Carlisle

City of Carlisle shown within Cumbria

Carlisle is a city in the extreme north west of England, some 10 miles from the border with Scotland in the county of Cumbria. Carlisle has a population of around 100,000. Carlisle is generally regarded as the administrative centre of Cumbria, due to it being the only settlement in the county with city status. The current area covered by Carlisle City Council is significantly larger than the urbanised town at its centre. It was the historic county town of Cumberland.

Because Carlisle was the last English town before the Scottish border, in the days when the two countries were separate kingdoms, it developed importance as a military stronghold, and its castle is still relatively intact. Built in 1092 by William Rufus, and having once served as a prison for Mary, Queen of Scots, it still houses the King's Own Border Regiment. Because of the frequently changing position of the Anglo-Scottish border during the Wars of Independence, Carlisle has a definate Scottish feel and look to it, despite it being in England.

Carlisle is an ancient city, and the seat of the diocese to which it gives name. It is situated on a slight rise, in the Cumberland Ward, at the confluence of the rivers Eden, Caldew, and Petteril.

An important centre for trade, it is located 56 miles W of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 71 miles N of Lancaster, 90 miles S of Glasgow, 93 miles SE of Edinburgh, 119 miles NW of York, and 300 miles NNW of London, at 54 deg. 52 min. north latitude, and 2 deg. 50 min. west longitude.

The Tullie House Museum, an award-winning museum, tells the story of the Border country, including much material on Hadrian's Wall, the Roman defensive structure which runs close to the city. Carlisle also has a cathedral and a racetrack.

The city is linked to the rest of England via the M6 motorway to the South, and the M74/A74 to Glasgow and the North. Carlisle is also a principal station on the West Coast main railway line.

Carlisle is represented in [[English Football League teams| English football league Division 3]] by Carlisle United F.C.

Carlisle is home to the well known convict Sam Storr.

Districts of England - North West England
Allerdale | Barrow-in-Furness | Blackburn with Darwen | Blackpool | Bolton | Burnley | Bury | Carlisle | Chester | Chorley | Congleton | Copeland | Crewe and Nantwich | Eden | Ellesmere Port and Neston | Fylde | Halton | Hyndburn | Knowsley | Lancaster | Liverpool | Macclesfield | Manchester | Oldham | Pendle | Preston | Ribble Valley | Rochdale | Rossendale | St Helens | Salford | Sefton | South Lakeland | South Ribble | Stockport | Tameside | Trafford | Vale Royal | Warrington | West Lancashire | Wigan | Wirral | Wyre
Administrative counties with multiple districts: Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside