A wonderful visit, the blue ceiling was amazing, Jim the guide, so knowledgeable and Julie on the door was extremely helpful! We loved the medieval features, particularly the paintings behind the choir stalls. We enjoyed hearing the organ scholar practicing… And how lovely that this is still a donation Cathedral… go and donate!

Impromptu visit to the Cathedral whilst on a day trip to Carlisle. Met at the door by Julie who was very knowledgeable and helpful. Came and chatted to us while walking round made us feel very welcome especially when she found out it was my birthday. Also a shout out to James in the shop. Julie certainly made our day

It started out as St Mary’s Priory which was built in 1133 by King Henry I and built with red sandstone. It has 14c stained glass in the east window, with a blue painted ceiling with gold stars, Painted Panels, and nice carved misericord’s. Two Runic Inscriptions are located within the cathedral. We arrived at the end of evensong, and enjoyed an organ recital as we walked around the cathedral.

Popped in on a rainy day and got the warmest and friendliest welcome from Julie at the door. We then had a lovely short guided tour from Maurice, very knowledgeable. What a treat to hear the organ. The triptych from Antwerp is amazing and the ceiling is gorgeous. Definitely recommend.

Very worth a stop, you are immediately welcomed at the front, I think we were welcomed by a very lovely lady called Julie. The cathedral is very beautiful and has lots of history to it. If you can, get yourself a guide, it's about 20 minutes and they tell you all about the cathedral and will try to answer any questions you have, I think we had a man called Maurice. The guides are easily recognisable by the grey cape/robe things they wear. Everyone there knows a lot and are eager to tell you so take advantage. It was a lovely time and completely free, although at the end you will probably want to donate because it was so nice. They also have a cafe which looked quite nice, we didn't go in though.

I have now been to two graduations; one at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool and one at Carlisle Cathedral. On paper, the Philharmonic Hall should be the better venue for a graduation. I would disagree with this as I actually found Carlisle Cathedral to be nicer. It's a gorgeous building which the staff clearly look after well. There is a good amount of seating, all of which is comfortable if you are attending some kind of service. The only disadvantage is that some of the seating doesn't give a fantastic view of the front area of the cathedral, although there are TV screens located around the cathedral. Overall, I'd definitely recommend paying a visit to Carlisle Cathedral if you're in the area!

I love a cathedral for the sense of permanence and history you get as you enter. This one had good info boards around, and helpful staff ready to step in as needed. As ever with such places, the stained-glass windows were amazing, as were the ceilings. There is a "recommended" donation, but it is free to enter if you wish.

This is a very interesting place to visit. Complete free to enter however a donation would be appreciated. Members of the church on duty were friendly and helpful and approachable, willing to answer any questions you have. Several places inside to sit down and reflect on any problems you might in your life. The museum underground is very interesting and informative of past history of Christianity throughout Cumbria extending into parts of Europe with past kings and queens influenced by politics of the era. Easy to spend nearly 2 hours here if tour cathedral effectively.

We were met inside by an amazing volunteer guide who really made us feel welcomed and gave us lots of information about the history of the cathedral. She also pointed us in direction of a beautiful organ recital that day by the resident organ scholar. The same guide gave us some really useful tips about local eating out and places to visit. This is an absolute treasure of a place to visit.

Beautiful building. Very welcoming. Had a knowledgeable guide giving us information and answering questions. Interesting history and lots to see. A must see is the painted barrel roof. Cafe next door very clean with a good selection of cakes. Dogs allowed in the cathedral - always a good sign.