News

Writer calls on local historians to re-trace St Cuthbert’s final journey

(18 April 2013)

Image curtesy of The British Library

Durham University writer-in-residence, Richard W Hardwick, is calling on local historians to help re-trace St Cuthbert’s final journey, a momentous seven year, thousand mile trek that began when the Community of St Cuthbert fled Viking invasion in 875 with the body of St Cuthbert, the Lindisfarne Gospels and other treasures and relics.

Richard W Hardwick set off from Lindisfarne on Sunday 21st April and will visit the forty seven places the community of St Cuthbert took refuge in, arriving in Durham on 4th May.

His journey is part of the region’s celebration of the Lindisfarne Gospels going on display in Durham University’s Palace Green Library on 1st July, on loan from the British Library, and in partnership with Durham Cathedral and Durham County Council.

Over the last few months, Richard has been working with students from Ustinov, Josephine Butler, St. Mary’s and St. Cuthbert’s, to research and plan the route. 

Aided by the students and local historians, Richard will write a history of each place from the time of the original journey until the current day. He will be accompanied by award winning photographer, Paul Alexander Knox, and they will record their journey on http://stcuthbertsfinaljourney.com/

Unlike the 9^th century monks who took seven years to make their initial journey from Lindisfarne to Chester-le-Street, Hardwick and Knox will spend just fourteen days walking and driving along the route, although they do plan to revisit locations in the following months. They will capture the stories of the people they meet and record the landscape, describing it as it is today and imagining how it would have been for the monks in the 9^th century.

Richard W Hardwick, who is writer-in-residence for the School of Applied Social Sciences at Durham University, said: “To be writer-in-residence as part of the Lindisfarne Gospels Durham programme is an absolute honour.

“The North of England has a great history – from ancient Northumbria and early Christianity, from the Anglo – Scottish Wars and the Border Reivers, to industry and resources that helped fuel an empire. This project will link villages and towns to a vital moment in the country’s history and help celebrate their people and history from the ninth century right up to 2013.”

The inspirational journey, funded by The Leverhulme Trust, is part of the region-wide programme, celebrating the exhibition of the Lindisfarne Gospels, alongside a selection of St Cuthbert’s treasures. Lindisfarne Gospels Durham will tell the fascinating story of the North’s most famous saint, and one of the world’s greatest books. 

Richard added: “Our project has been designed to leave a legacy in the form of a website, book and exhibition, and we hope that Durham University students, who come from all over the world, can learn more about the culture, industry, history and people of the North of England through the project.”

The journey travels through Northumberland, Galloway, Cumbria, Yorkshire, Teesside and County Durham. Local historians interested in taking part in the project should visit the website: http://stcuthbertsfinaljourney.com/ to get in touch with Richard W Hardwick.

For more information on the other exciting events inspired by Lindisfarne Gospels Durham or to purchase one of the hottest tickets in town go to www.lindisfarnegospels.com