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CARLISLE CATHEDRAL

ALTERNATIVE NAME:  CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY AND UNDIVIDED TRINITY, CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF THE HOLY AND UNDIVIDED TRINITY, ST MARYS PRIORY
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Carlisle Cathedral started life as the church to St Mary's Priory, a house of Augustinian Cannons, founded in 1122 by Henry I. In 1133, Henry I established the Diocese of Carlisle and the Priory Church as its Cathedral. The priory was Dissolved in 1540 and a year later the Cathedral was re-founded, and re-dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. The building dates from the early 12th century with various rebuildings until the early 15th century, with alterations of 1652 to the west end; minor alterations of 1764, 1846 (by Thomas Nelson), restorations of 1853-57 by Ewan Christian and 1950s restoration. The oldest parts are of mixed red and calciferous squared sandstone blocks; the remainder is red sandstone ashlar, heavily restored, on a chamfered plinth, with stepped buttresses carried up as pinnacles; string courses, dentilled cornices and solid parapets, battlemented on the tower. There are steeply pitched lead roofs, copper on the south transept and flat roof on the tower. The early 12th century nave was originally of seven bays but most of its was pulled down in 1645 and is now of two bays with a fragment of the third bay remaining as buttresses; the nave is aisled with a north vestry. The south transept is also of 12th century with a 13th century chantry chapel (dedicated to St Catherine) whilst the north transept is late 14th century and incorporates part of a 12th century structure (the original transept is thought to have been destroyed when the tower fell in 1380). The tower was rebuilt in the late 14th/early 15th century.

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