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| This is Lindisfarne |
Lindisfarne Castle. Mercifully the best is seen from the outside, because it's like the 'pool of Siloam' to get a timed ticket round the castle. It can be argued that Lutyen's reinterpretation of the site greatly improved it. It was a Tudor fortified stronghold using stolen masonry from the recently dissolved priory. It now sits as a marooned ocean-going liner, slowly being encased in icy rock.
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| Lindisfarne Fort by Thomas Girtin,1796 Metropolitan Museum, New York. |
Girtin's painting is from the seaward side and shows a fire. I wondered whether this related to the lime kilns that are situated near this spot, but not so. But the lime kilns were built later, and serviced by a steam train that brought coal for the Northumbrian hinterland. Lime came from boats traveling up from places such as Staithes. The site of The kiln on Holy Island was chosen for its rocky foundation and well protected harbour. The product could be used on the fields round about to neutralise acid in the peaty soil, but also was well connected with the sea at a time when the seas round Britain were like motorways..
I can find no reference to whether gaining planning permission to alter the Tudor fort was easily obtained in 1900.
The Priory. Perhaps one of the most famous priories in Britain? Started in 670 AD (approx) by Prior Cuthbert. Wrecked by King Henry, the Priory also has a number of arches that refuse to fall. Although most of Holy Island is made of sand, the island also had the bones of the Whin Sill beneath it.
The Church(es). St Mary's is an unassuming parish church inline with the Priory, but which came first? It is interesting that the Priory was not converted into the parish church, as it was in other places. But the church is older than the Durham inspired abbey church. Also it's tower lines up nicely with a navigational tower to help guide boats safely into the harbour. Perhaps it is a church that would never chose to compete with the glories of the now deceased abbey. It remains humble and steadfast, like it's be-sainted forefathers. Both the parish church and abbey have walls that splay outwards in an alarming manner.
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| (Courtesy of the Financial Times - Their aeroplane) |
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| Buttressed walls |
St Cuthbert's Island Behind the church is the small island with the ruins of a hermit's cell. On the beach we found people collecting 'St Cuthbert's beads'. These are the fossilised vertebrae of the 'sea lily'.
Other churches on the Island are St Aiden's RC and St Cuthbert's URC.
The Dunes and Bird hide. The seals.
If Holy Island is Venice, then the walk to the dunes are the 'deserted backs streets'.
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| Marsh Helleborine This is a unique species to the island |
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| Can you see a Cinnabar Moth? |
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| Pyramidal Orchid |
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| The Bird Hide |
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| Seal bay on Holy Island |
Bamburgh Castle
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| Jo in the Bambouseraie |
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| The Fox Urn. It has a double in Syon Park, the Northumberland's home in London. But this is the better of the two, placed here to be seen by many more people |
Other sites to see are Hulne Park, Howick Hall and Gardens and Barter Books.
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| Barter Bookshop |
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| The College Valley |
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| Dunstanburgh from Low Newton Bay |
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| Dunstanburgh Castle |
Further a field
Craigside NT
Berwick
Scotland (including The Ladykirk with it's stone ceiling)
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| Ladykirk |
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| The stone ceiling |
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