Holy Island, Northumberland
4 March 2001

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Visiting Holy Island
The two main visitor attractions on Holy Island – apart from the island itself – are Lindisfarne Castle and the Priory, both of which are open all year round. Remember, however, that Holy Island is only accessible via a causeway, which is closed for two hours before high tide and three and a half hours after. Palace Field itself is privately owned.

Lindisfarne Castle
Holy Island
Berwick-upon-Tweed TD15 2SH
Tel: 01289 389244
National Trust owned. Opening hours vary according to tides.

Lindisfarne Priory
Holy Island
Berwick-upon-Tweed TD15 2RX
Tel: 01289 389200
Owned by English Heritage.

Lindisfarne Heritage Centre
Marygate
Holy Island
Berwick-upon-Tweed TD15 2SD
Tel: 01289 389004
As well as exhibitions of Holy Island past and present, the centre now has its own electronic copy of the Lindisfarne Gospels. Painstakingly worked and lovingly crafted over 1300 years ago on Holy Island and written 'in honour of God and Cuthbert', this modern version of the Gospels has returned them to the island after almost 1,000 years of exile. On loan from the British Museum, they appear in interactive, turning-pages form, a purpose-built annex providing a lifelike and atmospheric setting in which to examine and enjoy the beauty and craftsmanship of one of the nation's most revered and treasured possessions.

Other websites

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne
www.lindisfarne.org.uk/
'Come to me, all who are weary and whose load is heavy – I will give you rest.' (Mathew 11-28)
A classic village – or in this case island – website. Provides full details of the island, accommodation, its cultural and religious heritage, history, traditions and customs, natural history and much more. Special features include picture galleries and a 'virtual village' where you can wander around finding out about everything from the castle and the priory to the post office and craft shop. Comes complete with bus times, weather and tides information. Produced by people who clearly love their island.

Lindisfarne: A brief history and virtual tour
www.faculty.de.gcsu.edu/~dvess/ids/medieval/lindis/lindisfarne.shtml
Dr Deborah Vess, associate professor of history at the Georgia College and State University, has put together this website recounting her personal spiritual journey to Holy Island as well as some of the island's history and a pictorial tour of the priory ruins.

Further reading

The Tudor Navy by David Loades (Scholar Press, 1992) £42.50 ISBN: 0859679225
The last significant general histories of the Tudor navy were written at the end of the last century. Since then much detailed research has been undertaken, particularly on the Armada, the end of Henry VIII's reign and the early Elizabethan period. Naval history has also tended to be seen in isolation, presented by special naval experts. It is better understood as a part of the general administrative, political and above all financial history of the period. This book is designed to present a whole story, set in its proper contemporary context.

The Tudor Navy by Arthur Nelson (Brassey's, Conway Maritime, 2000) £35 ISBN: 0851777856
A detailed synthesis of information relating to the English navy during the Tudor period, an era that actually began in 1483 and continued through to the start of the 17th century. This study examines not only the technical aspects of naval history but also the manner in which the navy worked.

English Heritage Book of Lindisfarne by Deirdre O'Sullivan and Robert Young (Batsford, 1995) £15.99 ISBN: 0713472294
Lindisfarne, or Holy Island, is a small island situated in a spectacular location off the coast of Northumberland. It is famous for its early Christian monastery, founded in 635 by St Aidan, and for Lindisfarne Castle, which dominates the island's scenery. The name Lindisfarne is associated with the 'Golden Age' of Northumbria, as recounted by the Venerable Bede, and many beautiful works of art were produced in the Anglo-Saxon monastery, including the Lindisfarne Gospels, which are probably the finest illuminated English manuscripts of the Middle Ages. The island was also the scene of the first clearly documented Viking raid on the British Isles, which led to the eventual abandonment of the monastery.

Lindisfarne Priory and Holy Island by Eric Cambridge (English Heritage Publications, 1995) £2.95 ISBN: 1850742073
A colour guide to Lindisfarne Priory. It provides a fully illustrated tour of the priory as it can be seen today, and an account of the history of Lindisfarne, complete with artwork reconstructions showing how the site looked at various points during its history.

Holy Island and Bamburgh in Northumbria's Heritage by John Burgess (J Burgess Publications, 1995) £6 ISBN: 1870440951
Account of Holy Island and the nearby Bamburgh Castle on the Northumberland coast, where Oswald, King of Northumbria, once had his palace.

The Lindisfarne Gospels: A masterpiece of book painting by Janet Backhouse (British Library, 1995) hardback, £5.95. ISBN: 0712304002.
The Gospels are one of Britain's greatest artistic treasures, a surviving example of Anglo-Saxon book painting of the late-seventh century. Written and illuminated in honour of God and St Cuthbert, in about 698 AD by the monk Eadfrith, afterwards Bishop of Lindisfarne. This book describes how the famous illuminated manuscript was made, placing it in the context of early Christian Northumbria. With all the major pages and many details reproduced in colour, this handsomely produced book is an ideal introduction for anyone with an interest in manuscript illustration and the early history of the book in Britain.

The Lindisfarne Gospels (video) (British Library) £12.95 Narrated by Kevin Whately
This 35-minute British Library video includes location footage from Holy Island, Durham and Chester Le Street and allows the viewer to see and admire the superb quality of the manuscript illumination of the Gospels in far greater detail than is normally possible. The video is available in PAL, VHS and NTSC formats.

Both the video and book are available (postage free to UK addresses) from Turpin Distribution Services, Blackhorse Road, Letchworth, Herts SG6 1HN (tel: 01462 672555). The Lindisfarne Gospels are on display at the New British Library at St Pancras, London.

Northumbria's Golden Age edited by Jane Hawkes and Susan Mills (Alan Sutton, 1998) hardback, £35.00 ISBN: 0750916850
Northumbria was, during the 7th and 8th centuries, the most significant of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. It was among the most important Christian centres in Europe, having several great monasteries, most famously at Lindisfarne and Wearmouth-Jarrow. This work presents new insights based on the latest documentary research and archaeological discoveries, including an examination of the work of Bede and the nature of the Northumbrian Church and its relationships with regions elsewhere in the British Isles, Ireland and Western Europe.

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