Archaeologists searching for clues about early English Christianity have discovered the remains of one of the country's earliest churches.
Excavations on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne uncovered the stone foundations, which may be linked to two pivotal religious figures from the seventh century.
Experts believe it was from this site that much of northern and central England was eventually converted to Christianity by St Aidan and St Cuthbert...
7th century church discovered on Holy Island of Lindisfarne may be 'one of the most important early medieval sites in Britain'
Experts have been digging on the island off the coast of Northumberland
They discovered a small rectangular building thought to be a church
It is believed to date from the same period as a monastery built in 635 AD
Experts believe St Aidan and St Cuthbert converted much of England to Christianity from this site
By Tim Collins For Mailonline
4 July 2017
Archaeologists searching for clues about early English Christianity have discovered the remains of one of the country's earliest churches.
Excavations on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne uncovered the stone foundations, which may be linked to two pivotal religious figures from the seventh century.
Experts believe it was from this site that much of northern and central England was eventually converted to Christianity by St Aidan and St Cuthbert.
Archaeologists searching for clues about early English Christianity have discovered the remains of one of the country's earliest churches (pictured) on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne
Researchers from the Peregrini Lindisfarne Landscape Partnership Scheme made the discovery during excavations which took place over the past month.
Previous work on the island, located off the coast of Northumberland, has uncovered a number of rare finds.
It had previously been thought that the original Anglo-Saxon churches on the island stood down in the shelter of a high rocky ridge known as the Heugh (pronounced "uff").
This area is now occupied by the Parish Church and the Priory, which experts believed were built on top of the previous remains.
A small rectangular building, thought to be a church dating from the same period as a previous monastery in the mid-seventh century, was found at the top of this exposed area, just a few feet from the cliff edge.
Sara Rushton, conservation manager at the council, said: 'This latest discovery of a potential church building on the Heugh cements Holy Island as one of the most significant early medieval sites in Britain.
'It is incredible to think that we have uncovered two very significant buildings associated with the early Christian foundation of the priory that provide tangible links to both St Aidan and St Cuthbert.'
The remote island holds a special place in history.
Known as the Cradle of Christianity in the North East of England, it was here that St Aidan established a monastery in 635 AD and set out to convert the pagan Northumbrians.
The monastery developed into an international centre of learning and craftsmanship and it was during this Golden Age of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Northumbria that items such as the Lindisfarne Gospels were produced.
All this came to a crashing end with the arrival of the Vikings in the late eighth century, who ransacked the island.
The monastery developed into an international centre of learning and craftsmanship but this came to a crashing end with the arrival of the Vikings in the late eighth century, who ransacked the island. A later monastery was established on the island in the 11th century (pictured)
The island, where the famous Lindisfarne Gospels were created, remained an important cultural centre for centuries to come. Pictured - the surviving 16th century castle on Lindisfarne
With the help of crowdfunding, experts have been digging on the island, trying to find evidence of the earliest monastery where the famous Lindisfarne Gospels were created.
The island remained an important cultural centre for centuries to come.
A monastery was re-established on the island in the 11th century and a castle later built in the 16th century.
Excavations last year further west on the Heugh revealed a massive foundation wall that archaeologist are now speculating is a watch tower.
With the help of crowdfunding, experts have been digging on Lindisfarne, off the Northumberland coast (labelled), trying to find evidence of the earliest monastery on the island where the famous Lindisfarne Gospels were created
The Holy Island of Lindisfarne
Archaeologists searching for clues about early English Christianity have discovered the remains of one of the country's earliest churches.
A small rectangular building thought to date from the mid-seventh century was found at the top of an exposed area known as the Heugh.
The remote island holds a special place in history.
Known as the Cradle of Christianity in the North East, it was here that St Aidan established a monastery in 635 AD and set out to convert the pagan Northumbrians.
The monastery developed into an international centre of learning and craftsmanship.
It was during this Golden Age of Northumbria that items such as the Lindisfarne Gospels were produced.
All this came to a crashing end with the arrival of the Vikings in the late eighth century, who ransacked the island.
THE LINDISFARNE GOSPELS
The Lindisfarne Gospels are believed to have been written by in the late seventh and early eighth centuries by a monk named Eadfrith, who later became the Bishop of Lindisfarne.
But what makes these Gospels unique is the combination of styles used, which incorporates Celtic, Mediterranean and Anglo-Saxon designs.
The texts are believed to have been dedicated to Saint Cuthbert, who died in 687 and who had a shrine dedicated to him at the monastery.
The Lindisfarne Gospels (pictured) are believed to have been written by in the late seventh and early eighth centuries by a monk named Eadfrith, who later became the Bishop of Lindisfarne
After the monastery was raided and destroyed by Vikings, the monks left, taking the gospels with them.
Centuries later, they found their way into the British Library's collection in London, where they remain today.
Experts have been digging on Lindisfarne, trying to find evidence of the earliest monastery on the island where the Gospels were created.
Excavators discovered a very rare Anglo-Saxon grave marker last July, which was dated dated to the mid-seventh to eighth century, the same time as the original monastery was built.
An Anglo-Saxon grave marker found during a dig taking at Lindisfarne off the Northumberland coast may have provided archaeologists with a new clue in their attempts to unravel a 1,000-year-old mystery from early English Christianity
Excavations on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne uncovered the stone foundations, which may be linked to two pivotal religious figures from the seventh century.
Experts believe it was from this site that much of northern and central England was eventually converted to Christianity by St Aidan and St Cuthbert...
7th century church discovered on Holy Island of Lindisfarne may be 'one of the most important early medieval sites in Britain'
Experts have been digging on the island off the coast of Northumberland
They discovered a small rectangular building thought to be a church
It is believed to date from the same period as a monastery built in 635 AD
Experts believe St Aidan and St Cuthbert converted much of England to Christianity from this site
By Tim Collins For Mailonline
4 July 2017
Archaeologists searching for clues about early English Christianity have discovered the remains of one of the country's earliest churches.
Excavations on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne uncovered the stone foundations, which may be linked to two pivotal religious figures from the seventh century.
Experts believe it was from this site that much of northern and central England was eventually converted to Christianity by St Aidan and St Cuthbert.
Researchers from the Peregrini Lindisfarne Landscape Partnership Scheme made the discovery during excavations which took place over the past month.
Previous work on the island, located off the coast of Northumberland, has uncovered a number of rare finds.
It had previously been thought that the original Anglo-Saxon churches on the island stood down in the shelter of a high rocky ridge known as the Heugh (pronounced "uff").
This area is now occupied by the Parish Church and the Priory, which experts believed were built on top of the previous remains.
A small rectangular building, thought to be a church dating from the same period as a previous monastery in the mid-seventh century, was found at the top of this exposed area, just a few feet from the cliff edge.
Sara Rushton, conservation manager at the council, said: 'This latest discovery of a potential church building on the Heugh cements Holy Island as one of the most significant early medieval sites in Britain.
'It is incredible to think that we have uncovered two very significant buildings associated with the early Christian foundation of the priory that provide tangible links to both St Aidan and St Cuthbert.'
The remote island holds a special place in history.
Known as the Cradle of Christianity in the North East of England, it was here that St Aidan established a monastery in 635 AD and set out to convert the pagan Northumbrians.
The monastery developed into an international centre of learning and craftsmanship and it was during this Golden Age of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Northumbria that items such as the Lindisfarne Gospels were produced.
All this came to a crashing end with the arrival of the Vikings in the late eighth century, who ransacked the island.
The monastery developed into an international centre of learning and craftsmanship but this came to a crashing end with the arrival of the Vikings in the late eighth century, who ransacked the island. A later monastery was established on the island in the 11th century (pictured)
The island, where the famous Lindisfarne Gospels were created, remained an important cultural centre for centuries to come. Pictured - the surviving 16th century castle on Lindisfarne
With the help of crowdfunding, experts have been digging on the island, trying to find evidence of the earliest monastery where the famous Lindisfarne Gospels were created.
The island remained an important cultural centre for centuries to come.
A monastery was re-established on the island in the 11th century and a castle later built in the 16th century.
Excavations last year further west on the Heugh revealed a massive foundation wall that archaeologist are now speculating is a watch tower.
With the help of crowdfunding, experts have been digging on Lindisfarne, off the Northumberland coast (labelled), trying to find evidence of the earliest monastery on the island where the famous Lindisfarne Gospels were created
The Holy Island of Lindisfarne
Archaeologists searching for clues about early English Christianity have discovered the remains of one of the country's earliest churches.
A small rectangular building thought to date from the mid-seventh century was found at the top of an exposed area known as the Heugh.
The remote island holds a special place in history.
Known as the Cradle of Christianity in the North East, it was here that St Aidan established a monastery in 635 AD and set out to convert the pagan Northumbrians.
The monastery developed into an international centre of learning and craftsmanship.
It was during this Golden Age of Northumbria that items such as the Lindisfarne Gospels were produced.
All this came to a crashing end with the arrival of the Vikings in the late eighth century, who ransacked the island.
THE LINDISFARNE GOSPELS
The Lindisfarne Gospels are believed to have been written by in the late seventh and early eighth centuries by a monk named Eadfrith, who later became the Bishop of Lindisfarne.
But what makes these Gospels unique is the combination of styles used, which incorporates Celtic, Mediterranean and Anglo-Saxon designs.
The texts are believed to have been dedicated to Saint Cuthbert, who died in 687 and who had a shrine dedicated to him at the monastery.
The Lindisfarne Gospels (pictured) are believed to have been written by in the late seventh and early eighth centuries by a monk named Eadfrith, who later became the Bishop of Lindisfarne
After the monastery was raided and destroyed by Vikings, the monks left, taking the gospels with them.
Centuries later, they found their way into the British Library's collection in London, where they remain today.
Experts have been digging on Lindisfarne, trying to find evidence of the earliest monastery on the island where the Gospels were created.
Excavators discovered a very rare Anglo-Saxon grave marker last July, which was dated dated to the mid-seventh to eighth century, the same time as the original monastery was built.
An Anglo-Saxon grave marker found during a dig taking at Lindisfarne off the Northumberland coast may have provided archaeologists with a new clue in their attempts to unravel a 1,000-year-old mystery from early English Christianity
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