Top 10 Unbelievable Facts About the Holy Island of Lindisfarne 

The castle at Holy Island. Photo By Chris Combe – Wikimedia

Top 10 Unbelievable Facts About the Holy Island of Lindisfarne 

The island of Lindisfarne, also called Holy Island, is located along the northeast coast of England close to the border with Scotland. It constitutes the civil parish of Holy Island in Northumberland. 

Lindisfarne being a tidal island is accessible by a modern causeway and an ancient pilgrims’ path both accessible only at low tide. 

From east to west, the island measures 3.0 miles (4.8 km) and from north to south it is 1.5 miles (2.4 km). Its nearest point to the mainland is about 0.8 miles (1.3 km). The island’s area is approximately 1,000 acres (400 hectares) at high tide. 

It has a population of fewer than 200 people. Most of these people go to work on the mainland every day. The rest rely on fishing and tourism. 

Here are 10 Interesting facts about the Holy Island. 

1. The Causeway and an Ancient Pilgrims’ Path 

Holy Island causeway when the tide is coming in. Photo by Nick Mutton – Wikimedia Commons

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne is cut off from the mainland twice a day during high tide. During these times the causeway leading to the island is submerged, either in parts or entirely, making it impossible to cross. 

Tide tables giving the safe crossing periods are published by the Northumberland County council and are prominently displayed at both ends of the causeway. 

For visitors walking to the island, it is very important to keep to the marked path commonly known as the ancient pilgrims’ path. It takes about two hours to walk to the Island from the Causeway.  

2. The Priory Ruins and St Mary’s Church 

A priory is a building where monks or nuns live, work, and pray. The ruins of Lindisfarne Priory form a hauntingly beautiful sight on the isolated Holy Island.  

Elaborately decorated and magnificently engineered, the dramatic remains of the priory are well preserved, offering a good insight into how this vast building looked in its heyday. 

The Parish Church of Saint Mary the Virgin is a small temple right next to the Lindisfarne Priory on Fiddlers Green. It’s the oldest building with a roof on the island.   

3. St Aidan’s Statue 

Lindisfarne Priory ruins and St. Aidan statue. Photo By Kim Traynor – Wikimedia Commons

The Holy Island was important as a religious center. In 634 AD., the ecclesiastic St. Aidan established a church and monastery on the tidal island at Lindisfarne to convert the Northumbrians.    

After his death, Aidan’s body was buried on the island, beneath the abbey that he had helped found. Today, a modern statue of St. Aidan stands beside the ruins of the medieval priory. 

4. The Castle 

First built in 1550, it sits romantically on the highest point of the island, a whinstone hill called Beblowe. It rises from the rock in such a beautiful way that the castle almost seems to be a part of the rock itself.  

The small but superbly rugged-looking structure was built around the time that Lindisfarne Priory went out of use. The stones from the priory were used to build the castle. 

The walk towards Lindisfarne Castle is lovely. Just past the small harbour, there are several inviting benches with views over the sea.      

There is a tiny garden just north of the castle. The castle, garden, and nearby lime kilns are in the care of the National Trust and open to visitors since 1944. 

5. The Heritage Museum and Lindisfarne Gospels    

There is a fascinating museum, which is also the visitors center, that has a little background information about the island and its heritage. Learn about the violent, grisly, horrific, and devastating Viking raid that made the monks vacate the Island. 

Get to know about Cuthbert, who was known for his reputed gift of healing and legendary ability to work miracles. Know all about his life and times, death, and body being carried by the monks. 

Though the museum is quite small, it has beautiful copies of medieval manuscripts of the Lindisfarne Gospels that were produced on the island. They are the illustrated Latin Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John written with a good hand.  

The illustrations were done in a unique style that was a fusion of Celtic, Germanic, and Roman elements. The original illuminated manuscripts are housed in the British Museum. 

6. St Cuthbert’s Island  

Just offshore from Holy Island village is the small Island of Hobthrush, or St Cuthbert’s Isle, where the saint was said to have retired for solitude. He decided to live his life as a Hermit to contemplate life off the coast of Holy Island. There is a cross that marks where his house was.   

He was too close to Holy Island and the monks could still shout over to him interrupting his quiet. He is said to have crafted legendary beads supposedly resembling the shape of the cross. They were once used as Rosary beads. 

7. Cuthbert Statue and the Journey Sculpture 

Statue of St Cuthbert on Holy Island. Photo by David Purchase – Wikimedia Commons

A modern statue of St. Cuthbert stands as a green-grey sentinel of the local priory ruins. His lips are pursed beneath his aquiline nose, his hands folded in contemplation, and his unseeing eyes watch over the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. 

There is also the “Journey”, a wooden sculpture carved from seven elm trees, that is located in St. Mary’s Church on Holy Island.  

The sculpture depicts the monks of Holy Island carrying the coffin of St. Cuthbert to safety and eventual rest in Durham Cathedral. 

8. Emmanuel Head Beacon and the Lighthouses 

The white pyramid beacon was built sometime between 1801 and 1810 and stands 10m tall on top of the 3m high cliff at Emmanuel Head on the northeastern point of Holy Island. Its purpose is to warn ships of rocks and potential danger. 

The Island has two lighthouses, the Heugh Hill and Guile Point East. The former one is made of a metal framework tower. The latter one is made of stone obelisks. 

9. The Nature Reserve   

Holy Island is surrounded by the 8,750-acre Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve which attracts bird-watchers to the tidal island. As of 2016, 330 bird species had been recorded on the island. 

10. Mead and Tourism 

St Aidan’s Winery in Holy Island. Photo by Barbara Carr – Wikimedia Commons

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne is well known for mead. Nicknamed the Nectar of the gods, it is one of the oldest drinks in the world. It’s a fortified honey wine and St Aidan’s Winery gives some free samples of the famous Lindisfarne Mead made on the island. 

The Island is a good destination for those who want to enjoy a quiet place. You can enjoy the impressive weather around the beach. The Island has gift shops, restaurants, hotels, and convenience stores.