City Walls and Tile Tower, Carlisle, Cumbria
The city walls date from the 12th century and were built from sandstone blocks. Some of the stone was re-used Roman masonry. The walls surrounded and defended the city and there were towers placed at intervals for increased strength and to guard the entrance gates. The Tile Tower is one of these interval towers and formerly guarded the Irish Gate which was demolished in 1811. Houses were built against part of the walls in the early 19th century and joist holes for floors can be seen cut into the Tile Tower and wall. The last of the houses was demolished in 1952.
