Exactly 100 years to the day since the state took control of Carlisle's pubs, a beer festival was held to celebrate the landmark event.

Tullie House rolled out the barrels to coincide with the launch of a new state management exhibition, which opened on Saturday.

This was preceded by a walking tour of some landmark sites, setting off from Cakes and Ale in Long Lane, which was once the headquarters of the Carlisle State Management Scheme's control board.

The festival focuses on the decision to nationalise local pubs and breweries, taken in 1916, during World War One.

During this period one of the largest munitions depots in Europe was being built just over the border in Gretna, with most of its workers descending on the Carlisle pub scene.

The result was heavy drinking in what were described as "dens of iniquity", potentially to the detriment of Britain's war efforts.

The Government decided to bring them under state control, transforming pub layouts using the traditional designs you see today, and bringing in tough new rules to try to tackle excessive drinking.

They also introduced food and games to pubs, while local breweries were brought in-house and started producing weaker ales.

This undoubtedly shaped the way drinking culture developed in the city right through until 1971, when public ownership ceased.

The Carlisle State Management Scheme has been credited with the growth of local pub darts, dominoes and bowls teams and leagues, many of which are still going strong all these years later.

Some of these were represented at the Tullie House event, including the Carlisle Subscription Bowling Club, formed in 1865, whose members gave demonstrations and invited guests to give the game a try.

Rick Gallagher, from the club, said: "The State Management Scheme took on bowls because of the popularity of the game.

"We were the first club in the city so we helped to develop it."

Many of the pubs which were part of the scheme are still open today, albeit under different ownership.

They include the King's Head, the Sportsman, the Cumberland, the Apple Tree, and the Howard.

Saturday's walking tour visited all of these venues, some of which have organised their own mini exhibitions, giving customers a chance to find out more about their past under state management.

The group then finished off at Tullie House to sample some locally-brewed ales and enjoy the anniversary celebrations.

Suzanne Manuel, marketing coordinator at Tullie House, said: "Many pubs were shut down and those left were managed by civil servants and brought into the State Management Scheme.

"Carlisle was the first place where this was brought in. It was known as the Carlisle experiment."

Alison Davis, of the Spinners Arms in Cummersdale and founder of Carlisle Brewing Co, provided the beer.

She said she was pleased to be part of an event commemorating such an important event in the Carlisle pub trade.

"I'm Carlisle born-and-bred but I didn't really know much about state management until we took the Spinners on in 2007. The original pub was knocked down and the current pub, designed by (state management architect) Harry Redfern, was built behind it."

In those days Carlisle had a strong brewery, supplying the state management pubs, but that later closed.

Alison, who works alongside husband Alain, added: "When we started brewing there hadn't been a brewery in Carlisle for 25 years. It was quite important to us bring that tradition back."

A lot of their beers have been inspired by the state management recipes, with one apty-named The Carlisle Experiment.

Viv Dodd, secretary of Carlisle City Centre Business Group, helped secure Lottery funding for the anniversary events.

This has paid for the Tullie House exhibition, which runs until September, as well as creating a pub trail and a long schedule of anniversary events and initiatives.

TheTtullie House exhibition features many of the original glasses, bottles and beer crates issued by the state Mangement Scheme. It also shares memories of those who ran the pubs and drank in them.

Interactive exhibits include a giant snakes and ladders-style game to explain the rules of the scheme in a fun family-friendly way.

Eloise Stott, visitor experience assistant, helped put the exhibition together.

She added: "We really hope to boost our oral history archives here too.

"A lot of people in Carlisle started their drinking under this scheme.

"They will remember all the changes. It's real social history."