Other Institutions GAZ Carlisle
1. Public and Civic Institutions
Carlisle Castle: royal fortress since capture of the land of Carlisle by William II in 1092. Keep begun in 1122 by Henry I and completed by David I of Scotland. In 1296, Edward I made Carlisle his headquarters for three months in the early stages of his war against the Scots. The castle played an important part in the turbulent history of the 15th and early 16th centuries, when the rule of law broke down across the border region being used as a prison for border reivers and others throughout this period. In the 1830s it became a military garrison, with barrack blocks in the outer bailey. The Citadel, built in 1541-3 as an independent fortress at the vulnerable southern end of the city walls. Re-constructed between 1804 and 1822 to form an entrance to the city. Assize courts, originally held in the Guild hall, moved to the reconstructed Citadel in 1811. The western tower was appropriated to the Crown Court, and was immediately connected with the goal by an underground passage. In 1688 a purpose built Gaol was built close to Citadel, replacing the castle as the county gaol. A new gaol on the Citadel site was completed 1827; closed 1922; pulled down 1931. New Crown and County Courts built on Earl Street, 1990-2.
Town Hall,where the corporation and the mayor's court and city sessions were held, was built 1668-9 on site of medieval town hall; extended 1717 and 1825. The ground floor was occupied by shops held by the Corporation. Guildhall(or Redness Hall), built by Richard of Redeness after a fire of 1392 (dated to 1396-1407). Carlisle had eight Trade Guilds (Butchers, Merchants, Shoemakers, Skinners, Smiths, Tailors, Tanners and Weavers) and each had one room as a meeting place. The Guildhall Museum opened in 1978. Covered Market, replacing the street market around the market cross (‘Carel Cross’) which closed in 1927, originated when the butchers’ shambles was moved to Old Bluebell Lane in 1799 to which the butter and egg market were also moved in 1854. New covered market opened in 1889; refurbished from 1989. Civic Centre, at foot of Lowther Street, built 1960-3.
2. Medical and Social Institutions
Leper hospital of St Nicholas, Botchergate, probably founded in 12th century; survived the Dissolution to be destroyed during the siege of Carlisle in 1645. Dispensary, founded in 1782 in Abbey Street; in 1825 moved into part of Tithe Barn; new dispensary opened in Chapel Street in 1855; absorbed into National Health Service in 1948; sold 1962. AHouse of Recovery was established in 1820 in a building near Collier's Lane, with the object of curing and preventing contagious diseases; moved to Crozier Lodge, beside Cumberland Infirmary, in 1847. Crozier Lodge remained at fever hospital until at least 1910. The Cumberland County Infirmary, Newtown Road, built 1830-2; extended 1870-4, 1908-13; new Main Block opened in 2000. Home for Incurables (Strathclyde House), Wigton Road, opened 1885; closed 1991. Cumberland and Westmorland Home and Workshop for the Blind, established in West Tower Street, 1872; moved to new premises in Lonsdale Street, built 1878-9; moved to Petteril Bank 1950s..
Workhouses: parish workhouses for St. Mary's parish built in Devonshire Walk in 1780s; Caldewgate Workhouse, for St Cuthbert’s parish, built in Coal Fell built in 1829-30. Both closed when the Carlisle Union Workhouse was built in Fusehill Street in 1863-4. Part of the Fusehill Street institution became the City General Hospital (later Carlisle Maternity Hospital) from 1937; it closed 2000 and the site was taken over by St Martin’s College (now University of Cumbria). Saint Mary's Home for Penitents, Coal Fell, opened 1872 its object being ‘the reception and reformation of fallen women’. A laundry was built 1894; closed circa 1920 but laundry continued; home re-opened at Coledale Hall, Belle Vue, in 1926.
3. Cultural Institutions
The roots of Tullie House Library, Museum and Art Gallery can be traced back to several separate institutions in the early 19th century: Carlisle Subscription Library, established 1768, moved into new premises on corner of English Street/Devonshire Street in 1831; it amalgamated with public library in 1896. A Mechanics Institute was established in 1824 in Castle Street and was subsequently housed in the Athenaeum, Lowther Street, built 1840, containing a large lecture hall, exhibition hall and museum, as well as the Mechanics Institute. The Institute moved to Fisher Street in 1850. In 1891 the Mechanics Institute and Library were presented to the Corporation. Lord Street Reading Room, established 1848 in John Street, Botchergate, opened in 1851; its library was offered to corporation in 1891 on condition the city adopted the Public Libraries Act. A museum had been founded by Carlisle Literary and Philosophical Institute in 1835; it was later transferred to the Athenaeum; the collection was seized in 1860 for non payment of rent and given to the Corporation who housed it in Finkle Street where it fell into disuse. In 1874 a committee of working men took it over and it opened to public in 1877. In 1890 Tullie House was presented to Corporation and opened in 1893 as Museum and Public Library, with an attached School of Art. In 1986 the library moved to Globe Lane; a major redevelopment of the museum on the Tullie House site opened in 1991.
A small theatre, the Macready Theatre, Blackfriars Street, was built 1813-4; but had fallen into disuse by 1850s. By 1860s there were the Theatre Royal, Swifts Row, the Bijou Theatre, in the Mechanics’ Hall, Fisher Street, and the Matchbox Theatre, on the Sands (opened 1858; used by Salvation Army from 1880; demolished 1892). Her Majesty's Theatre, Lowther Street, built 1874 as Victoria Hall; re-named Her Majesty’s Theatre and Opera House in 1879; closed 1963. The Star Music Hall, Rickergate, opened 1877. The Palace Theatre/Cinema opened as music hall 1906; closed as a theatre 1932; reopened as a cinema same year; reopened as the Studios 1970; demolished 2004. Star Picture Hall, opened 1912; changed name to the Rex 1932; became bingo hall 1962. City Cinema, English Street, opened 1915; closed 1960. Lonsdale Cinemaopened 1931; closed 2006.
Races were held regularly in Carlisle from the middle of the 18th century on a fine course at the Swifts, beside the River Eden, with a grandstand built in 1839. The course moved to Blackwell in 1904. The Sauceries and the Bitts, open spaces beside the Eden became public parks and Botchergate recreation ground, Fusehill Street, was opened in 1892.
A local radio station, BBC Radio Carlisle (later renamed Radio Cumbria) began broadcasting from Carlisle in 1973.
