Carlisle Public Markets

CARLISLE PUBLIC MARKETS, FISHER STREET

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Explore this list entry

Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1297380
Date first listed:
26-Aug-1987
List Entry Name:
Carlisle Public Markets
Statutory Address:
CARLISLE PUBLIC MARKETS, FISHER STREET
User submitted image
Contributed by Alan Murray-Rust This photo may not represent the current condition of the site. Over 400,000 images and stories have been added to the Missing Pieces Project so far. Share your story.
View all

Location

Location of this list entry and nearby places that are also listed. Use our map search to find more listed places. 

There is a problem

Use of this mapping is subject to terms and conditions .

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale.

What is the National Heritage List for England?

The National Heritage List for England is a unique register of our country's most significant historic buildings and sites. The places on the list are protected by law and most are not open to the public.

The list includes:

Icon Buildings
Icon Scheduled monuments
Icon Parks and gardens
Icon Battlefields
Icon Shipwrecks

Find out more about listing

Images of England Project

To view this image please use Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Edge.
Archive image, may not represent current condition of site.
Date:
2000-10-28
Reference:
IOE01/03184/29
Rights:
© Samantha Jones. Source: Historic England Archive

Local Heritage Hub

Unlock and explore hidden histories, aerial photography, and listed buildings and places for every county, district, city and major town across England.

Discover more

Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1297380
Date first listed:
26-Aug-1987
Date of most recent amendment:
11-Apr-1994
List Entry Name:
Carlisle Public Markets
Statutory Address 1:
CARLISLE PUBLIC MARKETS, FISHER STREET

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
CARLISLE PUBLIC MARKETS, FISHER STREET

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:
Cumberland (Unitary Authority)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
NY 40039 56109

Details

CARLISLE

NY4056SW FISHER STREET 671-1/8/158 (North East side) 26/08/87 Carlisle Public Markets

GV II

Includes: Nos 1-6 (consec) Market Arcade SCOTCH STREET. Covered market. 1887-9 for Carlisle Corporation by Cawstone and Graham, ironwork manufactured by Cowans, Sheldon & Co, Engineers of Carlisle; extension of 1900-1. Coursed red sandstone with ashlar dressings. Internal and roof structure of cast- and wrought-iron and glass. A stone screen wall surrounds an iron structure of three parallel spans, the central span is larger and has a centred projection to the south west. There are full street frontages to Fisher Street, Market Street and West Tower Street, with an entrance arcade and smaller entrance on Scotch Street. In Renaissance style. Refurbished and altered 1989-91. FISHER STREET ELEVATION: the main entrance facade. Because of the restriction of the site the centre span of the hall comes forward to Fisher Street behind a gable; 3 bays with further bay, formerly the Fish Market, at left, articulated by rusticated pilasters. Entrance central to gable, Corinthian columns in antis with animal-head capitals, sheep and chicken on one, cow and pig on the other. Circular panel with city arms over. Flanking small mezzanine windows. Large cornice, panelled parapet and pediment gable. Left Fish Market entrance; both entrances have C20 glazed doors in heavy panelled screens. MARKET STREET ELEVATION: 11 bays, ground falling away to left, additional projecting bay at right forms part of the Fish Market. Right main doorway then 2 further doorways, 2 bays apart; large panelled screens with C20 modifications to doors; Corinthian columns in antis. Ramp giving access to left doors removed 1989. High triple casement windows divided by pilasters. Left bay has pedimented lower window. Fish Market has large central pedimented doorway with flanking side lights and roundels. WEST TOWER STREET ELEVATION: 2 storeys of 8 bays, with single-storey projection of 7 bays. Original entrance formerly at left-hand side now covered by a new single-storey bay, added to the Poultry Market which itself was an extension of 1900-1. The Corinthian columns from the original entrance now support a central pediment over the new market entrance on this elevation. Paired casement windows divided by pilasters. Behind and above are 3-light casements. The 3-arched roof span is directly behind a parapet. Set into the angle at right is the foundation stone dated 20 December 1887. A postcard photograph, taken before 1900, shows that there was originally a projecting columned loading bay on this side. SCOTCH STREET ELEVATION & NOS 1-6 (consec) MARKET ARCADE: arcade of 6 shops, 3 on each side, with manager's office and former caretaker's house above. Dated 1888 (now removed) by Cawstone and Graham; carved detail by Richard Nelson of Carlisle and portrait head over arch by Mr Beale of Newcastle. Red sandstone ashlar with pilasters, sill band, dentilled eaves cornice and solid parapet (a shaped pediment has been removed, see Perriam (1989). Slate roof; projecting gable ashlar chimney stacks. 3 storeys, 3 bays, 3-shops-depth in plan. Central large through round and covered arch, with the keystone a portrait head of the Mayor JR Creighton. Flanking glazed shop windows within original rusticated pilasters, continuing along the returns of the arch. Casement windows above with upper glazing bars in kneed architraves, the central window with flanking blind panels. The additional Scotch Street entrance, approached along Old Blue Bell Lane, retains its original scrolled wrought-iron folding gates, lettered and dated CARLISLE MARKET 1854 and additional 1889 date (with names of Mayors). INTERIOR: Behind the Fisher Street facade is the pediment and inscription for the Butter and Egg market of 1854, under which is an inscription of 2nd October 1889 for the completion and rebuilding. Inside altered 1990-1. Round archway to former cafe on Scotch Street elevation has carved stone lettering of 1889 COFFEE TAVERN. HISTORY: This site has been in use since 1799 for the butchers' market and was extended in 1854 by a butter and egg market (fish stalls were incorporated into the butchers' shambles). Further extensions were made in 1879. The present building was a complete rebuilding, incorporating a separate fish market. Plans for the new market of 1889 are in Cumbria County Record Office Ca/E1/273, 314, 328, 334 and 553. Plans for a proposed clock tower in 1899 , Ca/E1/989 and plans for the poultry market are Ca/E1/981. (Perriam DR: Carlisle in Camera 2: 1989-: P.11).

Listing NGR: NY4003956109

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
386755
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Perriam, D R, Carlisle in Camera 2, (1989), 11

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Carlisle Public Markets

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 05-Jun-2026 at 14:24:32.

Download a full scale map (PDF)
© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

Previous Overview
Next Comments and Photos