Places of worship GAZ Carlisle

City: finds of Northumbrian age sculpture suggest the presence of an Anglo-Saxon monastic site encompassing the site of the cathedral at St Cuthbert’s church.  The cathedral was re-founded as an Augustinian priory in 1122 and became the see of the diocese of Carlisle on its creation in 1133.  The parish church of St. Mary was within the nave of the Cathedral and was used as such until 1870 when a new church of St Mary was built on the east of the cathedral close; it was demolished 1954. St. Cuthbert's Church, almost certainly a pre-Conquest foundation, was rebuilt in 1778 on the site of the previous structure.  Within the walls of the medieval city were also St Alban’s chapel, possibly also a pre-Norman foundation, which became a chantry and was dissolved in 1549, and two friaries, of the Franciscans (or Greyfriars), founded 1233, and the Dominicans (or Blackfriars), also established in the 1230s. 

Nonconformist places of worship in the city centre included: a Friends Meeting House, first located in Abbey Close, 1653 to c.1660; re-established in city 1693; a new meeting house built in Fisher Street 1702; replaced by one on another site in Fisher Street 1776; in turn replaced by present meeting house on former burial ground at end of Fisher Street, 1963.  English Presbyterian chapel (formerly known as ‘old Scotch Presbyterian chapel), built in Fisher Street in 1730s, when the congregation removed from their former chapel near the west wall; rebuilt 1894; demolished 1986. Chapel in Annetwell Street (demolished by 1901), used before 1817 by Lady Glenorchy’s Connexion; then by Independents, until Congregational Chapel (now United Reformed Church) built in Lowther Street, 1843.  The Church of Scotland, Chapel Street, was built in 1834.

John Wesley preached in Carlisle in 1770 and again in 1780-81 and in 1785-86. The first Methodist chapel was built in Fisher Street in 1786; replaced by a new chapel on the site of the present Methodist Central Hall Fisher Stree, 1817.  Other Methodist chapels included the United Methodist Chapel (formerly Wesleyan Association chapel), Lowther Street, erected 1837.  Baptists met in Abbey Street from 1809 and rented the former Methodist chapel in Fisher Street after 1817; a second group, the Berian Baptists, built a chapel in Tower Street in 1818. 

The first Roman Catholic churchin Carlisle after the reformation was built at West Walls in 1799, but no expansion took place until 1824 , when a church was built in Chapel Street.

Other places of worship included the Salvation Army barracks, Annetwell Street, replaced by a new Citadel, Abbey Street, opened 1972; several groups of Christian Brethren by 1900; the Elim Pentecostal Church, which met in building in West Walls from 1927 and moved to former Anglican church of St Paul 1979; the Elim Free Church established after a secession in 1939; and the Seventh-day Adventist Church, opened 1944 in a hotel room in West Walls; moved to former Jehovah Witness meeting place; purchased property in Finkle Street, 1982.

Rickergate:  new Anglican district churches of St Paul, Lonsdale Street, (since 1979 Elim Pentecostal Church), built 1869-70 and St Aidan, Warwick Road, built 1899-1902.  Roman Catholic church of St Mary & St Joseph, Warwick Square, built 1891-3; English Presbyterian church (now St George, United Reformed Church), Warwick Road, built 1862-3; Primitive Methodist chapel, Cecil Street, built 1852; demolished 1966; Baptist church, Aglionby Street, built 1887-8.

Botchergate: new Anglican district churches of Christ Church, Botchergate (erected 1828-30; closed 1938, demolished 1953) and St John, London Road (built 1867) and St Stephen, James Street (built 1865; demolished 1964).  Congregational (formerly Evangelical Union) chapel, Cecil Street, built 1860; Wesleyan Methodist chapel, Union Street, opened 1891; closed 1990; demolished 1991; Unitarian church, James Street, built 1889; closed; Mission church on Blackwell Road by 1901; St Herbert’s church, Currock, dedicated 1932.

Caldewgate: medieval chapel of the Holy Trinity, Caldewgate, recorded from 14th century (located at Paddy’s Market area, on the island in Caldewgate beside Carr's Biscuit factory).  Its name was preserved in the new AnglicanTrinity Church, completed in 1830 as a chapel of ease to St. Mary; spire removed 1947; finally demolished 1982.  Other Anglican district churches of St James, St James’ Road, built 1865-7; St Barnabas, Newtown, built 1935-6.  Primitive Methodistchapel opened in Willowholme, 1826; moved to Cecil Street, 1852. Wesleyan Methodist chapel, Caldewgate, opened 1865; Methodist Church, Wigton Road, built 1929.  Church of Christ, Denton Street, chapel built 1881; demolished 1966. Congregationalchapel (now Carlisle Christian Fellowship), Charlotte Street, built 1860-1.  St. Bede's Roman Catholic Church, Silloth Street, built 1866 as a school and chapel; new church of St Bede, Wigton Road, built 1959.