Book Of Lindisfarne

Twelve expert contributions examine the text, art, and Old English gloss of this masterpiece of Anglo-Saxon book culture in relation to its archaeological, historical, cultural, and art-historical contexts, Insular and Continental.

This lavishly illustrated book explores the early history and significance of the Lindisfarne Gospels, widely regarded as the finest surviving Anglo-Saxon manuscript of the early Christian era in England, and an unquestioned masterpiece of medieval calligraphy and illumination.

Michelle Brown presenting the facsimile of the Lindisfarne Gospels at the shrine of St Cuthbert, Durham Cathedral. Cecil Brown --Book Jacket.

"David Adam has been captivated by the beauty, wonder and holiness of Lindisfarne since first glimpsing its fairytale castle from the train as a young boy. In this absorbing volume, he shows the island's human face, revealing how Lindisfarne and its people have responded to trial, tribulation and triumph in the course of a long and vibrant history. This tiny place witnessed one of the last stands of the 'British' Celtic peoples against the invading Anglo-Saxons in the 6th century. It has been the home of saints and scholars, most notably St. Aidan and St. Cuthbert, and famously produced the medieval masterpiece known as the "Lindisfarne Gospels". Less familiar to readers, perhaps, will be that the island experienced the first recorded Viking invasion in 793, and was involved in the 17th century Civil War and the 18th century Jacobite Rebellion. Today its ruined 11th century Priory and 16th century Castle - later redesigned by the great English architect Edwin Lutyens - draw pilgrims and visitors from all over the world. Wherever you walk on Lindisfarne, the past impinges on the present ..."--Publisher's description

In To the Island of Tides, Alistair Moffat travels to – and through the history of – the fated island of Lindisfarne. Known by the Romans as Insula Medicata and famous for its monastery, it even survived Viking raids. Today the isle maintains its position as a space for retreat and spiritual renewal. Walking from his home in the Borders, through the historical landscape of Scotland and northern England, Moffat takes us on a pilgrimage in the footsteps of saints and scholars, before arriving for a secular retreat on the Holy Isle. To the Island of Tides is a walk through history, a meditation on the power of place, but also a more personal journey; and a reflection on where life leads us.

Aldred’s interlinear gloss to the Lindisfarne Gospels is a key text of late Old Northumbrian. The papers in this collection approach the gloss from a variety of perspectives to shed light on numerous issues, such as the authorship of the gloss, its morphosyntax and vocabulary, its sources and intertextual relations, and Aldred’s cultural affiliations.

The Lindisfarne Gospels is 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 AD 698 by the monk Eadfrith, afterwards Bishop of Lindisfarne, it is famous for the quality and intricate design of its decorated pages.