its offices including [[Carlisle Civic Centre]] and [[Cumbria House]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Our Council |url=https://careers.cumberland.gov.uk/our-council |website=Cumberland Council |access-date=6 April 2025}}</ref> Some peripheral parts of the Carlisle built up area are covered by [[civil parish]]es, but the main part of the built up area is [[Unparished area|unparished]].<ref name=electionmaps>{{cite web |title=Election Maps |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/ |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=6 April 2025}}</ref> The Cumberland councillors who represent the wards covering the built up area act as [[charter trustees]] to preserve Carlisle's charters and city status; they choose one of their number each year to serve as [[Mayor of Carlisle]].<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Local Government (Structural Changes)(Supplementary Provision and Amendment) Order 2023|year=2023|number=187}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Charter Trustees of the City of Carlisle |url=https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/your-council/charter-trustees-city-carlisle |website=Cumberland Council |access-date=6 April 2025}}</ref>
[[File:Cumbria County Councils new HQ (geograph 5290723).jpg|thumb|[[Cumbria House]]]]

The [[Carlisle (UK Parliament constituency)|Carlisle constituency]] covers the built up area plus rural areas to the north-east, extending up to the Scottish border.<ref name=electionmaps/> It is represented by [[Julie Minns]] of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]].

===Administrative history===
{{further|County Borough of Carlisle}}
Carlisle was an [[ancient borough]]. Its date of becoming a borough is unknown; its earliest recorded [[municipal charter]] was issued by [[Henry II of England|Henry II]] (reigned 1154–1189), but the borough clearly existed prior to that.<ref>{{cite book |title=Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the Municipal Corporations in England and Wales: Appendix 3 |date=1835 |page=1467 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N3FTAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1467 |access-date=13 April 2025}}</ref> In accordance with the custom of the time, the borough of Carlisle also became a [[City status in the United Kingdom|city]] on becoming the seat of the [[Diocese of Carlisle]] in 1133.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lucas |first1=Adam |title=Ecclesiastical Lordship, Seigneurial Power and the Commercialization of Milling in Medieval England |date=2016 |publisher=Routledge |location=Abingdon |isbn=9781317146476 |page=87 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3qcWDAAAQBAJ&dq=diocese%20carlisle%201133&pg=PA87 |access-date=13 April 2025}}</ref>

The ancient borough covered approximately the area within the [[Carlisle city walls]]. The borough was defined as the [[Township (England)|township]] of English Street in the parish of [[St Cuthbert Without|Carlisle St Cuthbert]], the four townships of Abbey Street, Castle Street, Fisher Street, and Scotch Street in the parish of Carlisle St Mary (which used part of [[Carlisle Cathedral]] as its parish church),<ref>{{cite book |title=Parliamentary Papers |date=1830 |page=365 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ErpDAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA365 |access-date=6 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Whellan |first1=William |title=The History and Topography of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmorland |date=1860 |page=144 |publisher=W. Whellan and Company |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bEI7AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA144 |access-date=13 April 2025}}</ref> and an [[extra-parochial area]] known as Eaglesfield Abbey, which covered the cathedral grounds.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wilson |first1=John Marius |title=The Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales |date=1866 |page=366 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ox4FfPP7LsYC&pg=PA366 |access-date=13 April 2025}}</ref> Both St Cuthbert's and St Mary's parishes also included extensive rural areas outside the borough boundaries.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cumberland Sheet XXIII |url=https://maps.nls.uk/view/102340758 |website=National Library of Scotland |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=1868}}</ref>

[[File:Carlisle Tourist Information Centre, Old Town Hall, Market Street, Carlisle.jpg|thumb|[[Old Town Hall, Carlisle|Old Town Hall]]]]
The borough council (also known as the corporation) built the [[Old Town Hall, Carlisle|Town Hall]] in the Market Place in 1668–1669 to serve both as its meeting place and a courthouse, replacing a medieval town hall on the same site.<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Old Town Hall|num=1218104|grade=I}}</ref>

From 1295, the borough also served as a [[parliamentary borough]] (constituency). The constituency was enlarged in 1832 to take in Botchergate from St Cuthbert's parish, and Rickergate and part of Caldewgate from St Mary's parish.<ref>{{cite book |title=Parliamentary Boundaries Act |date=1832 |page=338 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Uq0uAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA338 |access-date=6 April 2025}}</ref> In 1836, the borough was reformed to become a [[municipal borough]] under the [[Municipal Corporations Act 1835]], which standardised how most boroughs operated across the country. As part of those reforms, the municipal boundaries were adjusted to match the constituency.<ref>{{cite book |title=Municipal Corporations Act |date=1835 |page=456 |url=https://archive.org/details/statutesunitedk35britgoog/page/456/mode/2up |access-date=6 April 2025}}</ref>

In 1904 the parishes within the borough were united into a single [[civil parish]] of Carlisle which matched the borough. The borough was enlarged in 1912 to take in parts of several neighbouring parishes, notably including [[Stanwix]]. As thus enlarged, Carlisle was considered large enough for the borough council to take over county-level functions from [[Cumberland County Council, England|Cumberland County Council]], and so in 1914 Carlisle was made a [[county borough]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Carlisle Municipal Borough / County Borough |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10173826#tab02 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=13 April 2025}}</ref> The borough was further enlarged in 1951.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carlisle Civil Parish |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10118440#tab02 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=13 April 2025}}</ref> The borough council moved its headquarters to the new Civic Centre on Rickergate in 1964.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/17686645.plans-to-demolish-part-of-carlisle-civic-centre-set-to-get-go-ahead-despite-objections/|title=Plans to demolish part of Carlisle Civic Centre set to get go-ahead, despite objections|date=6 June 2019|publisher=News and Star|accessdate=5 July 2020}}</ref>

The municipal borough and civil parish of Carlisle were abolished in 1974 under the [[Local Government Act 1972]]. The area merged with [[Border Rural District]] to become a [[non-metropolitan district]] called [[City of Carlisle|Carlisle]] in the new county of [[Cumbria]].<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972|year=1972|number=2039|accessdate=3 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|number=551|accessdate=3 March 2023}}</ref> Carlisle's borough and city statuses were transferred to the new district, and so the district council took the name Carlisle City Council.<ref>{{cite web |title=District Councils and Boroughs |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1974/mar/28/district-councils-and-boroughs#S5CV0871P0_19740328_CWA_145 |website=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |access-date=13 April 2025 |date=28 March 1974}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=46255|page=4400|date=4 April 1974}}</ref>

The non-metropolitan district of Carlisle was in turn abolished in 2023 when the new Cumberland Council was created, also taking over the functions of the abolished Cumbria County Council in the area.<ref name=2022order>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022|year=2022|number=331|access-date=24 January 2024}}</ref>

==Geography==
Carlisle is situated on a slight rise, in the [[Cumberland (ward)|Cumberland Ward]], at the confluence of the rivers [[River Eden, Cumbria|Eden]], [[River Caldew|Caldew]] and [[River Petteril|Petteril]].

An important centre for trade, it is located {{cvt|56|mi}} west of [[Newcastle upon Tyne]], {{cvt|71|mi}} north of [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]], {{cvt|90|mi}} south-east of [[Glasgow]], {{cvt|93|mi}} south of [[Edinburgh]], {{cvt|120|mi}} north-west of [[York]], and {{cvt|300|mi}} north-north-west of [[London]]. Nearby towns and villages include [[Longtown, Cumbria|Longtown]] (north), [[Penrith, Cumbria|Penrith]] (south), [[Brampton, Carlisle, Cumbria|Brampton]] (east), [[Wigton]] (west), Haggbeck, [[Harker, Cumbria|Harker]], Carwinley, [[Blackford, Cumbria|Blackford]], Houghton, [[Scotby]], [[Wreay]] and [[Rockcliffe, Cumbria|Rockcliffe]].
{{Geographic location
| title     = '''Destinations from Carlisle'''
| Northwest = [[Lockerbie]], [[Dumfries]], '''[[Glasgow]]'''
| North     = [[Longtown, Cumbria|Longtown]], [[Langholm]], [[Galashiels]], '''[[Edinburgh]]'''
| Northeast = [[Jedburgh]], [[Berwick-upon-Tweed]]
| West      = [[Wigton]], '''[[Belfast]]'''
| Centre    = Carlisle
| East      = [[Brampton, Carlisle|Brampton]], [[Hexham]], '''[[Newcastle upon Tyne]]'''
| Southwest = [[Keswick, Cumbria|Keswick]], [[Workington]], [[Whitehaven]]
| South     = [[Penrith, Cumbria|Penrith]], [[Kendal]], [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]]
| Southeast = [[Alston, Cumbria|Alston]], '''[[York]]'''
}}

===Climate===
Carlisle experiences an [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfb''). In January 2005 Carlisle was hit by strong gales and heavy rain, and on Saturday 8 January 2005 all roads into Carlisle were closed owing to severe [[flood]]ing, the worst since 1822, which caused three deaths.<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 January 2005 |title=Carlisle 'cut off' by flood water |work=[[BBC]] News |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/4157381.stm |access-date=31 December 2009 |archive-date=28 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428053812/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cumbria/4157381.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4156017.stm "Floods leave homes without power"]  at BBC News – 8 January 2005, 23:31 UTC</ref> Even worse flooding than in 2005 affected Carlisle between 4 and 6 December 2015. During this time, nearly 36 hours of incessant rainfall breached flood defences and left several areas submerged – including Bitts Park, Hardwicke Circus and Warwick Road. This left the Sands Centre (and the nearby Shell petrol station and Bitts Park), marooned from the rest of the city. As several other areas of Cumbria were also badly affected (particularly Appleby and Wigton), all trains to Scotland were postponed indefinitely, with trains on the West Coast Mainline going no further than Preston, as nearby Lancaster suffered flooding and problems with electricity supply. Prime Minister [[David Cameron]] visited the city on 7 December 2015 to assess the damage, having earlier called an emergency Cobra meeting.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}
{{Weather box
|location = Carlisle{{efn|Weather station is located {{cvt|3|mi|1|abbr=out}} from the Carlisle city centre.}}<br>[[Location identifier#WMO station identifiers|WMO ID]]: 03220; coordinates {{coord|54.93436|N|2.96364|W|type:landmark_region:GB|name=Met Office Carlisle|format=dms}}; elevation: {{cvt|28|m|ft|0}}, 1991–2020 normals
| collapsed = 
| metric first = y
| single line = y
| Jan record high C = 14.7
| Feb record high C = 16.0
| Mar record high C = 19.7
| Apr record high C = 25.2
| May record high C = 28.1
| Jun record high C = 30.4
| Jul record high C = 34.5
| Aug record high C = 33.2
| Sep record high C = 29.5
| Oct record high C = 23.5
| Nov record high C = 18.2
| Dec record high C = 15.3
| year record high C = 34.5
| Jan high C = 7.2
| Feb high C = 7.8
| Mar high C = 9.7
| Apr high C = 12.5
| May high C = 15.6
| Jun high C = 18.1
| Jul high C = 19.8
| Aug high C = 19.3
| Sep high C = 17.2
| Oct high C = 13.6
| Nov high C = 10.0
| Dec high C = 7.4
| year high C = 13.2
| Jan mean C = 4.6
| Feb mean C = 4.9
| Mar mean C = 6.4
| Apr mean C = 8.6
| May mean C = 11.1
| Jun mean C = 14.1
| Jul mean C = 15.9
| Aug mean C = 15.6
| Sep mean C = 13.5
| Oct mean C = 10.3
| Nov mean C = 7.1
| Dec mean C = 4.6
| year mean C = 9.7
| Jan low C = 1.9
| Feb low C = 1.9
| Mar low C = 3.0
| Apr low C = 4.7
| May low C = 7.1
| Jun low C = 10.0
| Jul low C = 11.9
| Aug low C = 11.7
| Sep low C = 9.8
| Oct low C = 7.0
| Nov low C = 4.1
| Dec low C = 1.8
| year low C = 6.3
| Jan record low C = -13.5
| Feb record low C = -14.9
| Mar record low C = -10.7
| Apr record low C = -4.8
| May record low C = -1.6
| Jun record low C = 1.7
| Jul record low C = 3.4
| Aug record low C = 2.9
| Sep record low C = 0.6
| Oct record low C = -4.1
| Nov record low C = -9.2
| Dec record low C = -14.7
| year record low C = -14.9
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 81.3
| Feb precipitation mm = 69.4
| Mar precipitation mm = 62.3
| Apr precipitation mm = 49.2
| May precipitation mm = 57.4
| Jun precipitation mm = 70.5
| Jul precipitation mm = 80.6
| Aug precipitation mm = 89.0
| Sep precipitation mm = 77.8
| Oct precipitation mm = 97.9
| Nov precipitation mm = 85.3
| Dec precipitation mm = 98.1
| year precipitation mm = 918.8
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 14.1
| Feb precipitation days = 11.6
| Mar precipitation days = 11.7
| Apr precipitation days = 11.0
| May precipitation days = 10.7
| Jun precipitation days = 11.5
| Jul precipitation days = 12.8
| Aug precipitation days = 12.9
| Sep precipitation days = 12.0
| Oct precipitation days = 14.5
| Nov precipitation days = 14.7
| Dec precipitation days = 15.2
| year precipitation days = 152.6
| Jan sun = 53.6
| Feb sun = 74.8
| Mar sun = 108.5
| Apr sun = 156.9
| May sun = 197.5
| Jun sun = 181.0
| Jul sun = 165.6
| Aug sun = 163.2
| Sep sun = 126.9
| Oct sun = 90.3
| Nov sun = 59.3
| Dec sun = 43.4
| year sun = 1420.9
| source 1 = [[Met Office]]<ref name="Met Averages">{{cite web |url=https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gcvbs84rv |title=Carlisle 1991–2020 averages |access-date=10 January 2022 |publisher=Met Office |archive-date=29 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029171804/https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gcvbs84rv |url-status=live }}</ref> Infoclimat <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie/annee/1991/carlisle/valeurs/03220.html|title=Climatologie de l'année à Carlisle|publisher=Infoclimat|language=fr|accessdate=9 September 2023}}</ref>
| source 2 = WeatherAtlas<ref name="Weather-Atlas">{{cite web |url=https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/united-kingdom/carlisle-climate#uv_index |title=Monthly weather forecast and Climate – Nottingham, United Kingdom |access-date=21 September 2019 |publisher=Weather Atlas |archive-date=18 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118183430/https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/united-kingdom/carlisle-climate#uv_index |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

===Divisions and suburbs===
[[File:Warwick Road, Carlisle - geograph.org.uk - 196319.jpg|thumb|Warwick Road serves as one of the main routes into the centre of Carlisle.]]
In the north of Carlisle are the suburbs of Kingstown, Lowry Hill and Moorville, formerly part of the parish of Kingmoor. To the south of them are [[Stanwix]], Edentown, Etterby, St Ann's Hill and Belah which were added to Carlisle in 1912. The parish of [[Stanwix Rural]] exists but only includes a small part of Carlisle's urban area, [[Whiteclosegate]].

To the immediate south of Stanwix is the River Eden. On the opposite bank is the city centre bounded on the west by the West Coast Main Railway line and the River Caldew. In the past industry flourished on the banks of the River Caldew, especially [[Denton Holme]] and Caldewgate on the west bank and Wapping, around the former Metal Box works, on the east. West of Caldewgate and north of Denton Holme the suburbs of Newtown, Morton, Sandsfield Park, Longsowerby, [[Raffles, Cumbria|Raffles]] and [[Belle Vue, Cumbria|Belle Vue]] developed in the late 19th and 20th centuries.

The eastern side of the city centre developed in the 19th century into a more affluent area along the main [[A69 road (Great Britain)|A69 road]]. It links with the former village of [[Botcherby]] to which a large council estate was added in the mid-20th century and later still Durranhill Housing Estate.

South of the city centre is the Botchergate/St Nicholas area of late Victorian terraced housing similar to that found in Denton Holme and Caldewgate. The Botchergate East area until recently had older slum dwellings.

To the south west of Botchergate and St Nicholas are the former villages now suburbs of [[Upperby]] and [[Currock]]. The urban area spills over the former county borough boundary into [[Blackwell, Carlisle|Blackwell]] and [[Durdar]] in the civil parish of [[St Cuthbert Without]].

Between Upperby and Botcherby is Harraby, a former village once part of St Cuthbert Without and the largest suburb of Carlisle. Harraby is subdivided into Harraby East, New Harraby, Harraby Green, Old Harraby, Petteril Bank and the Durranhill Industrial Estate. Adjoining Harraby to the south but outside the former borough boundary is the hamlet of [[Carleton, Carlisle|Carleton]].

==Transport==
===Road===
Carlisle is linked to the rest of England via the [[M6 motorway]] to the south, and to Scotland via the [[M74 motorway|M74/A74]] towards Glasgow and the north. Many [[trunk road]]s begin or terminate in Carlisle, including the [[A6 road (England)|A6]] to [[Penrith, Cumbria|Penrith]] and [[Luton]] (historically the main road to the south prior to the opening of the M6), the [[A595 road|A595]] to western Cumbria, the [[A69 road (Great Britain)|A69]] to Newcastle upon Tyne and the [[A7 road (Great Britain)|A7]] to Edinburgh.

===Rail===
[[File:Carlisle railway station - Cumbria - England - 2005-06-25.jpg|thumb|[[Carlisle railway station]]]]
Carlisle became a major [[railway]] centre with, at one time, seven different companies using [[Carlisle railway station|Carlisle Citadel railway station]]. Prior to the building of the Citadel railway station, Carlisle had several railway stations, including [[Carlisle London Road railway station|London Road railway station]]. Carlisle also used to have the largest railway marshaling yard in Europe, at [[Carlisle Kingmoor Marshalling Yard|Kingmoor]], which, although reduced in size, is still operational and used by railfreight companies such as [[Colas Rail]], [[DB Cargo UK]], [[Freightliner Group|Freightliner]] and occasionally [[Direct Rail Services]].

Today, Carlisle railway station is a principal station on the [[West Coast Main Line]]. Other lines branch off to [[Newcastle railway station|Newcastle]], along the [[Tyne Valley line]]; [[Leeds railway station|Leeds]], along the [[Settle and Carlisle line]]; [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow Central]], via [[Dumfries railway station|Dumfries]] along the [[Glasgow South Western Line]] which connects [[Ayr railway station|Ayr]] and [[Stranraer railway station|Stranraer]] for the [[Stena Line]] ferry to [[Port of Belfast]] or [[P&O Ferries]] to [[Larne Harbour railway station|Larne Harbour]]; and west Cumbria along the [[Cumbrian Coast Line]] to [[Whitehaven railway station|Whitehaven]], [[Barrow-in-Furness railway station|Barrow-in-Furness]] and [[Lancaster railway station|Lancaster]]. Services are operated by [[ScotRail]], [[Avanti West Coast]], [[Northern (train operating company)|Northern]] and [[TransPennine Express]]. [[Carlisle Kingmoor TMD|Kingmoor Traction Maintenance Depot]] is a major facility north of Carlisle, operated by [[Direct Rail Services]].

===Bus services===
Most local bus services in the city are operated by [[Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire]]. Previously, local independent operator, Reays Coaches, operated a number of local routes, many of which were in competition with Stagecoach.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-10-01 |title=Jobs boost from Reays Carlisle expansion |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cumbria-19783993 |access-date=2024-09-30 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>

{{multiple images
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The bus station is situated on Drury Lane, off Lonsdale Street. It has seven stands, each of which are covered by a waiting shelter, as well as a travel centre.

The present station was built in the 1990s to replace a larger station that was partially on the same site and had access from Lowther Street, where the Earls Lane shopping area is now.{{Citation needed|date=August 2016}} It is owned and managed by [[Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire]].<ref>Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire. (2019). ''[https://www.stagecoachbus.com/media-library/files/cumbria%20and%20north%20lancashire/annual%20report/cnl_annual%20report%202018_19.pdf Annual Performance Cumbria and North Lancashire May 2018-April 2019] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622012005/https://www.stagecoachbus.com/media-library/files/cumbria%20and%20north%20lancashire/annual%20report/cnl_annual%20report%202018_19.pdf |date=22 June 2021 }}''.</ref> The main operators at the bus station are [[Stagecoach North East]], [[Borders Buses]], [[National Express Coaches|National Express]] and Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire.

===Air===
[[Carlisle Lake District Airport]] is a small regional airport located {{cvt|5.8|mi|km}} east north-east of the city. The nearest major airport is [[Newcastle International Airport]], near the east coast, which is around {{cvt|55|mi|km}} away from Carlisle.

==Trade and industry==
[[File:McVities factory, Caldewgate - geograph.org.uk - 960979.jpg|thumb|McVities factory, Caldewgate]]
Carlisle became an industrial city in the 19th and early 20th centuries with many textile mills, engineering works and food manufacturers opening up mostly in the [[Denton Holme]], Caldewgate and Wapping areas which lie in the Caldew Valley area of Carlisle. (One such manufacturer located in the Denton Holme area was Ferguson Printers, a large textile printing factory that had stood for many years before its closure in the early 1990s). In the early 19th century, a [[canal]] was dug connecting Caldewgate with the sea at [[Port Carlisle]]. The canal was later filled in and became a railway line.

Carlisle was served by two electricity [[Carlisle power stations|power stations]]. James Street station was built by the corporation and operated from 1899 until 1927. Willow Holme power station, north west of the city, was built and operated by the corporation from 1923 until nationalisation of the industry in 1948. It was closed down in 1980 and demolished in 1988.

Famous firms that were founded or had factories in Carlisle included [[Carr's|Carr's of Carlisle]] (now part of [[United Biscuits]]), [[Kangol]], Metal Box (now part of [[Crown Holdings]]) and Cowans Sheldon. Cowans Sheldon originated in the city in the mid 19th century and became one of the world's most important railway and marine engineering firms, manufacturing finally ceased in Carlisle in 1987. Others include the construction firms of [[John Laing plc|John Laing]] and Story Contracting. Pirelli Carlisle opened in 1969.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 April 2019 |title=HRH The Prince of Wales celebrates 50 years of Pirelli Carlisle |url=https://www.pirelli.com/global/en-ww/life/hrh-the-prince-of-wales-celebrates-50-years-of-pirelli-carlisle |access-date= |website=[[Pirelli]] |archive-date=27 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127194539/https://www.pirelli.com/global/en-ww/life/hrh-the-prince-of-wales-celebrates-50-years-of-pirelli-carlisle |url-status=live }}</ref>

The hauliers [[Eddie Stobart Logistics]] who were founded in nearby [[Hesket Newmarket]] and were once part of the [[Stobart Group]], had their HQ in Carlisle. Although they no longer have their HQ in Carlisle they still employ staff in the city. Robsons Border Transport Limited, J & W Watt Limited and F Brown (Carlisle) Limited, all substantial road hauliers, had their HQ in Carlisle.

Until 2004, Carlisle's biggest employer was [[Cavaghan & Gray]], which became part of [[Northern Foods]] and was subsequently acquired by [[2 Sisters Food Group]] which operated from two sites in the Harraby area of Carlisle producing chilled foods for major supermarket chains. The London Road site closed in 2005 with the loss of almost 700 jobs as production was transferred to the nearby Eastern Way site or other factories around the UK.

There are various light industrial estates and business parks located on the fringes of Carlisle and on former industrial sites close to the city centre. The largest is the Kingstown Industrial Estate, located just off the [[A7 road (Great Britain)|A7 road]] near to the [[M6 motorway]].

On 28 March 2005, Carlisle was granted [[Fairtrade City]] status.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 October 2015 |title=Carlisle celebrates 10 year anniversary of 'Fairtrade City' status |url=https://www.itv.com/news/border/update/2015-10-21/carlisle-celebrates-10-year-anniversary-of-fairtrade-city-status/ |access-date=19 June 2019 |website=[[ITV News]] |archive-date=19 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619221047/https://www.itv.com/news/border/update/2015-10-21/carlisle-celebrates-10-year-anniversary-of-fairtrade-city-status/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Education==
The [[University of Cumbria]] has four campuses in Carlisle on Fusehill Street, Brampton Road, Paternoster Row and Newcastle Street. The university provides a wide range of degree courses in [[higher education]] such as [[Information technology]], [[Applied Psychology]], [[Art]], [[Business]], [[Law]], [[Media studies|Media]], [[Social Work]] and [[Teacher Education]].

[[Carlisle College]] is the [[further education]] establishment based in the city.

The [[secondary school]]s within Carlisle are: [[Richard Rose Central Academy]], [[Richard Rose Morton Academy]], [[Augustinian Friars Saint Monicas|Austin Friars St Monicas]] (Roman Catholic Private School), [[Trinity School, Carlisle|Trinity School]] and [[St John Henry Newman Catholic School, Carlisle|St John Henry Newman Catholic School]]. Other secondary schools in the wider City of Carlisle district are: [[Caldew School]] ([[Dalston, Cumbria|Dalston]]), [[William Howard School]] ([[Brampton, Carlisle, Cumbria|Brampton]]), and [[Lime House School]] ([[Dalston, Cumbria|Dalston]]).

Richard Rose Central Academy replaced St Aidan's County High School and [[Specialist school|Specialist]] Sports and Science College, and North Cumbria Technology College (NCTC, formerly Harraby School). It is sponsored by Eddie Stobart owner [[Andrew Tinkler]], and local businessman Brian Scowcroft. It opened in September 2008. In January 2009, there were protests by parents and pupils regarding poor quality education and school facilities. The school was found to be failing and was placed in [[Special measures|Special Measures]],<ref name="RoseOsted">{{Cite web |title=Ofsted inspection report, Richard Rose Central Academy |url=http://www.richardroseacademies.org/central/images/stories/pdfs/rrca-135621-published_inspection_report.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206083502/http://www.richardroseacademies.org/central/images/stories/pdfs/rrca-135621-published_inspection_report.pdf |archive-date=6 February 2009 |access-date=9 February 2009 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> with the headmaster and chief executive being immediately replaced.<ref name="RosePressRelease">{{Cite web |title=Richard Rose Central Academy: Press Release |url=http://www.richardroseacademies.org/central/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=75&Itemid=81 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131150951/http://www.richardroseacademies.org/central/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=75&Itemid=81 |archive-date=31 January 2009 |access-date=9 February 2009}}</ref>{{update inline|date=October 2022}}

==Culture==

===Art and history===
[[File:Tullie House.jpg|thumb|Tullie House Gardens]]The [[Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery]] was opened in 1893 by the Carlisle Corporation. The museum features resident exhibits detailing the history of [[Roman Empire|Roman]] occupancy of the region, Hadrian's Wall and the Border Reivers. Tullie House, named after the [[Jacobean era|Jacobean]] mansion in which it is located, hosts travelling exhibitions. The museum has received many awards and was expanded in 1990 and 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Tullie House |url=http://www.tulliehouse.co.uk/history-tullie-house |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930221732/http://www.tulliehouse.co.uk/history-tullie-house |archive-date=30 September 2011 |access-date=4 May 2011 |publisher=Tullie House}}</ref>

The city's Guildhall Museum is based in a 14th-century house, and the Border Regiment Military Museum is in the castle.

===Music and theatre===
====Past====
Her Majesty's Theatre, in Lowther Street, was constructed in 1874 as the Victoria Hall, and started screening films in 1897. An early music director at the turn of the century was [[Howard Ellis Carr]]. After the interior was damaged by fire in 1904, it was rebuilt to designs by architects Beadle & Hope, and reopened in 1905 as Her Majesty's Theatre. Films and [[variety show]]s were staged, until around 1919, when it staged only live productions and plays.<ref name=ct/> [[Robert David MacDonald]] was artistic director at the theatre.<ref name=Jones>{{cite web |title=Robert David MacDonald |last=Jones |first=Sarah |website=[[The Independent]] |date=28 June 2004 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/robert-david-macdonald-38741.html |access-date=8 April 2022 |archive-date=8 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408013729/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/robert-david-macdonald-38741.html |url-status=live }}</ref> After being briefly renamed Municipal Theatre in the 1960s, the theatre closed in early 1963 and reopened as the Regal Bingo Club in late 1963. This closed in the 1970s and the building was demolished in 1980, replaced by a car park.<ref name=ct>{{cite web |title=Her Majesty's Theatre, English Street, Carlisle, CA3 |website=Cinema Treasures |url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/46287 |access-date=8 April 2022 |archive-date=4 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404120518/http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/46287 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Present====
Sands Centre Sports Hall is Carlisle's main entertainment venue which sometimes hosts touring musicians, theatre and comedians. The West Walls Theatre is situated in the city centre, an amateur theatre. The Old Fire Station opened in 2015 after being converted into a performing arts venue, it hosts touring bands, live stand-up comedy, dramas and art exhibitions. [[Brunton Park]] stadium has hosted live music including an [[Elton John]] concert in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 June 2007 |title=Blues army for Elton at Brunton Park |url=http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk/news/blues-army-for-elton-at-brunton-park-1.171356?referrerPath=home/2.3080 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309065130/http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk/news/blues-army-for-elton-at-brunton-park-1.171356?referrerPath=home%2F2.3080 |archive-date=9 March 2012 |access-date=25 April 2011 |publisher=Cumberland News}}</ref>

Carlisle Music Festival takes place in [[Carlisle Cathedral]] each year. The defunct Brampton Live, the largest folk festival in the north of England, formerly took place in [[Brampton, Carlisle|Brampton]]. Over the weekend of 14/15 May 2011, [[Carlisle Lake District Airport]] hosted Europe's largest free music festival, [[Radio 1's Big Weekend]]. The festival's headline acts included [[Lady Gaga]] and the [[Foo Fighters]]. St Cuthbert's Church hosts an annual series of instrumental and chamber music concerts organised by North Cumbria Recitals.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

===Food===
Every August the Carlisle Food Fair is held in the pedestrianised area of the city centre. It plays host to produce from across the continent and features local produce including [[Cumberland sausage]], [[Cumberland sauce]], Farmhouse Cheese and Cumberland Mustard.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

In 2012, ''Fair Food Carlisle'' was awarded the runner-up prize in the [[Government of the United Kingdom|government]]'s ''Buy Better Together Challenge'' competition. The ''Buy Better Together Challenge'' was launched by the [[Department for Business, Innovation and Skills]] and [[Co-operatives UK]] in December 2011 to encourage groups of consumers to work together to negotiate discounted rates for buying goods and services in bulk. The challenge received 110 entries and to seven finalists were selected. The ''Fair Food Carlisle'' scheme uses [[buyers club|buying groups]] to provide workplaces with a weekly supply of food from local businesses.<ref>{{OGL-attribution|Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/buying-smarter-together Buy Better Together Challenge], published 28 November 2012, accessed 7 December 2023}}</ref>

===Media===
{{unreferenced section|date=October 2022}}
From 1961 to 2009, Carlisle was home to [[Border Television]] which served Cumbria, southern Scotland, the Isle of Man and parts of Northumberland.

Initially based at studios in the Harraby area of the city, the station was controversially merged with [[ITV Tyne Tees]] in 2009 as part of wide-ranging cutbacks to ITV's regional output.

As of 2009, ITV Border's news and sales operations are based at offices in the north of the city, although production of its nightly news programme, ''Lookaround'', is based at Tyne Tees' Gateshead studios.

As of 2014, ITV Border is again producing a full regional news service, along with two hours a week of current affairs and features programming, aimed specifically at southern Scotland.

On [[BBC One]], the city is served by the regional programme, ''[[BBC Look North (North East and Cumbria)|BBC Look North]]''. 

Television signals are received from the [[Caldbeck transmitting station|Caldbeck]] TV transmitter.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Caldbeck | title=Caldbeck (Cumbria, England) Full Freeview transmitter | date=May 2004 }}</ref>

''[[The Cumberland News]]'' is the local broadsheet paper published on Fridays. The ''[[News and Star]]'' is the evening paper. Both are published by Carlisle-based [[CN Group]]. Carlisle is home to [[BBC Radio Cumbria]], [[Greatest Hits Radio Cumbria & South West Scotland]] and [[Hospital Radio Echo]], which was established in 1965 and is the hospital radio station to [[Cumberland Infirmary]], 24 hours a day. [[CRFM]] is Carlisle's community based station which also broadcasts online.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-02 |title=CRFM Website |url=https://yourcrfm.co.uk |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=yourcrfm.co.uk |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Sport==
===Football===

====Association====
{{Main|Carlisle United F.C.|Celtic Nation F.C.|Carlisle City F.C.}}
[[File:Brunton Park, Carlisle - geograph.org.uk - 1224036.jpg|thumb|[[Brunton Park]], the home of [[Carlisle United F.C.]]]]Carlisle is represented in English football by [[Carlisle United F.C.|Carlisle United]], who currently play in the fourth tier of English football after being relegated to [[Football League Two]] in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Northampton Town 2-0 Carlisle United: Cumbrians relegated to League Two |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68696917 |access-date=16 January 2025 |url-status=live |archive-date=28 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528175102/https://www.itv.com/news/border/2023-05-28/carlisle-united-secure-promotion-to-league-one-at-wembley }}</ref> The club has played at [[Brunton Park]] on Warwick Road (A69) since 1909. In November 2011 plans were unveiled for the club to move to a 12,000-seat stadium in Kingmoor Park.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 November 2011 |title=Carlisle reveal ground move plans |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/15788028 |access-date=18 November 2011 |archive-date=28 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428034531/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/15788028 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The club's first [[Football League]] tenure began in 1928 when it was elected to the northern section of the [[Football League Third Division]], replacing [[Durham City A.F.C.|Durham City]]. Its past achievements include reaching the [[EFL Cup|Football League Cup]] semi-finals (its best run in either of the two domestic cups) in 1969, and winning promotion to the top flight (then the [[Football League First Division]]) in 1974. The club topped the English league after winning its first three games of the [[1974-75 in English football|1974-75 season]], but failed to keep up its good form and was relegated after just one season. In 1987 the club returned to the [[Football League Fourth Division]], and in 2004 was relegated to the [[Football Conference]] – the first former top division club to do so – only to regain their [[Football League]] place after one year. In 1999, Carlisle United escaped relegation from the Football League on the final day of the season when on-loan goalkeeper [[Jimmy Glass]] scored an injury time winner against [[Plymouth Argyle F.C.|Plymouth Argyle]]. The 2–1 win meant that [[Scarborough F.C.|Scarborough]] were relegated to the Football Conference.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

Though Carlisle United has rarely attracted the national football headlines, the club has fielded high-profile players. Some have achieved fame at bigger clubs after spending their early careers at the club. These include [[Peter Beardsley]], [[Stan Bowles]], [[Steve Harkness]], [[Matt Jansen]] and [[Rory Delap]]. Many older players spent their later years at Carlisle United after playing for bigger clubs. These include [[Michael Bridges]], [[Mervyn Day]], [[Kevin Gray (footballer)|Kevin Gray]] and [[David McCreery]]. Former managers include [[Bill Shankly]], [[Alan Ashman]], [[Bob Stokoe]], [[Harry Gregg]], [[Mick Wadsworth]], [[Nigel Pearson]] and [[Paul Simpson (footballer)|Paul Simpson]]. Since [[Workington A.F.C.|Workington]] was voted out of the Football League in 1977, Carlisle United were the only Cumbrian team to play senior football until [[Barrow A.F.C.]] rejoined the [[English Football League|EFL]] in 2020.

[[Celtic Nation F.C.]] was a Carlisle-based semi-professional club who played in the [[Northern Football League]] Division One. They folded in April 2015 after a season of financial problems. Nation started out in 2004 as Gillford Park F.C. and played in the [[Northern Football Alliance]] league and won four promotions in 8 years. In 2012 Scottish millionaire Frank Lynch who is based in America, started putting money into the club and changed its name to Celtic Nation. After two years, Lynch withdrew his financial support and the club struggled before folding.

[[Carlisle City F.C.|Carlisle City]] are a semi professional side who play in the [[Northern Football League]]. After spending 40 years in the [[Northern Football Alliance]] league, they were promoted to the [[North West Counties Football League]] in 2016, before being switched to their current league (at the same level) in 2019. They play at Gillford Park after taking over the lease from [[Celtic Nation F.C.|Celtic Nation]] in the summer of 2015.

Northbank Carlisle was a club which played its football in the [[Northern Football Alliance]] Premier Division. After forty years, the club decided to fold its senior team. Northbank still operates as a youth academy.

{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

====Rugby codes====
Carlisle has two rugby union clubs: Carlisle RFC and Creighton RUFC. Carlisle RFC play at Warwick Road, alongside Carlisle United Football Club. Creighton RUFC originally played near Cumberland Infirmary but sold its ground to housing development company Story Homes in 2004 in exchange for new facilities off Cumwhinton Road, near Junction 42 of the M6. Former [[England national rugby union team|England]] rugby union captain [[Steve Borthwick]] is a native of Carlisle.

The [[rugby league]] team, [[Carlisle RLFC|Carlisle]] merged with [[Barrow Raiders|Barrow]] and left Carlisle. Amateur rugby league club, [[Carlisle Centurions]] played in the National Division of the Rugby League Conference until they withdrew in 2010.

====Gridiron====
[[Carlisle Border Reivers]] were an [[American football]] team that played in Division 2 North until they folded in 2013. They rebranded as the Carlisle Kestrels in 2019,<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 January 2020 |title=Carlisle Kestrels American Football team hoping to soar again |work=News & Star |url=https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/18168874.carlisle-kestrels-american-football-team-hoping-soar/ |access-date=18 October 2020 |archive-date=27 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127161630/https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/18168874.carlisle-kestrels-american-football-team-hoping-soar/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the team's original name. They play at Gillford Park.

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

Three [[Greyhound racing in the United Kingdom|greyhound racing]] venues existed in Carlisle during the late 1920s. All three were independent (not affiliated to the sport's governing body the [[National Greyhound Racing Club]]) and were known as a flapping tracks, which was the nickname given to independent tracks.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Barnes |first=Julia |title=Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File, page 413 |publisher=Ringpress Books |year=1988 |isbn=0-948955-15-5}}</ref> The first was located at Gillford Park (home of the [[East Cumbria Crusaders|Carlisle Centurions]] RL and more recently [[Celtic Nation F.C.]]). The second was on pasture land in the former village of Harraby and was conducted by the Carlisle and Cumberland Greyhound Racing Sports Ltd. The third was north west of Carlisle on the Sheepmount playing fields and more recently the athletics track.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Carlisle |work=Greyhound Racing Times |url=https://greyhoundracingtimes.co.uk/?s=carlisle |access-date=6 May 2019 |archive-date=20 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620010211/https://greyhoundracingtimes.co.uk/?s=carlisle |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Other sport===
[[Carlisle Cricket Club (England)|Carlisle Cricket Club]] and [[Cumbria County Cricket Club]] play at the [[Edenside]] Ground north of the city centre. Cumberland is classed as a [[Minor counties of English and Welsh cricket|minor county]] by the [[England and Wales Cricket Board|ECB]]. The club has won the ''Minor Counties Championship'' twice. The remains of a Roman bathhouse associated with the Roman fort of [[Petriana]] have been excavated at the site.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carlisle Cricket Club Roman Bathhouse |url=https://www.carlislecricketclub.co.uk/the-dig |website=Carlisle Cricket Club |access-date=29 January 2023 |language=en-gb |archive-date=28 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428053813/https://www.carlislecricketclub.co.uk/the-dig |url-status=live }}</ref>

Carlisle has several [[golf]] clubs, including Stoneyholme within the city, and Carlisle Golf Club which hosts regional qualifying to [[the Open Championship]].

In 2012, Carlisle was one of the official stop-off points for the [[2012 Summer Olympics torch relay|Olympic torch]] before it made its way down to the [[Olympic Games]] opening ceremony in London's [[Olympic Stadium (London)|Olympic Stadium]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 May 2011 |title=Olympic torch relay to stop in Carlisle and Bowness |work=[[BBC]] News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-13413003.stm |access-date=20 May 2011 |archive-date=25 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925225659/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-13413003.stm |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Armed forces==
[[File:Men waiting in ditches.jpg|thumb|Men of C Company 1st Battalion, [[Border Regiment]], waiting to repulse an attack by a [[Nazi Germany|German]] enemy barely {{cvt|100|yd|m}} away during the [[Battle of Arnhem]] in the Netherlands]]
As a frontier town for over a millennium and a half, Carlisle is a military city. It is the most besieged place in the British Isles, having been besieged at least ten times, and has garrisoned troops for most of its history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carlisle Castle History and Research |url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/carlisle-castle/history-and-research/ |access-date=5 May 2011 |publisher=English heritage |archive-date=4 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110704140728/http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/carlisle-castle/history-and-research/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Cumbria's County regiment, the [[Border Regiment]] made its headquarters at [[Carlisle Castle]]. The regiment was amalgamated with the [[King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)]] to become the [[King's Own Royal Border Regiment]] and subsequently the [[Duke of Lancaster's Regiment]] where its lineage continues. From 1720 to 1959, the regiment fought in many campaigns, including the [[French and Indian War]], the [[Battle of Culloden]], the [[First World War]] and the [[Second World War]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=A Short History of the Border Regiment |publisher=Gale and Polden Ltd. |year=1944 |edition=6th}}</ref>

===RAF Carlisle===
{{Main|RAF Carlisle}}
[[RAF Carlisle]] also known as '''14 MU''' was located at Kingstown near the present-day [[Asda]]. The station closed in 1996 after nearly sixty years in a variety of roles. First established as '''RAF Kingstown''' in 1938, it was originally a bomber station, then one of the RAF's Elementary Flying Training Schools and latterly a post-war storage facility.

===RAF Spadeadam===
{{main|RAF Spadeadam}}
The largest RAF station by area in the country and one of only two [[electronic warfare]] ranges in Europe, [[RAF Spadeadam]] is located outside the City of Carlisle but maintains strong links with the local community; in 2018, it was awarded the Freedom of the City of Carlisle.<ref>{{cite news |title=RAF Spadeadam to receive Freedom of the City of Carlisle in celebration of RAF100 |url=https://cumbriacrack.com/2018/05/25/raf-spadeadam-to-receive-freedom-of-the-city-of-carlisle-in-celebration-of-raf100/ |access-date=23 August 2021 |work=Cumbria Crack |date=25 May 2018 |archive-date=11 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711011827/https://cumbriacrack.com/2018/05/25/raf-spadeadam-to-receive-freedom-of-the-city-of-carlisle-in-celebration-of-raf100/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Royal Observer Corps, Carlisle Group===
During the [[Second World War]] the air raid warning organisation No 32 Group Carlisle [[Royal Observer Corps]] operated in the city centre controlled from RAF Kingstown. The association with Kingstown developed further in 1962 when the ROC ceased its aircraft spotting role for the RAF and took on a new role plotting nuclear explosions and warning the public of radioactive fallout for the [[United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation]] (UKWMO).<ref>{{Cite web |title=ROC role |url=http://www.cybertrn.demon.co.uk/atomic/ukwmo/ukwmo.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514094956/http://www.cybertrn.demon.co.uk/atomic/ukwmo/ukwmo.htm |archive-date=14 May 2008 |access-date=7 April 2017}}</ref> A new administration building and a protected, hardened Nuclear Reporting bunker was built at RAF Carlisle.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Royal Observer Corps |url=http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/roc/group_hq.html |access-date=1 January 2022 |first=Nick |last=Catford |website=Subterrania Britanica |archive-date=25 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025003958/http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/roc/group_hq.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=January 2022}} The nuclear bunker was a standard above-ground structure and both the bunker and headquarters hutting were on a separate site at Crindledyke outside the main gates of RAF Carlisle. The Carlisle group was redesignated no 22 Group ROC.

The ROC constructed a smaller nuclear reporting post, Kingstown post (OS ref:NY 3837 5920), on the main RAF Carlisle site. The post was an underground protected bunker for a crew of three observers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nuclear Monitoring Posts – Subterranea Britannica |url=https://www.subbrit.org.uk/categories/nuclear-monitoring-posts/ |website=www.subbrit.org.uk |access-date=19 May 2020 |archive-date=19 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419222654/https://www.subbrit.org.uk/categories/nuclear-monitoring-posts/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The headquarters bunker accommodated an operational crew of around 100 with dormitory and canteen facilities an operations room and life support plant.

The Royal Observer Corps was stood down and its parent organisation the UKWMO was disbanded in December 1995 after the end of the [[Cold War]] and as a result of recommendations in the governments [[Options for Change]] review of UK defence. The ROC buildings were demolished in 1996 and replaced by a cellphone communications mast. The foundations of the nuclear bunker can still be partially seen outlined in the concreted yard, which also contains the Air Training Corps hut during recent further development of the site.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Subterranea Britannica: Research Study Group: Sites: Carlisle |url=http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/c/carlisle/ |access-date=7 April 2017 |archive-date=15 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170615153436/http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/c/carlisle/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Legend and folklore==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200" caption="Legend and Folklore"> 
Carlisle Cursing Stone 2016-05-30.jpg|''The Cursing Stone''
</gallery>

=== Arthurian legend ===
{{Main|Sir Gawain and the Carle of Carlisle|Sir Gawain and the Green Knight}}
There are many legends and folkloric stories about the city during the [[Dark Ages (historiography)|Dark Ages]], such as the ''[[Sir Gawain and the Carle of Carlisle]]'', about the nephew of [[King Arthur]] and the "free man" of the city.

In a 14th-century poem, legend has it that Sir Gawain, one of the Knights of the Round Table, stayed at the [[Carlisle Castle|Castle of Carlisle]] while on a hunting expedition in the haunted [[Inglewood Forest]]. He then slept with the Carle's wife and killed him. This poem has strong parallels with another 14th century poem about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The story has since been re-adapted many times, most recently in films from [[Gawain and the Green Knight (film)|1973]], [[Sword of the Valiant|1984]] and [[The Green Knight (film)|2021]].

By some accounts, Carlisle is also none other than [[Camelot]], the mythical seat of King Arthur's court.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.toeuropeandbeyond.com/king-arthur-locations/#carlisle-castle |title=The legend of King Arthur: the most significant locations in Wales and England |date=3 May 2017 |language=en |access-date=3 August 2022 |archive-date=3 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220803103936/https://www.toeuropeandbeyond.com/king-arthur-locations/#carlisle-castle |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Curse of Carlisle ===
In local folklore, the ''Curse of Carlisle'' is a 16th-century [[curse]] that is said to have been invoked by Archbishop Dunbar of [[Glasgow]] in 1525 upon cross-border families, known as the [[Border Reivers]], who lived by stealing cattle and pillaging. For the millennium celebrations, the local council commissioned a 14-tonne granite artwork inscribed with all 1,069 words of the curse. Following the installation of the stone, Carlisle suffered floods, foot-and-mouth disease, job losses and a "goal famine" for the football team.<ref name="witch" /> In response to this, the city council considered removing the stone; however, Kevin Carlyon, the self-titled "high priest of the British [[white witch]]es", proclaimed that such actions would give the curse more power. He commented that: "A curse can only work if people believe in it. I think at the moment the sculpture is a nice piece of history, but if the council destroys it, they would be showing their belief in the curse."<ref name="witch">{{Cite news |date=8 March 2005 |title=Witch warns of Curse Stone power |work=BBC News |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cumbria/4328259.stm |access-date=31 December 2009 |archive-date=11 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011210433/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/4328259.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

== International relations ==

=== Twin towns – sister cities ===
Carlisle is [[sister city|twinned]] with:
* [[Flensburg]], [[Schleswig-Holstein]], Germany
* [[Słupsk]], [[Pomeranian Voivodeship]], Poland

== See also ==
{{portal|Cumbria}}
*[[Listed buildings in Carlisle]]
*[[List of people from Carlisle|List of people associated with Carlisle]]
*[[Timeline of Carlisle]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{cite EB1911 |mode=cs2 |ref=none |wstitle=Carlisle (England) |volume=5 |pages=341–342 |short=x}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050124092645/http://www.historic-carlisle.org.uk/ Carlisle and Hadrian's Wall Country]

{{Sister bar|auto=y}}
{{Hen ogledd}}
{{Cumbria}}
{{UK cities}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Carlisle, Cumbria| ]]
[[Category:70s establishments in the Roman Empire]]
[[Category:County towns in England]]
[[Category:Cities in North West England]]
[[Category:Unparished areas in Cumbria]]
[[Category:Towns in Cumbria]]
[[Category:Former civil parishes in Cumbria]]
[[Category:Locations associated with Arthurian legend]]
[[Category:Cumberland (unitary authority)]]