The Holy Island of Lindisfarne
I was very excited to be going over
to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, and had checked the tide tables to ensure I
had the most time possible from my visit. Tide tables giving the safe crossing
periods are online at www.northumberland.gov.uk. It was early in the morning,
and not the best of weather; but the sight of Lindisfarne Castle standing
proudly on the horizon was enthralling.
As I left the mainland, the causeway, that was only built in 1953, was still wet – the tide was going out and the water glistened on the mud flats. I was eager to get onto the island before it was too busy as although less than 200 people live on the island, more than 700,000 people visit it every year, wanting to enjoy the few hours between tides.
When I eventually left the 3-mile tidal track (1
mile of which is completely covered by sea at high tide), I parked up and
headed towards the castle. Holy Island has a recorded history from the 6th
century and is incredibly important in the Christian world.
In 635AD St Aidan arrived here from Iona and established his Monastery, from where the Christianity spread across the world, and after Viking invasions and the Norman conquest, the priory was re-established.
It was a lovely mile walk along the coast to the castle, which looked so impressive as I approached it. Lindisfarne Castle (which now belongs to The National Trust) was built in the 1500's high on a 30-foot-high volcanic mound, to protect it from invaders; it is the highest point on the island with great panoramic views.
In the 18th Century
the Castle fell into a state of disrepair until Edward Hudson bought it and
converted it into the massive house that it is now.
I loved the furnishings in
the rooms, old dark oak furniture, leaded windows, stone fireplaces and a
particularly impressive painting above one fireplace.
As I left the mainland, the causeway, that was only built in 1953, was still wet – the tide was going out and the water glistened on the mud flats. I was eager to get onto the island before it was too busy as although less than 200 people live on the island, more than 700,000 people visit it every year, wanting to enjoy the few hours between tides.
As I drove over on the tarmac
causeway, I could see “The Pilgrims Path”, that was marked by tall wooden poles
in the muddy flats. This is the route Pilgrims have used to cross since the
11th Century and although it is still a popular walk, it is fraught with danger
- as it is incredible muddy.
In 635AD St Aidan arrived here from Iona and established his Monastery, from where the Christianity spread across the world, and after Viking invasions and the Norman conquest, the priory was re-established.
It was a lovely mile walk along the coast to the castle, which looked so impressive as I approached it. Lindisfarne Castle (which now belongs to The National Trust) was built in the 1500's high on a 30-foot-high volcanic mound, to protect it from invaders; it is the highest point on the island with great panoramic views.
The views from the Castle
were breathtaking, especially the coast with Bamburgh Castle in the distance.
Just north of the Castle are the walled gardens which Gertrude Jekyll laid out
in 1911, these have been recreated to their original plans; and behind the
Castle are some well-preserved examples of 19th Century Lime Kilns.
After exploring the Castle, I headed along the shingle coastline, (that was
dotted with stone Cairns), heading towards Emmanuel Head and its 15-metre-tall
white pyramid (an old navigation point).
When the heavens opened, there was
nowhere to shelter along that stretch of the coastal path, but as I came nearer
to a long sandy stretch of beach with huge sand dunes, the sun started to come
out.
I could hear such a noise in the distance, it was so loud and I had no
idea what it was, but as I got closer to an area of boulders and dark rocks
that appeared to be moving - I realised that they were seals.
More seals than I
have ever seen in any one place. There were dark seals, light seals, spotted
seals – all making such a noise. It felt a real privilege to be able to get so
close to them, to be the only person about, watching them playing in the
shallows shouting out to each other.
It was a very special moment. As the sun,
had come out, the whole day bought on a new meaning and it gave me an idea.
Instead of rushing back to my car and leaving on the next low tide – I decided
to stop on the island, to do some more exploring and leave much later in the
day - on the following low tide. It was the best decision I could have made.
After walking the length of the island along the coastal path (no longer than 3
miles), I returned by the tracks through the centre of the island. This
interior was mainly grassy meadows with sheep grazing, and wild flowers growing
out of the sandy banks with countless bees and colourful butterflies.
As the
sun was shining now the Castle looked even more magnificent as I approached it
from a different angle.
Once I reached the harbour again with its fishing nets,
crab pots and upturned fishing boats, I turned right and headed towards the
village. There isn’t much to see in the village, and as most of the tourists
had left for the day, it felt eerily deserted. It was quite idyllic though, and
I felt like I had the whole place to myself; I just wished there were a few
more shops open.
But you can’t have everything! Close to the Village Square I
found the Priory and the Visitor Centre, with information about the Island and
an exhibition on the famous 8th Century ‘Lindisfarne Gospels' that
were created here on Holy Island.
They are an illustrated Latin copy of the
Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, made in the memory of Cuthbert (by the
artist Eadfrith who himself went on to be Bishop of Lindisfarne) and in the
10th century a monk named Aldred added an Anglo-Saxon (Old English) gloss to
the Latin text. The illustrations are a fusion of Celtic, Germanic and Roman
elements that are truly outstanding and were pressed, bound and then covered
with a fine metal case. They are the earliest surviving English copies of the
Gospels, and although they now reside in the British Library in London, there
are copies of this wonderful manuscript on display in The Lindisfarne Centre.
After some time at the centre, a look at the stone carvings and displays in the
shop, I carried on towards the Priory itself, which although it is now
extensive ruins, I could feel how important this place used to be. An Irish
monk called Saint Aidan founded the monastery in approximately 634AD; he had
been sent from Iona, off the west coast of Scotland, to Northumbria, at the
request of King Oswald, and he remained there until his death in 651. The most
famous resident of the Priory though was St Cuthbert.
The priory was re-established in Norman times as a Benedictine house
and continued until the suppression in 1536 under Henry VIII, when it fell into
a state of disrepair until its restoration in 1860. The current ruins that I
walked around, dated from this later rebuilt priory and have a modern statue
dedicated to St Cuthbert placed amongst them. The site of the original priory
is now occupied by the parish church of St Mary the Virgin and is the oldest
building on the island. The north aisle is known as the "fishermen's
aisle" and houses the altar of St. Peter and the south aisle (used to be
the altar of St. Margaret of Scotland), now houses the organ. For me, the most
interesting part of the church, was the life-size wooden carving of the monks
carrying St Cuthbert’s body. It didn’t feel appropriate taking photographs in
this religious place – so these photos aren’t actually mine.
I needed a sit
down and time to eat my picnic before I went much further, and found a grassy
bank looking out towards the coast, but behind me was one of the most vibrant
coloured fields I have ever seen. There were more red poppies that you could
imagine – a most delightful sight. After a rest, I walked up to The Heugh and
Steel End, one of the highest points on the island (after the Castle); it is a
natural ridge that shelters the Priory, the village and the harbour.
There is a
war memorial at the top, a coast guard station and the best views out over the
ocean. I was so lucky that the weather was still being kind to me, all the
extra hours that I spent wandering around the almost deserted island, would not
have been nearly as pleasant if it had been raining. I sat for quite some time
on the top of the ridge, just looking out to sea and thinking of the history
that had been made on this smallest but most important of islands.
Just down
below I could see a tiny island, St Cuthbert’s Isle, which was the original 7th
century hermitage of Cuthbert. All that can be seen now is a wooden cross on
the grassy island - that is only accessible at low tide. After a rest, I walked
down to the harbour again, then back through the village, stopping to buy a
bottle of special Lindisfarne Mead.
He came out of retirement
on the Farne Islands to become Bishop of Lindisfarne in 684AD, although he
returned to his beloved Farne Islands when became ill and died soon after, but
he was buried on Lindisfarne. Legend has it that his casket was opened 11 years
later and his body was still perfectly preserved – apparently, a sign of his
sainthood! The location of the Island and the richness of the Priory left it
open to frequent raids from Vikings, and by 875AD the Monks had fled, taking
with them the bones of St Cuthbert, who is now laid to rest in Durham
Cathedral.
In medieval times when monks inhabited the
island, it was thought, “if the soul was in God's keeping, the body must be
fortified with Lindisfarne mead”. The monks have long vanished, but the mead's
recipe remains a secret of the family which still produces it; Lindisfarne Mead
from St Aidan's Winery. As the sun began to fade, my day was nearly over. It
had been the most special of days, especially since the tide came in and cut
off the island from the rest of the world.
It had truly become its own little
haven, a calm wilderness; and I would definitely recommend staying if tide and
time permits. The sea began to retreat and once again the causeway reopened;
although there weren’t many vehicles coming onto the island this late in the
day. I cautiously drove over the wet tarmac, leaving behind me a wonderful
place but taking with me, many beautiful memories.
More information can be found here :-
Lynne
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