Lindisfarne

Geography

Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, is an island that can only be reached at certain times because of the tides. It lies off the northeast coast of England.

History

People have lived on Lindisfarne since the 600s. It was an important place for early Christian leaders. Saints such as Aidan, Cuthbert, Eadfrith, and Eadberht of Lindisfarne lived and worked there. The island once had a monastery, which was damaged long ago but later became a priory.

Sights

Today, Lindisfarne has many interesting places to see, such as a church, Lindisfarne Castle, lighthouses, and old lime kilns. The island is part of the Northumberland Coast National Landscape and is a favorite spot for visitors and bird watchers.

Name and etymology

Name

Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, has many old names. Records from the year 793 call it Lindisfarena in Old English. A 9th-century book calls it Medcaut in Old Welsh. Some think this name came from Latin, meaning "Healing Island."

By the 11th century, people started calling it Holy Island, referring to Saints Aidan and Cuthbert. Today, the area is known as Holy Island, and the people who live there are called Islanders. Both names, Holy Island and Lindisfarne, are used, but Lindisfarne is often used when talking about old buildings like the priory and castle there.

Etymology

The name Lindisfarne is not fully understood. One idea is that "farne" comes from an Old English word meaning "traveller," and "Lindis" might refer to people from the Kingdom of Lindsey in modern Lincolnshire. Another idea is that the name has a Brittonic origin. Some also think it might be from an old Irish word for "land." There is also a thought that the name could be connected to the nearby Farne Islands.

Geography

Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, is located along the northeast coast of England, near the border with Scotland. It is 3 miles long and 1.5 miles wide.

The island can be reached during low tide using a modern causeway or an old path for walkers. Both cross sand and mudflats that are covered by water at high tide. Around Lindisfarne is a large nature reserve that protects its sand dunes and habitats, and many birds visit the area during certain times of the year.

Warning signs remind visitors to follow marked paths and check tide times. Drivers should look at tide tables at both ends of the causeway and where the road leaves the A1 Great North Road at Beal. The causeway is usually open for a few hours around low tide. Tide tables showing safe crossing times are published by Northumberland County Council.

History

Early

The north-east of England was mostly not settled by Roman civilians except in the Tyne valley and near Hadrian's Wall. The area was not much changed during Roman times. Raiders from both Scots and Picts often attacked the region, and it was not attractive to early Germanic settlers. Anglian King Ida, who ruled from 547, began settling the coast by sea, creating a "royal settlement" at Bamburgh across the bay from Lindisfarne.

Lindisfarne Abbey

The Lindisfarne Abbey was first established in 634 AD. The island served as the site of a monastery for about 900 years. Today, the site, mostly in ruins, is a popular tourist spot and a place for pilgrimages. The church of St Mary the Virgin is the only original building that has been kept and remains standing within the old monastery area. Parts from before the Norman/Anglo-Saxon time can be seen in the wall of this church's chancel. The monastery was called an abbey by Bede, but when it was rebuilt after the Norman Conquest, it was called a smaller priory.

Founding and early years

The monastery of Lindisfarne was founded around 634 by the Irish monk Aidan, who was sent from Iona off the west coast of Scotland to Northumbria at the request of King Oswald. The abbey was founded before the end of 634, and Aidan stayed there until he died in 651. It became a center for spreading Christianity in Northumbria. The abbey and its church were the only place for a bishop in Northumbria for nearly thirty years. Finan (bishop from 651 to 661) built a wooden church suitable for a bishop's seat. An abbot, who could also be the bishop, was chosen by the community members to lead.

Cuthbert as bishop

Northumbria's patron saint, Cuthbert, was a monk and later abbot of the monastery. St Cuthbert is considered one of the most respected saints in England. Bede wrote about Cuthbert's miracles and life. Cuthbert was Bishop of Lindisfarne from 684 until 686, just before he died. An anonymous "Life of Cuthbert" written at Lindisfarne is the oldest surviving piece of English historical writing.

After his death in 687, Cuthbert was first buried in Lindisfarne. Because people believed his body had not changed and many came to his shrine reporting miracles, the island became a major pilgrimage destination for the next few hundred years.

During one of the many times the monks had to leave Lindisfarne because of increasing Viking raids, in 793, Cuthbert's body was taken away by the monks, first to the nearby village of Chester-le-Street, then to Durham Cathedral around 995. Eadberht of Lindisfarne, the next bishop and later saint, was buried where Cuthbert's body had been exhumed in the same year, 793.

8th and 9th centuries

In 735, the northern ecclesiastical province of England was created, with the archbishopric at York. There were only three bishops under York: Hexham, Lindisfarne and Whithorn.

In 737, Ceolwulf of Northumbria stepped down as King of Northumbria and entered the abbey at Lindisfarne. He died in 764 and was buried next to Cuthbert. In 830, his body was moved to Norham-upon-Tweed, and later his head was placed in Durham Cathedral.

Lindisfarne Gospels

The illuminated manuscript known as the Lindisfarne Gospels, a Latin copy of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, was made in the early 8th century, probably at Lindisfarne. The Gospels were written clearly, but the pictures, done in an insular style mixing Celtic, Germanic and Roman elements, are considered the most valuable. The Lindisfarne Gospels are now in the British Library in London.

Viking raid on the monastery (793)

Main article: Sack of Lindisfarne

In 793, a Viking raid on Lindisfarne caused shock throughout the Christian world, and is often seen as the start of the Viking Age. During the attack, many of the monks were killed or captured.

As the English people became more settled, they seemed to stop traveling by sea. Many monasteries were set up on islands, peninsulas, river mouths and cliffs, because isolated communities were less likely to be disturbed. The main group of raiders moved north around Scotland. The 9th-century invasions came not from Norway, but from the Danes from around the entrance to the Baltic. By 866, the Danes were in York, and in 873 the Danish army moved into Northumberland. With the fall of the Northumbrian kingdom, the monks of Lindisfarne left the island in 875, taking with them St Cuthbert's bones (which are now buried at Durham Cathedral).

Before the 9th century, Lindisfarne Abbey, like other such places, owned large pieces of land which were managed directly or rented to farmers with only a right to live there. After the Danish takeover, land was more often owned by individuals, and could be bought, sold and inherited. After the Battle of Corbridge in 914 Ragnald took the land and gave some to his followers Scula and OnAlfbal.

Prior to dissolution of the monasteries

After the area became stable again under the government of William the Conqueror, the chances for rebuilding the island's monastery improved. The first Norman Bishop of Durham, William of St Calais gave land and property in Northumberland, including Holy Island and much of the nearby mainland, to his new Benedictine monastery at Durham. Durham Priory then re-established a monastery on the island in 1093. The monastery was re-established as a smaller "priory" which was to be managed as a sub-monastery of the Durham priory.

Under Norman rule, by 1150 the island's parish church had also been fully rebuilt over part of the site of the pre-Norman abbey. The old island bishopric of Lindisfarne was not restored under Norman rule, perhaps because the newer and more centrally located bishopric of Durham was better able to meet the church's needs in the area.

As such, the island's restored but slightly smaller Benedictine monastery (sized as a priory under Norman rule) was then able to continue in relative peace under the new Norman monarchy and its successor royal houses for the next four centuries until its final dissolution in 1536 as a result of Henry VIII's decision to separate the English church from Rome, and his closing of the monasteries.

After dissolution of the priory

Even with the closing of the island's priory in 1536, the tradition of making religious trips to the island never stopped. In the 21st century the tradition of making trips to Lindisfarne continues yearly, as shown by the Northern Cross Pilgrimage among others. The priory ruins which are a popular tourist and pilgrimage spot, were built just after the Norman conquest, and date back nearly 1,000 years.

Architecture and archaeology

In 1838 Henry George Charles Clarke wrote a detailed description of the priory. The Lindisfarne Priory (ruin) is a grade I listed building, List Entry Number 1042304. Other parts of the priory are a scheduled monument, List Entry Number 1011650.

Archaeologists from DigVentures and the University of Durham have been doing community excavations since 2016 outside the priory. Important finds included a rare board game piece, copper-alloy rings and Anglo-Saxon coins from both Northumbria and Wessex. The discovery of a cemetery led to finding markers "unique to the 8th and 9th centuries". The group also found evidence of an early medieval building.

Historical island economy

Middle Ages economy

Records from monasteries from the 14th to the 16th century show evidence of a well-established fishing way of life on the island. Both line fishing and net fishing were done, close to shore in shallow water and far out to sea, using different kinds of boats. Fish caught included cod, haddock, herring, salmon, porpoise and mullet, among others. Shellfish of various kinds were also caught.

In 1462, during the Wars of the Roses, Margaret of Anjou tried to take the Northumbrian castles. After a storm at sea 400 soldiers had to stay on Holy Island.

Post priory dissolution economy

After King Henry VIII closed the monasteries in 1536, Lindisfarne Priory was shut down for the last time. The buildings of the old priory were then used as a store for naval supplies. Over the centuries, most of the priory buildings slowly fell into ruin.

In the 1860s a Dundee company built lime kilns on Lindisfarne, and lime was made on the island until at least the end of the 19th century. The kilns are among the most complex in Northumberland. Horses carried limestone, along the Holy Island Waggonway, from a quarry on the north side of the island to the lime kilns. The remains of the waggonway between the quarries and the kilns make for an easy walk.

At the height of the limestone quarrying and processing on the island, over 100 men worked on these operations. Crinoid columnals were separated from the stone and then made smooth into beads. The remaining limestone material would then be turned into lime. These more valuable beads would then be strung onto necklaces and rosaries and sent away from the island. The beads became known as St Cuthbert's beads.

The large-scale quarrying in the 19th century greatly damaged the limestone caves, but eight sea caves remain at Coves Haven. Work on the lime kilns stopped by the beginning of the 20th century.

21st-century economy

Lindisfarne has been mostly a fishing community for many years, with farming and making lime also important.

Lindisfarne is well known for mead. When the monks lived on the island, it was believed that if the soul was with God, the body needed to be strengthened with Lindisfarne mead.^{[self-published source]} Lindisfarne Mead is made at St Aidan's Winery, and sold widely.

Community and demographics

In 2021, 151 people lived on Holy Island in 77 homes.

In 2020, the island had three pubs and one hotel. The shop was closed, but the post office was open. People drove to Berwick-upon-Tweed for groceries and supplies because there were no shops or doctors on the island.

In 1996, some people from the island started a charity called the Holy Island of Lindisfarne Community Development Trust. They built a visitor centre with money from sales. They also built 11 homes for people who wanted to live on the island. The trust also looks after the inner harbour. In 2009, the Holy Island Partnership was formed by people and groups on the island.

Additional points of interest

Church of St Mary the Virgin

The current parish church stands where St Aidan built a wooden church in AD 635. The Normans rebuilt the site and turned the old abbey church into a stone parish church. This is the oldest building on the island that still has a roof. Parts of the old Anglo-Saxon church remain in the wall and arch of the chancel. After the Reformation, the church fell into disrepair until it was restored in 1860. It is made of coloured sandstone, and the north aisle is known as the “fishermen’s aisle.”

St Cuthbert's Isle (Hobthrush)

St Cuthbert's Isle, also called Hobthrush, is a small rocky islet near where Cuthbert began his solitary life. Sometimes you can walk to it across sand and rocks when the tide is low. There are remains of a medieval chapel there, including stone walls, earthworks, and a modern wooden cross.

Lindisfarne Castle

Lindisfarne Castle was built in 1550 using stones from the old priory. It sits on the highest point of the island, a hill called Beblowe. Over time, it was strengthened and used as a fort. Later, it was turned into a beautiful home. Today, the castle and its garden are cared for and open to visitors.

Green Shiel

Green Shiel is an important old farmstead from the 9th century. Stone foundations of five buildings have been found there.

Navigational markers

There are three beacons near the island to help ships find their way into Holy Island Harbour. Two stone towers called Guile Point East and West guide ships from the east. A tower on Heugh Hill also helps ships know when they are safe. There is also a white pyramid-shaped marker on Emmanuel Head, built in 1810, which helps sailors during the day.

Tourism

Tourism grew in the 1900s, and Lindisfarne became a popular place for visitors. Tourists who stay on the island when the tide separates it enjoy a quieter time, as most day visitors leave before the water rises. At low tide, it is possible to walk across the sand using an old path called the Pilgrims' Way (see the note about safety). This path has markers and safe spots for walkers. The island is the ending point of the St Cuthbert's Way walking trail, and walkers can choose either the Pilgrims' Way or a newer road to cross.

Lindisfarne is surrounded by the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve, which attracts bird lovers to the tidal island. The island is a good resting place for birds during their journeys, and many kinds of birds can be seen there.

The island is part of the Northumberland Coast National Landscape, which is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Old ruins of a building called a priory are cared for by English Heritage, which also runs a museum and visitor center nearby.

Sometimes you can see old wooden boats turned over on the land, used as small buildings. These boats inspired a Spanish architect named Enric Miralles when he designed the Scottish Parliament Building in Edinburgh.

Media

Local news and television come from BBC North East and Cumbria and ITV Tyne Tees. People watch TV using signals from the Chatton transmitting station. There are several local radio stations including BBC Radio Newcastle, Capital North East, Heart North East, Smooth North East, Hits Radio North East, Greatest Hits Radio, and Holy Island Radio, a community station. The island’s newspaper is the Northumberland Gazette.

Culture

Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, has inspired many artists. Famous painters like J. M. W. Turner, Thomas Girtin, and Charles Rennie Mackintosh created artwork there. It was shown on a TV show called Seven Natural Wonders.

The island has been part of many songs and stories. A band named Lindisfarne got its name from the island. Other musicians like James Blake and Iona have made songs about it. Some books and TV shows, like parts of Vera and Vikings, are set there. Movies such as Cul-de-sac and 28 Years Later have used the island.

Arms

Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, is a special place that rises out of the water near the northeast coast of England. It has been important since the 6th century AD when religious leaders helped spread their beliefs there. Over time, the place faced challenges but remained a meaningful spot for many people.