Stunning Carlisle Cathedral:
Carlisle is Cumbria’s cathedral city. It is quite small as a city, nevertheless, huge by Cumbrian standards.
Carlisle Cathedral was begun in the time of William Rufus and was completed in the reign of Henry I.
The only parts remaining of the original building are the lower half of the piers supporting the tower, the principal part of the south transept, and the two eastern bays of the nave.
Today, Carlisle Cathedral is a magnificent Gothic cathedral in the city centre in Carlisle, Cumbria, England.
It is the seat of the Bishop of Carlisle and the mother church of the Diocese of Carlisle. The cathedral is dedicated to the Holy Trinity and Saint Mary.
Very early in the 12th century, King Henry I allowed the founding of a religious establishment at Carlisle for Augustinian Canons, later making the town the see of a Bishop.
A great cathedral was accordingly constructed during that century.
To be exact, Carlisle Cathedral, was founded in 1122 as an Augustinian Priory which preceded the Cathedral.
The cloister was the hub of which today one single arch remains.
The Priory became a cathedral in 1132.
For over 900 years, there has been a service held here every day.
One of its most obvious features is its small size. Only Oxford Cathedral is smaller.
The cathedral has not always been so small.
It has seen troubled times – in particular a serious fire in 1292 which seriously damaged the fabric of the building.
Additionally, partial demolition by the Parliamentarians during the Civil War – combined with soft stone, leaving the present truncated structure.
It has a magnificent high ceiling with a beautiful blue background and gold-plated stars.
In addition to the barrel-vaulted roof, other notable features are the 15th-century carved choir stalls and dramatic 14th-century East Window.
There’s also a Brougham Trypitch altarpiece from the 16th century, which was in Amsterdam.
To mark the 900 years since the foundation of Carlisle Cathedral, a year-long programme of events has been scheduled for 2022.
Visitors are invited to take some time out of their busy lives and visit the cathedral and Rest Under the Stars installation. People can relax in deckchairs and admire the stars on the cathedral’s world-famous painted ceiling.
Carlisle is an hour’s drive from Lothlorien Holiday Cottage in Grange-over-Sands. To enquire or make a booking click here.
