Carlisle Castle Carlisle Castle was built in 1092 during the reign of William II of England as a timber motte and bailey castle. The castle was later built in stone in 1122 during the reign of Henry I. The castle has seen many sieges in its time including the unsuccessful Siege of 1315 led by Robert the Bruce. In October 1644 Carlisle was under siege again by the Scottish Covenanters and English Parliamentarians, Carlisle was starved into surrender, the siege lasted until June the following year