Northumbrian Gunner: Lindisfarne

Showing posts with label Lindisfarne. Show all posts

Sunday, 2 April 2023

Holy Island Castle

Holy Island Castle IJ

The fortification of the Island of Lindisfarne was first ordered in 1542 by Henry VIII to protect the harbour from attack by the Scots.

Holy Island Harbour

The Lindisfarne Priory had been dissolved in 1537 and was used as a military store. In 1549 the first castle was built on the prominent rock at the entrance to the islands harbour. It was strengthened between 1570 and 1571. Stone from the abandoned Priory was used for the castle.

Holy Island Castle

The first and only time the guns of the Castle fired in anger was during the English Civil War. In 1643 the Royalist Castle was besieged by Parliamentarians.

By the time of the War of Spanish Succession 1701 to 1715 the Castle was armed with 20 guns, This was reduced to 12 following the end of the war. The guns were removed in 1819.

Holy Island Castle 1840

A Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom was set up in in 1859 to enquire into the ability of the United Kingdom to defend itself against an attempted invasion by a foreign power. Thier report led to a strengthening of coastal defences around the United Kingdom.

Guns returned to Holy Island Castle when 3 x 64 pounders Rifle Muzzle Loaders were installed. They were located on an lower battery of two gun emplacements, and an upper battery of one gun emplacement. The guns were removed in 1893.

Holy Island Castle Plan

64 pounder Rifle Muzzle Loader Gun

Holy Island Castle Upper Battery

Holy Island Castle Upper Battery

The Castle became a coastguard lookout till it was sold to Edward Hudson, a publishing magnate and the owner of Country Life magazine in 1901. Hudson had it refurbished by the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens who would later go on to design the Cenotaph in London and CWGC Cemeteries.

Holy Island Interior

Holy Island Dining Room

Holy Island Castle Fireplace and Clock map

Holy Island Castle Clock map

Holy Island Castle Kitchen

Holy Island April 2023

Holy Island Castle IJ

Holy Island Castle

Holy Island Castle and Harbour

Holy Island Village and Harbour

Holy Island VM and IJ

Holy Island view at Dinner

Holy Island Sunrise

Holy Island

Holy Island St Aidan

Holy Island War Memorial

Tuesday, 7 February 2023

Holy Island

Holy Island Castle

The island of Holy Island, also known as Lindisfarne lies off the coast of Northumberland, 10 miles south of Berwick upon Tweed.

Holy Island Northumbrian Coast

Holy Island

IJ VM Holy Island

The island can be reached by a road causeway at low tide.

Road Causeway to Holy Island

View from Road Causeway to Holy Island at low tide

Lindisfarne became the centre of Christianity in the north when a monastery was founded in 634 by an Irish monk Aidan. He has been sent from Iona, an island in the Inner Hebrides,Scotland, at the request of the King of Northumbria, King Oswald.

Lindisfarne Northumbria

Holy Island St Aidan

Lindisfarne Monastery

One of the monks who settled was Cuthbert who would be later canonised and become the patron saint of Northumbria. When he retired in 676, he became an hermit on a small island nearby to the Lindisfarne Monastery.

Holy Island - St Cuthbert's Island

Holy Island - St Cuthbert's Island

Cuthbert died in 687. He was first buried in Lindisfarne, later his body was moved by monks to Durham Cathedral.

A set of manuscripts known as the the Lindisfarne Gospels were produced by a monk named Eadfrith, who became Bishop of Lindisfarne in 698,in honour of St. Cuthbert.

Lindisfarne Gospels

A priory was established during the 12th century, and became a major destination for pilgrims.

Lindisfarne Priory

Following the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII between 1536 and 1541 the priory was left to go to ruin.

Holy Island Lindisfarne Priory Manor House Hotel

Holy Island Lindisfarne Priory

In 1542 Henry VIII ordered the fortification of Holy Island against Scottish invasion. By 1547 a fort was established on a high rock and equipped with guns.

The castle was strategically vital during the Scottish Wars of the mid-1500s and later saw action in the English Civil Wars 1642 to 1651. The fortifications would be strength during a series of wars with the Dutch which ranged from 1652 to 1674.

The castle was purchased by Edward Hudson, the founder of Country Life magazine in 1901 who hired the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens to help with a renovation of the castle.