Under Siege

On the instructions of Henry VIII, Carlisle's defences were strengthened by the rebuilding of the Citadel in 1541 by Stefan von Haschenperg (who also added the half-moon battery to Carlisle Castle).

During the Civil War of 1644-45, Royalist Carlisle was well prepared to withstand an attack but after nine months of an enforced siege that resulted in much misery and starvation, the city surrendered on 25 June 1645. The Parliamentarians demolished the west nave of the Cathedral and its cloisters to rebuild the city walls and castle.

After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Carlisle entered a period of relative prosperity. A ‘new' Town Hall replaced the medieval moot hall, Tullie House was built in 1689 and the town acquired many grand Georgian frontages during this era. With demolition of the city walls along East Tower Street and Lowther Street, the city was able to expand eastwards. But the genteel life of Georgian Carlisle was soon to be rudely interrupted by the second Jacobite Rebellion.

Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Young Pretender, arrived in Carlisle in 1745 and took it with little show of force due to the deplorable state of the city defences. He stayed at Highmoor House (on the site of Marks and Spencer's) and left a small garrison to guard the city before heading south towards London to claim the British throne. A month later he was back, hotly pursued by the Duke of Cumberland's army. Carlisle was quickly retaken by the Duke (who also stayed at Highmoor House). Many Jacobite soldiers were captured and imprisoned in the castle's dungeons, where their ‘licking stones' can still be seen.

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