Carlisle Castle

• 1092: King William II (“Rufus”), son of William the Conqueror, establishes Carlisle Castle on the bluff. He erected the first castle structure on the site.

• 1122: King Henry I stops at Carlisle Castle and commissions the fortification of the site.

• 1135: David I, King of Scotland, takes the castle. He died in the fortress in 1153.
• 1186: King Henry II journeyed to Carlisle Castle. He built many additions during his stay.

• 1200s: King John visits the fortress. He may have enhanced the walls using stone.

• 1296: Attempting to defeat the Scots, King Edward I used Carlisle Castle as his main military base. During this time, Robert de Bruce, the castellan, held the castle against a Scottish attack.
• 1461: The Scots and an army of Lancastrians overtake the castle.
• 1538: King Henry VIII demands the defences of the castle be reviewed.
• 1567: Mary, Queen of Scots was held in the Warden’s Tower for several weeks.
• Late 14th Century: William Armstrong of Kinmont was imprisoned in the castle and later freed, leading to a back-and-forth war.
• 1642: Royalists garrisoned the castle. Shortly thereafter, it was garrisoned by Parliamentary forces.
• 1746: Jacobite soldiers were imprisoned in Carlisle Castle after “Prince” Charles Edward Stuart captured the castle.
• Late 18th Century: The fortress was used to house prisoners of war.
• 1820s: The army, including the Border Regiment was housed here in newly built barracks.

General Layout

Carlisle Castle is a mediaeval fortress located in Carlisle, Cumbria, just west of the ruinous Hadrian’s Wall. The castle is built a bit differently than other mediaeval castles, as the layout was somewhat limited due to the natural features of the site. It sat upon a hill between the junction of River Eden and River Caldew. The River Eden provided defence at the north and a large ditch was dug to the south to separate the fortress from the ridge.

Original Layout

A Roman fort occupied the site of Carlisle Castle, long before the fortress’s construction. The first castle was erected around 1092, and may have been a rather simple build, consisting primarily of timber. It’s believed the natural features would have provided adequate defence.

It wasn’t until some 100 years later that the castle began to look like the commanding structure it is today. The castle was constructed in grey and red sandstone in an orderly fashion with great precision. This was attributed to King Henry II who had parts of the castle renovated and added to. By the 13th century, the outer and inner walls were erected in stone, likely at the order of King John.

Outer Gatehouse & Outer Ward

The outer structure of the castle would have appeared quite intimidating, given its position on the grassy hill, the deep ditch, and the massive curtain wall.

Visitors approaching the castle would access the site from the town of Carlisle in the south. They’d cross a bridge over a moat to access the Outer Gatehouse on the fortress’s southern side. This gatehouse boasted a tall tower and barbican complete with a portcullis.

From the Outer Gatehouse, guests would walk through a passage to access the Outer Ward.

In the 1800s, the army constructed several buildings in the Outer Ward, including Arroyo Block, Gallipoli Block, and a hospital, now known as Arnhem Block.

Inner Gatehouse & Inner Ward

The Inner Gatehouse connects the Outer Ward to the Inner Ward. This defensive structure projects from the curtain wall and features two chambers and stairs leading to an upper level that was once used as a kitchen. Today, the Inner Gatehouse is known as the Captain’s Tower. It stands nearly 5 metres (16 ft) tall and 3.4 metres (11 ft) thick.

This gate opens up to an internal chamber with another doorway leading to a small guard room. The guard room contained a fireplace and several decorative cavities in the wall (niches). Exiting the gate meant passing through an area containing murder holes, a portcullis, and additional gates.

Set directly in front of the Captain’s Tower was a large ditch that separated the Inner Ward from the Outer Ward. Here was a large semi-circle battery built in 1542. This battery once stood so tall that defenders were able to fire weapons over the Outer Ward. By the 19th century, however, the battery was significantly lowered.

Upon entering the Inner Ward, guests would see a large range that included royal apartments, a great hall, and a chapel. At the southern corner of the Inner Ward was the postern. This southeastern corner is the same area where Queen Mary’s Tower was later erected.

This side of the castle was protected by a gate tower (later converted into a mural tower) that contained a portcullis. The gate once boasted a magnificent arched gateway, decorative mouldings, and a chevron design. This gate is believed to have been blocked around 1170.

Keep

The Keep is perhaps the oldest structure of Carlisle Castle. Originally, it was free-standing and included a forebuilding, though it was demolished during the Middle Ages.

On the exterior of the Keep were corner buttresses, a central buttress, and a northern buttress. The central buttress boasted chimney flues for the fireplaces on each three floors of the Keep. Predating the Keep is a deep well surrounded by the northern buttress. Because it was built around the well, this buttress is awkwardly positioned and off-centre.

The Keep originally contained both small and large chambers, mural steps, an oratory, a kitchen, and garderobe. It was, for its time, a luxury accommodation.

Its interior has been drastically changed throughout the centuries, so it doesn’t resemble what it would have looked like in the castle’s heyday. Additionally, the roof was lowered during the 16th century to its current position, about 21 metres (70 ft) tall.

Modern Layout

Carlisle Castle was one of the most besieged castles in England’s history. Its involvement in so many military campaigns led it to undergo numerous repairs and renovations over the centuries. During the 15th and 16th century, it underwent quite a bit of changes, including the lowering of the Keep’s roof and the building of an artillery platform on top of it, the thickening of the Inner Ward walls, and the construction of the battery.

Visitors accessing the Keep will find it interesting, though not resembling what it would have in its early years. On the third level, there is clear evidence of multiple renovations.

The stonework of the castle is quite fascinating to observe, as it’s easy to see the difference between older masonry and later placements. Early works boast neat, meticulous placement of square stones, whereas later works utilised longer stones with less regularity in placement.

It was during the 1800s when Carlisle Castle went through its most drastic changes, including the construction of several buildings in its Outer Ward, including Arroyo Block, Gallipoli Block, and Arnhem Block (originally a military hospital). The army continued altering the castle and its grounds into the 20th century.

Though the Inner Ward once contained a large range, today three Victorian buildings stand in its place. These buildings were constructed by the army and, today, include a magazine, militia store, and museum.

Additionally, Queen Mary’s Tower was brought down in 1835 and various other buildings of the castle were stripped to use the stone and other materials to create the more modern structures.