20th March marks St Cuthbert’s Day, the day when the life of Northumbria’s patron saint, St Cuthbert is remembered and celebrated. It was on that day in 687 that Cuthbert died; not that that was the end of his story as we shall see. With the days starting to get longer and the weather slowly getting warmer, March also seems like a good time to think about getting out and about again into our beautiful Northumbrian countryside. So, with all that in mind, here is part 3 of a series, examining where you might like to go in Northumbria to see some of the many outstanding places linked to St Cuthbert, or Cuddy as he is affectionately known in his native land.
In parts 1 and 2 we have seen how Northumbria became established as a Christian kingdom, ushering in the golden age of Northumbria and how Cuthbert became established as its patron saint.
Ad Gefrin
Another place to visit is Ad Gefrin (OS Landranger 75 9928) sited in Wooler, which can give you some idea of what the capital of early Bernicia/Northumbria looked like.
I have visited Ad Gefrin a couple of times, named after the original 7th century Northumbrian royal palace, which was sited a few miles to the northwest of Wooler on Yeavering Bell (OS Landranger 75 9229). Ad Gefrin means by the Hill of the Goats. There you can see a film on a large screen showing the Great Hall of the original Ad Gefrin as it was during Cuthbert’s time, all colourful with a large table in the middle. This was a place of art, music, poetry and tales of people, a place where much weaving and other creative artwork went on, and created works that would outlast its creators.
It was a place of wealth and power, where the importance of tale-telling and poetry was paramount. There were stories of battles, power and the God of Peace. The palace was probably started in the late 6th century and lasted until about 670 AD. A long series of archaeological digs have told us this much. The palace was a place of safety where people could live lives in honour, work and charity, living a Christian life after Edwin converted to Christianity with a message of peace in a very violent and turbulent time. Bishop Paulinus even came from Rome for baptisms there and Ad Gefrin became a place of prayer, as all could be baptised as all were equal in God’s eyes.
Ad Gefrin also features the famous lines from St Bede of Jarrow (OS Landranger 88 3365), outlining how some were converted to Christianity, as their pagan lives were described as being like a bird flying into a great hall, before flying out again. While nothing was known of where the bird came from or where it went, this was a metaphor for life without Christianity seen as being without the promise of eternal life, which Christianity offered.
Yeavering Bell and Hedgehope Hill
Just northwest of Wooler is Yeavering Bell, a hill on the very edge of the Cheviot Hills. On it lie the remains of the largest Iron Age hill fort in the region. The tumbled stone rampart would originally have been two-and-a-half metres high and more than three metres thick.
Within it, it is possible to see excavations out of the rock. Historians have traditionally thought hill forts were built for defence, but in this case there are clues to more symbolic uses. One can reasonably ask if it is simply a coincidence that the main entrance lines up with Hedgehope Hill (OS Landranger 80 9419). So it is that every day, just before 12 noon, the residents of the fort could look through the entrance and see the sun at just about its highest point of the day directly over Hedgehope.
Cuthbert and Inner Farne
From Lindisfarne looking south you can see basalt rocks sticking up out of the sea, like black submarines making up the island of Inner Farne (OS Landranger 75 2135). Cuthbert knew Aidan had retreated to Inner Farne so in 675 he went there when feeling pressure. This was also the site of the wreck of the Forfarshire 7th September 1838, from which sailors were rescued by the bravery of Grace Darling, celebrated at the museum in Bamburgh.
On Inner Farne Cuthbert built a circular beehive hut of earth and stone in the old style and while he was building it a crow managed to destroy the work on the roof. Cuthbert rebuked the bird, but it flew back to ask for pardon and with a piece of grass for Cuthbert’s shoes. Cuthbert left a small opening in the roof so that he could have some light as he didn’t want any windows which would distract his attention away from contemplation of God. He also built a small rectangular oratory and guest house for visitors with this place now taken up by a chapel built in 1400.
During 10 years in Inner Farne, Cuthbert kept closely in touch with church affairs and was well regarded for his patience as he was asked to mediate in church disputes as if he was a bishop. Bede gives an account of many messengers who went in vain to the island imploring Cuthbert to return as bishop but finally Trumwine, Bishop of the Picts with other powerful and religious men visited Cuthbert and after kneeling in front of him, they persuaded Cuthbert to return. After exchanging an offer from the bishopric of Hexham for Lindisfarne, Cuthbert was able to return.
You can find out about boat trips to the Farne Islands here.
Cuthbert is said to have agreed to become Bishop of Lindisfarne at a site near Alnmouth (OS81 2410) Jake Morris-Campbell, in his excellent new book Between the Salt and the Ash, relates that, “at the lowest of low tides, you can cross the Aln estuary and scramble up the hill above the ruined mortuary chapel, where a wooden cross marks the place where supposedly Saint Cuthbert agreed to become Bishop of Lindisfarne.”
Cuthbert to Carlisle
Cuthbert was soon on the road again. Making at least two journeys to Carlisle – presumably taking the route marked out by the ruins of Hadrian’s Wall. While the overhanging rock to the west of the fort of Housesteads (OS Landranger 87 7968) is known as Cuddy’s Crag (OS Landranger 87 7969). Cuthbert may also have made a detour north through what is now a forested area to Bellingham where Cuddy’s Well (OS Landranger 80 8383) can now be found. It is impossible to know just how much of Hadrian’s Wall remained when Cuthbert walked along it, but he must have been aware of the Mithraic Temple on the wall at Brocolitia (OS Landranger 87 8671). Did Cuthbert shudder when he saw the old Pagan place of worship? We simply don’t know. The timbers of the Roman temple had been preserved in the boggy ground just to the south of what is now the B6318, the military road.
It is said that Cuthbert was taken to see the Roman walls in Carlisle (OS85 3955) but no record of his comments. Cuthbert also met with an old friend Hereberht, who lived as a recluse on an island in Derwentwater (OS 90 2622) in the Lake District. They were both to die on the same day 20th March 687 as Cuthbert had prophesied.
Nearing his end
Cuthbert had held office as bishop for two years when he felt that his end was near. He retired again to Inner Farne to spend his last days in seclusion/ Although he was only just over 50 years old, his austerity had accentuated damage done to his body from the plague he suffered as a young man at Old Melrose and he may also have suffered from tuberculosis.
Bede tells the story of his last days, the story taken from Abbott Herefrith who was with him in his last hours when monks had come to see him although he really wanted to be left alone. In the last week a storm stopped boats for 5 days and with only five raw onions to supply him with nourishment and water, it is said that Cuthbert confronted all the demons of Hell. enduring a torment of doubt and fear. Herefrith was eventually able to get there and Cuthbert said “my adversaries have never persecuted me as frequently during all the time I have been living on this island as during those five days.”
Herefrith and his companions had found their old friend desperately ill and weak, sitting in the guest house he had built for visitors and giving them the excuse of not wanting to give them the trouble of entering his cell.
Herefrith bathed Cuthbert’s swollen and ulcerated foot and nourished him with a little wine. Then a few hours later Cuthbert returned to his own cell where he died at peace among friends. The body was taken back to the church at Lindisfarne for burial.
It has been noted that the monks “decided to allow 11 years for his body to become a skeleton and then ‘elevate’ his remains on the anniversary of his death (20th March 698). We believe that during these years the beautiful manuscript known as ‘The Lindisfarne Gospels’ was made, to be used for the first time at the great ceremony of the Elevation. The declaration of Cuthbert’s sainthood was to be a day of joy and thanksgiving. It turned out to be also a day of surprise, even shock, for when they opened the coffin they found no skeleton but a complete and undecayed body. That was a sign of very great sainthood indeed”. So it was that the cult of St. Cuthbert began, as pilgrims began to flock to the shrine. The ordinary life of the monastery would continue for almost another century until, on 8th June 793, the Vikings and their terrifying longships appeared to the east on the horizon.
I hope you enjoy visiting sites associated with St Cuthbert, in our beautiful Northumbrian countryside. If you want to remember St Cuthbert’s concern for the environment and mitigate any use of fossil fuels in doing so, you can do so by clicking here.
The numbers in parentheses refer to the coordinates of locations according to Ordnance Survey Landranger maps.
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