November 634-687 A.D.
St. Cuthbert & His
Gospel of John
Smith, Graham.
“Europe’s oldest book: St. Cuthbert’s gospel survived pillaging Vikings
and lay in his coffin for centuries is sold for £9m.” MailOnline.
17 Apr 2012. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2130885/Europes-oldest-book-British-Library-raises-9million-buy-ancient-gospel-survived-pillaging-Vikings-lay-saints-coffin-centuries.html. Accessed 3 Nov 2012.
Europe's oldest book: St Cuthbert's gospel which survived pillaging Vikings and lay in his coffin for centuries is sold for £9m
- The seventh century St Cuthbert Gospel is on show at the London library
- Book is a copy of the Gospel of St John
- It was buried alongside St Cuthbert, an early English Christian leader, on the island of Lindisfarne off the coast of Northumberland in around AD698
- Coffin was moved off island to escape Viking raiders and taken to Durham
- Book was found when the coffin was opened at Durham Cathedral in 1104
- Its original red leather binding survives today
- Now bought by the British Library for £9million
Published: 03:39 EST, 17 April 2012 | Updated:
08:36 EST, 17 April 2012
The earliest
surviving intact European book, which lay buried in a saint's coffin for
hundreds of years, has been bought by the British Library for £9million.
The seventh
century St Cuthbert Gospel is on show at the library in King's Cross, north
London.
It was
purchased and saved for the nation after a multimillion-pound fundraising
effort.
Europe's earliest book: The seventh century St Cuthbert Gospel lay buried
in a saint's coffin for hundreds of years and has now been bought by the
British Library for £9million
Time capsule: The book was produced in the north of England in the late
seventh century
LIFE AND TIMES OF ST CUTHBERT
St Cuthbert
was born circa 634 in Northumbria and is regarded as one of the most important
medieval saints in England.
He was inspired
to become a monk, and later a bishop, after spotting a vision in the night sky
while working as a shepherd in 651.
St Aidan,
the founder of Lindisfarne, died that same night - Cuthbert immediately vowed
to follow a monastic path.
He was a
monk at Melrose Abbey between 651 to 664, after which he became prior at
Lindisfarne until 676.
In 684, he
became bishop of Lindisfarne but resigned in late 686 as he thought he was on
the verge of dying.
He was
buried at Lindisfarne Prior in 687 before his coffin was moved to Durham
Cathedral to escape Viking raiders.
Dame Lynne
Brindley, the British Library's chief executive, said: 'This was a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure the Gospel for the nation and we were
both grateful and touched that so many people felt moved to support our
campaign.'
The book
was produced in the north of England in the late seventh century and buried
alongside St Cuthbert, an early English Christian leader, on the island of
Lindisfarne off the coast of Northumberland in around AD698.
The coffin
was moved off the island to escape Viking raiders and taken to Durham, where
the book, which is a copy of the Gospel of St John, was found when the coffin
was opened at the cathedral in 1104. Its original red leather binding survives
today.
In the beginning was the word: The first page of the St Cuthbert Gospel, a
remarkably preserved palm-sized book which is a manuscript copy of the Gospel
of John in Latin
The book was produced in the north of England and buried alongside St
Cuthbert (pictured)
The single
largest contribution to the campaign was a £4.5million grant from the National
Heritage Memorial Fund but there were also donations from charitable trusts and
the public.
Dame Lynne
said: 'To look at this small and intensely beautiful treasure from the
Anglo-Saxon period is to see it exactly as those who created it in the seventh
century would have seen it.
'The
exquisite binding, the pages, even the sewing structure survive intact,
offering us a direct connection with our forebears 1,300 years ago.
'Its
importance in the history of the book and its association with one of Britain’s
foremost saints make it unique, so I am delighted to announce the successful
acquisition of the St Cuthbert Gospel by the British Library.
'This
precious item will remain in public hands so that present and future
generations can learn from it.'
The book
will also go on show in Durham next year.
The Very
Rev Michael Sadgrove, Dean of Durham, said: 'It is the best possible news to
know that the Cuthbert Gospel has been saved for the nation. For the people of
Durham and north-east England, this is a most treasured book. Buried with
Cuthbert and retrieved from his coffin, it held a place of great honour in
Durham Cathedral Priory.'
Initial resting place: The book was buried alongside the English Christian
leader at Lindisfarne Priory (pictured) off the coast of Northumberland in
around AD698, before being moved to Durham to escape Viking raiders
British Library: The single largest contribution to its campaign was a
£4.5million grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund but there were also
donations from charitable trusts and the public
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