Carlisle is one of the northernmost cities in England, but it was still an odd feeling to be stood at a bus stop and see services like the number 75 to Gretna Green and the 79 to Dumfries, over the border in Scotland.Our own bus was heading east, away from the barbarian territory and along the Hadrians Wall, on the aptly-named AD122 service.
But first we had a quick look around this small city, which is famous mainly for being fought over for thousands of years. Why, exactly? I'm not sure, but it's been the scene of battles involving Romans, Saxons, Vikings, Scots, the English and it seems anyone else passing through with a spare cannon or two .
I don't know what the fascination they had with this place, which is prone to flooding and is full of gruff locals who - despite all the invaders - looked decidedly inbred to us. Carlisle's bloody past means it is home to a massive castle.
What my photo fails to show is the busy highway that nows runs past the fortress, cutting it off from the city it was meant to defend.The old core of the city south of here has a lovely old market hall, a dense warren of alleyways that follow the medieval street plan, a Georgian town hall which now houses a helpful Tourist Info Centre (click the link for contact details and more photos), a number of timber-framed buildings, good pubs and the superb Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery. Most of this we had enjoyed before on a previous visit.
Elsewhere in the city is one of England's smallest cathedrals, built to honour 'the Holy and Undivided Trinity.'
By coincidence, it was founded in 1122, exactly one thousand years after Hadrian started construction on his wall. The nearest visible remains of the wall though are about 15 miles away.
Like many other buildings in this part of the country, it is built from brown sandstone and here it is basking in the last of the summer sunshine we were to see that day.
For such a small cathedral, it is one of the most highly decorated in the country and crammed with detail. I was intrigued to see this pair, looking each other straight in the eye.
Perhaps I've been here before?
I especially liked its star-spangled ceiling and these ugly creatures lurking underneath the seats in the choir. Like all my photos, clicking it brings up a larger version.
We came across two other interesting places of worship later that day, but first we'd better catch that bus!
2 comments:
Carlisle is my home City. I promise you that we are not all gruff! it rather depends on the way we are approached. LOL. This is the modst northern City in England and there are no others for more than a hundred miles. Calisle was fought over because the border between Scotland and England kept being changed. Sometimes it was a Scottish City and sometimes an English one.
Carlisle is a beautiful place to visit and it is full of historic buildings including a Jacobean Museum which has Roman and Viking artefacts.
Hello Lizzie and thanks for your comments. I'm glad you caught the humour in my write-up, because I do think Carlisle is worth a visit.
I have tweaked this entry a bit so it better conveys all there is to see and do in your lovely hometown.
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