A tidal island just off the north-east coast of England,
Lindisfarne is also known as Holy Island in recognition of its
important religious heritage. Lindisfarne's first religious
building was its monastery, which was founded by St Aidan in about
635AD. His successor was St Cuthbert, who became the head of the
Priory as well as Northumberland's patron saint. Shortly after this
time, the Lindisfarne Gospels - an illustrated copy of the Gospels
of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - are believed to have been created
here. In the next century these gospels were glossed with Old
English at Lindisfarne, making them the oldest surviving Old
English biblical texts - cementing Lindisfarne's position as an
important religious centre.