Lindisfarne

Lindisfarne was founded in 635 by Irish monks from Iona. It is famous for the Lindisfarne Gospels which were created around 715 to 720, probably to celebrate the cult of St Cuthbert.

According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles the year 793 was filled with bad omens. A great famine struck the land and on January 8th the heathen men (Vikings) attacked and destroyed the religious settlement of Lindisfarne, reportedly killing many and taking much treasure.

The facts reported for this raid are likely to be true as monasteries decorated their sacred texts with gold and silver in praise of the Lord. Vikings found these sites to be good targets as they were poorly defended and almost always located on or near the coast.

By the late 9th century the monks had left Lindisfarne as a main centre in order to seek a safer home. According to the 12th century historian, Symeon of Durham the monks attempted to sail to Ireland. However they gave this up after the "Book of St Cuthbert" was washed overboard but survived unharmed proving its sanctity. The monks eventually moved to Chester-le-Street, an old Roman fort, where they stayed for a century before establishing themselves at Durham in 995.