Carlisle is the county town of Cumbria, and the major settlement of the wider City of Carlisle in North West England. Carlisle is located at the confluence of the rivers Eden, Caldew and Petteril, 10 miles (16 km) south of the Scottish border. It is the largest settlement in the county of Cumbria, and serves as the administrative centre for both Carlisle City Council and Cumbria County Council. At the time of the 2001 census, the population of Carlisle was 71,773, with 100,734 living in the wider city.
Historically the county town of Cumberland, the early history of Carlisle is marked by its status as a Roman settlement, established to serve the forts on Hadrian’s Wall. During the Middle Ages, because of its proximity to the Kingdom of Scotland, Carlisle became an important military stronghold; Carlisle Castle, still relatively intact, was built in 1092 by William Rufus, and having once served as a prison for Mary, Queen of Scots. The castle now houses the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment and the Border Regiment Museum. In the early 12th century Henry I allowed the foundation of a priory in Carlisle. The town gained the status of a diocese in 1122, and the priory became Carlisle Cathedral.
The introduction of textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution began a process of socioeconomic transformation in Carlisle, developing 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 Border City, Carlisle today is the main cultural, commercial and industrial centre for north Cumbria. It is home to the main campuses of the University of Cumbria and a variety of museums and heritage centres. The former County Borough of Carlisle had held city status until the Local Government Act 1972 was enacted in 1974.
In 2012, Carlisle will be one of the official stop off points for the Olympic torch before it makes its way down to the Olympic Games opening ceremony.
Carlisle has a compact historic centre, including a castle, museum, cathedral and semi-intact city walls. The former law courts or citadel towers which now serve as offices for Cumbria County Council were designed by Thomas Telford. The first Citadel building was a Tudor fortification replacing the medieval Englishgate, designed by the Moravian military engineer Stefan von Haschenperg in 1541.
Being the administrative capital of Cumbria, Carlisle is within short distance of the Lake District which has been regarded as one of the best places to eat in the country. The area is home to four Michelin Star Restaurants including L’Enclume, Sharrow bay, Holbeck Ghyll and The Samling in Ambleside. The county is also noted for having more microbreweries than any other county and together with Jennings Brewery they supply a wide variety of local ales, many of which are served in pubs and restaurants throughout Carlisle. Every august the Carlisle Food Fair is held in the pedestrianised area of the city centre. The fair plays host to produce from across the continent as well as featuring a large amount of local farmer’s produce including authentic Cumberland sausage, Cumberland sauce and Cumberland Mustard.
