Outer Bailey Alma Block is a Grade II listed building in the Cumberland local planning authority area, England. First listed on 1 June 1949. Record office. 2 related planning applications.
Outer Bailey Alma Block
- WRENN ID
- proud-span-soot
- Grade
- II
- Local Planning Authority
- Cumberland
- Constituency
- Carlisle MP: Ms Julie Minns (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 1 June 1949
- Type
- Record office
- Address
- Outer Bailey Alma Block, CA3 8UR
- OS grid reference
- NY 396 562
- Coordinates
- 54.89755, -2.94182
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The Alma Block, located in the Outer Bailey of Carlisle Castle, is a building that originally served as a recruit reception centre and canteen for the Border Regiment. It was constructed by Messrs J&R Bell, as reported in the Carlisle Journal on April 1, 1932. The building features Flemish bond brickwork set on a chamfered red sandstone plinth, with raised calciferous sandstone quoins, a sill band, and a cornice. The roof is made of graduated greenslate and has projecting modillioned eaves and gabled pediments.
The structure is two storeys high and consists of seven bays, with rear extensions that create a rough L-shape. The single bays at each end project and are quoined, with the right-side bay featuring a doorway with a pediment. The windows are sash style with glazing bars, framed in stone surrounds. A painted stone panel inscribed with "ALMA," one of the battle honours of the Border Regiment, is located centrally on the upper level. The rear extensions are built of similar brickwork but lack decorative dressings.
The interior is not considered of interest. The building was designed to mimic the nearby Arroyo Block. It was vacated by the Army in 1959 and converted into the Cumbria County Record Office in 1961. The Alma Block is included for its group value with other structures in the area.
Local climate
Outer Bailey Alma Block sits in a wetter-than-average part of the UK, with an average of 1,100 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 87% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 80% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 51 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 93% of listed buildings. Of these, 27 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- Full EPC report — heating system, energy costs, size, glazing, construction etc.
- No sale records on file
- Related listed building consents — 2 applications
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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