carved stalls and monuments. A theatre, assembly rooms, several alms-houses and an excellent grammar-school are among the other public buildings of the town. Lancaster has a considerable trade, the river being navigable for vessels of between 200 and 300 tons. Hardware and woollen manufactures constitute the principal exports. A large trade in coal and limestone is carried on by means of the canal, which is carried over the Lune by an aqueduct erected in 1797, at an expense of L.48,000. Two M. P. Pop. 12,613. LXXVI. LANCASTER AND CARLISLE RAILWAY, 69 Miles. CARLISLE is an ancient city, pleasantly situated on an eminence nearly enclosed by three streams, the Eden, the Caldew, and the Petrel. It is supposed to be of British origin, and there is reason to conclude that it was a Roman station. It appears to have been first fortified about the time of Agricola ; the erection of its castle is attributed to William Rufus. Carlisle was taken by David, King of Scots, and afterwards besieged unsuccessfully by William the Lion. It suffered severely during the civil wars, having declared for Charles I. In 1745, it surrendered to Prince Charles Stuart, and on being retaken by the Duke of Cumberland, was the scene of many cruel severities upon the conquered. After the junction of the kingdoms it sunk into decay, but has made great progress since the commencement of the present century. The principal business of the town consists in its manufactures of cotton goods and ginghams, and in a coasting trade. There is a canal from Carlisle to the Solway, and some traffic arises also from its lying on the Great Western road from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow. Before the Reformation, there were several ecclesiastical establishments in the city. It was erected into a see by Henry I. in 1133. Dr Paley was ArchDeacon of Carlisle, and is buried in the cathedral, where a monument has been recently erected to his memory. The cathedral is an ancient building of red freestone, some parts of which are assigned to the Saxon times. There are three other churches in Carlisle, several meeting-houses, a Roman Catholic chapel, a Mechanic's Institute, a Theatre, a Grammar-School founded by Henry VIII. and forty-seven other schools of various kinds. The Court Houses were built at an expense of L.100,000. A considerable portion of the castle still remains, comprising the keep, a lofty and massive tower, in which is a very deep well. Towards the north are the apartments in which Mary Queen of Scots was confined on her flight to England, after the battle of Langside. Carlisle gives the title of Earl to a branch of the Howard family. Two M. P. Pop. 19,069. |