Historical information

Carlisle and its cathedral.
This cathedral church, which has stood on this site for over 800 years has a great story to tell. It is a story that can be traced back further still, to an even earlier church of the 7th century AD. Archaeological excavations on this site have taken the story back to Roman times.
Today the dean and canons and other cathedral staff ensure that the worship of God remains the main work of this cathedral, while long-standing traditions of music, hospitality and education are also maintained.
The story of this place is not so much about buildings, but about people. The buildings remain as evidence of the lives of people who lived and worked here and of what they believed and achieved.
Until 1540 a community of Augustinian canons served the cathedral. They lived highly organized lives in monastic buildings suited to their needs. As canons rather than monks, they were freer to undertake pastoral and educational work.