Up North at the Lindisfarne Gospels

I went up to Newcastle on Friday to visit Nancy and Julian. Julian works with Nancy in Durham and has a flat in Newcastle. He put us up for two nights and we spent most of Saturday in Durham looking at the town, the Cathedral and, of course, the Gospels. It was well worth the trip. They were magnificent. It boggles the mind how one man could produce this tome. St. Cuthbert is the holy man associated with the book and the Cathedral. He was not the scribe but he settled at Lindisfarne as did the gospels. When he died, the monks buried him but ten years later the Vikings were imminent so the monks dug up Cuthbert grabbed the Gospels and went travelling with both for seven years. Eventually, it was safe to go to Durham and they all settled there. 

Two pictures in Newcastle

Nancy and Julian having dinner (me too but I was the photographer)

When we got on the train in Newcastle, it was full of young men and women dressed to the nines. I asked one of the blokes if they were going to a wedding. "Course not", he said, "we're going to the York races." I think it's their version of Ascot.

York Cathedral

Saint Cuthbert

 A modern Pieta carved in wood

Lunchtime