Lindisfarne or Holy Island

This island village contains a 13th century church and many gems of Northumbrian domestic architecture, single storied houses with pantiled roofs and mall paned windows interspersed with two storied buildings and high old walls. Most streets are narrow except for the Market Square and Fiddlers Green. The entire village was designed to accommodate several hundred people and its present depopulation gives the place an empty look and a rather tranquil air. The medieval village with its small cottages, mansions and walled gardens can still be picked out.

LINDISFARNE CASTLE

The castle was built for the defence of the harbour in 1543 using stone from the ruined Priory. It is romantically placed and stands as a landmark for miles around. It never saw any action, which was fortunate as it was manned only by a captain, two master gunners, a master's mate and twenty soldiers. Once England and Scotland were united the castle lost its importance but it continued in use as a military station. After the Civil War the castle was neglected and eventually only used by the coastguards until the beginning of the century when Sir Edwin Lutyens restored the interior. The sober rooms with their plain oak panelling and Tudor furniture are models of their kind.

Opening times are as follows:

Open 1st April-30th October daily except Friday 1300-1730 (last admission 1700).
Open Good Friday.
Please check that opening times coincide with tide times.
Tel: (01289) 389244

LINDISFARNE PRIORY

The Norman Benedictine Priory built in 1083 is roofless and ruined, but the arches and half arches of dark sandstone framing the sky and sea are still serenely beautiful.

Holy Island is well named as it was the seat of a Saxon Bishopric in the seventh century, founded by St Aidan at the invitation of King Oswald of Northumbria. The original community under Aidan lived in gaunt austerity and it was left for Aidan's successor Finan (652-61) to build a church suitable for a Bishops seat. The venerable Bede in his "Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation" describes the church as "Made not of stone, but hewn oak, and covered with reeds."

It was during this period that Lindisfarne became a centre of spiritual, evangelical and intellectual activity unparalleled in the English church. The fame of the island bishopric spread throughout the western world and pilgrims still visit Lindisfarne in memory of this golden age.

Cuthbert became Prior at Lindisfarne around the year 664 and introduced a mixture of Roman and Celtic rules gradually winning the admiration of the monks, but the Celtic side of his nature gradually asserted itself and he withdrew from participation in the affairs of the monastery to live on an island just to the south-west of Lindisfarne, now known as St Cuthbert's Island. However, the greater isolation of the island Inner Farne, some seven miles away was more attractive to him, as he needed complete physical isolation and bodily subjugation to develop a deeper spiritual understanding. He lived the life of a hermit, shutting himself up in his cell for longer and longer periods.

Cuthbert returned to Lindisfarne as Bishop after a short period at Hexham and he travelled extensively throughout his Bishopric area. After two years as Bishop, he resigned and returned to the Inner Farne. He died in 687 within a year of leaving Lindisfarne.

During the Bishopric of Eadfrith 698-721, the magnificent Lindisfarne Gospels were produced by the monks. This beautiful manuscript can be seen in the British Museum. Church embroiderers still use the designs of these illuminations in their work, and some of the designs known as Lindisfarne tracery have been used on silver produced in Newcastle.

The community of Lindisfarne continued to thrive until 793 when it was ravaged by the Vikings and those monks who could not escape in time perished. Later the monastery was restored and continued uninterrupted until 875, when, because of attacks by the Danes in the area, Bishop Eardulp decided to abandon the monastery. The monks took the remains of Cuthbert, the head of St Oswald, the Lindisfarne Gospels and other valuable relics and began their wanderings over much of northern England. In 883 they settled in Chester-le-Street where they remained for the next 100 years.

From 875 until the Norman Conquest, Lindisfarne remained in desolation. No mention of the island is made in any documents of the time, nor have any archaeological remains of that era been found on the island.

In 1082, Holy Island came to life again when a community of Benedictine monks were granted permission to settle there. The priory church which they built on the site of the old monastery, and whose ruins can be seen today, was constructed along the lines of Durham Cathedral. Lindisfarne remained a peaceful sanctuary for over four centuries under the rule of the Benedictine monks who farmed the land profitably and lived well. But, the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in the sixteenth century brought an end to the island's prosperity.

The priory itself was demolished in 1541 and the other buildings rapidly declined.

The small visitor centre and museum on the site gives a good introduction to the priory and its importance in the development of Christianity.

Lindisfarne is an island rich in both flora and fauna, and the bird population on and around the island is remarkable in variety of species and in number.

Access

By road - A causeway which is covered at high tide links Holy Island with the mainland. The causeway is well surfaced and is useable by both cars and coaches. A timetable of tides showing when the causeway is useable is available from any Tourist Information Centre in Northumbria.

By Bus - The service 477 is operated by Northumbrian Motor Services Limited, 6 Portland Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne (Tel: (0191) 281 1313) and runs form Berwick via Beal Filling station to Holy Island and back. Service 477 runs according to the tide times and runs each way twice a day, however, there are many days on which it does not run due to the tide not being suitable.

There is a connecting bus service (505) also run by Northumbrian Motor Services from Alnwick, Morpeth and Newcastle and the connection is made at Beal Filling Station. For any further information telephone the Central Enquiry Bureau on Newcastle (0191) 212 3000.

Distance

Holy Island is 3 miles from the A1 at Beal Filling Station. Beal is 9 miles south of Berwick upon Tweed or 59 miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Accommodation

A few small hotels and self-catering accommodation is available on the island and a wide range exists conveniently located on the mainland. Contact Berwick Tourist Information Centre for details.

Tourist Information Centres

Berwick-upon-Tweed TIC
Castlegate Car Park
Berwick-upon-Tweed
TD15 1JS
Tel: (01289) 330733 Seahouses TIC (summer only)
Car Park
Seafield Road
Seahouses
NE68 7SR
Tel: (01665) 720884