Jo’s Monday walk : Bede’s World

It was last Summer when I first came upon Bede’s Heritage Trail, quite by accident, in the sleepy hamlet of Whitburn, on the north east coast.   A 12 mile walk, it links the church of St. Paul’s in Jarrow with St. Peter’s, down the coast at Wearmouth.  I had inadvertently arrived, right in the middle.

Benedict Biscop, a Northumbrian nobleman, had travelled to Rome 6 times and was inspired by the Christian life he found there.  In 674 he approached King Ecgrifth of Northumbria and was given a large estate on which to found the monastery of St. Peter’s, in Wearmouth.  It’s twin, St. Paul’s, was begun 8 years later, further north at Jarrow.  They were among the first stone buildings in Anglo-Saxon Northumbria, and St. Paul’s contains the oldest church dedication stone in England.  Part of the Anglo-Saxon monastery survives today as the chancel of St. Paul’s.  A good place to start, I think.

The Venerable Bede was educated in the monastery from the age of seven, and became the most important European scholar of his era. (born 673- died 735)  The founder of medieval historical writing, his works give a unique insight into life in the monastery.  The two buildings were regarded by Bede as ‘one monastery in two places’ and ‘bound together by the one spirit of peace and harmony’.    Monks would have traveled between them on foot, or by boat, using the small tributary of the River Don, which links to the Tyne.

I had scribbled details of the first part of the Heritage Trail on a slip of paper, intending to follow the route of the monks for at least a little way before returning to explore the museum dedicated to Bede.  As so often happens, a signpost created confusion.  Perhaps I should have ignored the cyclist.  In any event, Bede wouldn’t have had to tackle flyovers and underpasses.  And certainly not graffiti!

It was something of a relief to return to Jarrow Bridge, spanning the Don, alongside of St. Paul’s.  Gyrwe, the Anglo-Saxon name for Jarrow, means ‘place of the marsh dwellers’.  Arrows pointed me in the direction of Bede’s World, and from there I couldn’t go wrong.  A wealth of information, pleasingly displayed, I found the museum imaginative and entertaining.

Benedict Biscop was keen to build in the ‘Roman manner’ and spared no expense, importing skilled masons and glaziers from abroad, to accomplish this.  Over 1,000 fragments of coloured glass were discovered during excavation of the site of the monastery.  The Jarrow Figure was reconstructed using glass found under a collapsed wall.

The community of monks was very industrious during Bede’s lifetime.  One of their most notable achievements was the Codex Amiatinus, a complete Bible in a single volume.  It weighed over 34 kilograms (75 lbs), being made with 2060 pages of vellum – calf skins washed in a bath of lime, stretched on a frame and treated with pumice.

Bede Museum shares the grounds with Jarrow Hall, and the lovely old building provides light refreshments in its cafeteria. (and cake, naturally!)  With the sun shining brightly, it was time to take a stroll through the Anglo-Saxon farm.  Curly-coated pigs, Dexter bullocks, goats, ducks and chickens share the 11 acre site with reproduction thatched farm buildings.

A gentle green path, fringed with primroses and blossom, leads to a mound topped by a cross, and a viewing point over the industrial River Tyne.

It’s a nice green space in an urban setting.  I hope you enjoyed it with me.  I’ll take you to St. Peter’s another time.  Meanwhile, this leaflet contains details of the whole trail, and here is a link to Bede Museum.

Great to have so many of you sharing walks with me again this week.  I really appreciate it.  Please find time to visit each other.  I know it’s a struggle sometimes but it really is worthwhile.  Join me any time here on Jo’s Monday walk.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Starting with a fabulous hike in Japan, with Celia.  The vistas are wonderful :

Spring Hiking at South Takao

Much flatter, but still full of interest, join Anabel in Holland :

A walk round Utrecht

Coffee and Leonard Cohen – I find both irresistible.  And where there’s Jackie, there’s always food!

Turkish Coffee

Where would you expect to find an English garden?  In Munich, of course!  Thanks, Lady Lee :

A morning in English garden

Standing stones are always fascinating, aren’t they?  Suzanne has found some most unusual ones :

A Mystical Destination – AVEBURY

Drake finds me an idyllic piece of Greenland to share this week :

Covenant with nature

And Gunta has immense Redwoods and Trilliums!

Hike to Trillium Falls

A city I’m to visit soon, but just in passing.  I wish I could take this tour with Meg :

Warsaw street art

Emma is tireless when it comes to the Welsh coastal footpath.  Her love for it shows in her paintings :

Pennard Cliffs & Three Cliffs Bay

Something I’d really love to do.  I wonder if Susan would like company?

Walking the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

From one iconic sight to another!  Hit the heights with Rosemay :

Hong Kong – A Walk Down The Peak (The Morning Trail)

That’s it for this week!  Distinctly cool here, but in England there’s another Bank Holiday coming up.  I’ll be taking you to some wide, open spaces next Monday.  Take care till then!

116 comments

  2. Pingback: Spring walk | This, that and the other thing

  4. Another fascinating walk Jo – I feel like I’ve learnt so much! So interesting to weave all the history in along your walk and learn more about the Venerable Bede. I can’t get over that bible and how it was made – the poor calves 😦 Have always found these old abbeys so interesting – I grew up on visits to Fountains Abbey and sometimes we went up to Jervaulx or Rievaulx but have never made it as far as Jarrow. The monks certainly kept themselves very busy! Thanks for including me in this week’s walking list – I will get round and read each one over the next couple of days or so it’s good to learn something new! Have a great week 🙂

    Like

    Reply

    1. Poor calves, indeed! 😦 So labour intensive it’s hard to even imagine, in these days of technology. I often do the walking and put the research together afterwards. The information boards are so useful for that. Thanks so much for visting, Rosemay. You always make lovely company. 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. You’re very welcome Jo 🙂 I often do the same – visit a place and then read up all this interesting stuff afterwards. Plus I take photos of the information boards to jog my memory – as you say they are so useful for that! The stories behind places are so interesting! 🙂 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    1. It was a typical April day, Pauline- starting cool and grey but then quite radiant for a while. You can trip over history on every second doorstep around here. 🙂 🙂 And I can never resist a good reflection!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Our old,old history is hidden in “country” with the aboriginals going back over 40000 years. But it can’t be seen…

        Like

  6. Wow, what an intersting walk, Jo. I learned a lot. I always enjoy tagging along with you via your Monday posts and photographs. Will try to visit some of the links. Just arrived home after another week away with family, this time stateside in Ohio. The colored glass figure must be something to see.

    Like

    Reply

      1. Shared on Fb too. So interesting. Yes can get overwhelming , the keeping up. Reading your posts definitely worth the effort!

        Like

  7. Such an interesting, educational walk, Jo! It’s amazing that these places have survived all these years, and the remains are in such good condition. Loved the thatched farm huts – too cute! 🙂 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  8. Thanks for the post share Jo, much appreciated. Finding an interesting trail is incentitive to walk even further. Looked enjoyable!

    Like

    Reply

    1. This is an odd one, Suzanne, because we’ve walked much of the area without actually being aware of the trail. It’s just piecing history and places together. 🙂 🙂 You’re very welcome!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  9. Sounds like a lovely walk in the direction of St Peter’s in Jarrow. You are like me…scribbling directions down on paper beforehand. Indeed sometimes the slightest signage can throw us off and make us wonder if we are actually headed in the right direction. Have a lovely week, lovely 🙂

    Like

    Reply

    1. Thanks, darlin! 🙂 🙂 We’ve done most of this trail without knowing we were doing it, Tish. Just tying the bits together with the historical facts is interesting. And getting lost, of course!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I used to be a Medival Historian, in a former life, so I could spend a long time there. Bede must have felt he was at the edge of the known world.

        Like

  17. It’s quite a lot of years since I was here, and things seem to have changed for the better. It was all a bit of a dismal,edge-of-urban sprawl sort of experience, complete with graffiti and litter. I felt sorry for poor old Bede, who must be feeling happier now.

    Like

    Reply

    1. Yes, they’ve smartened him up a bit. 🙂 🙂 My son was there on a junior school trip 20 years ago. Since then it’s changed hands and is part of Jarrow Hall, Margaret. A wedding venue as well as educational facility.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  18. Lovely walk Jo. It is such a shame that so many of the British Monastery buildings have been destroyed and we are left with ruins, but nevertheless the history lives on. I hope you enjoyed a nice cake after the walk?

    Like

    Reply

  19. What a lovely walk Jo full of fascinating history and wonderful photos as usual. I’d love to join you on a walk but I’ve been struck down by a vicious sudden head cold. 🤧
    Have a great week.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.