Carlisle Castle

Carlisle Castle is a medieval stone keep castle located in the city of Carlisle near the ruins of Hadrian's Wall. First built during the reign of William II in 1092 and rebuilt in stone under Henry I in 1122, the castle is over 930 years old and has been the scene of many episodes in British history.

This Castle played an extremely important part in the English Scottish wars (the Wars of Scottish Independence). It has been the centre of many wars and invasions.

Standing proud in the city it has dominated for nine centuries, Carlisle Castle remained a working fortress until well within living memory. It has withstood many sieges, held captive a royal prisoner, and been home to the King's Own Royal Border Regiment.

From the mid-13th century until the Union of the Crowns of England and Scotland in 1603, Carlisle Castle was the vital headquarters of the Western March, a buffer zone to protect the western portion of the Anglo-Scottish border.

Henry VIII converted the castle for artillery, employing the engineer Stefan von Haschenperg. For a few months in 1567, Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned within the castle, in the Warden's Tower. Later, the castle was besieged by the Parliamentary forces for eight months in 1644, during the English Civil War.