Join us as we discover the Celtic Saints. We started in Northumbria, where our church's patron saint, St. Aidan, lived and taught as the first Bishop at Lindisfarne. Weeks 1 to 13 charted a journey up the coast and into the interior of Northumbria as we learned about the world St. Aidan inhabited. We are in the process of posting more information about each of the Celtic saints, and how they are connected to St. Aidan.

Week 10: Lindisfarne to Hethpool

  Starting at Hobthrush Island, also called St. Cuthbert’s Island and where the legendary St. Cuthbert’s beads are from, we leave St.Oswald’s Way and now start walking along St. Cuthbert’s Way from Lindisfarne to Melrose Abbey. This week’s trek to Hethpool will be 44 km in total.

Image: https://www.stcuthbertsway.info/long-distance-route/


 Saint Cuthbert was born in Northumbria around 634, the year St. Oswald became King of Northumbria. While Cuthbert was still young, he would tend his master’s sheep Northwest of Melrose Abbey and knew St. Aidan. As an adult, Saint Cuthbert decided to give up his life in the world and advance to better things. He entered the monastery at Melrose in the valley of the Tweed and was eventually chosen to be abbot of Melrose after the death of Saint Boisil, guiding the brethren by his words and by his example. He made journeys throughout the surrounding area to encourage Christians and to preach the Gospel to those who had never heard it. Sometimes he would be away from the monastery for a month at a time, teaching and preaching. In 664, Cuthbert went with Saint Eata to Lindisfarne and was soon appointed as prior of Lindisfarne (Holy Island). At that time both monasteries were under the jurisdiction of Saint Eata. While at Lindisfarne, Saint Cuthbert continued his habit of visiting the common people in order to inspire them to seek the Kingdom of Heaven. Saint Cuthbert was a true father to his monks, but his soul longed for complete solitude, so he went to live on a small island (Saint Cuthbert’s Isle), a short distance from Lindisfarne. Moving even farther away from his fellow men, in 676, he retired to Inner Farne, where he built a small cell which could not be seen from the mainland. Here he remained for nearly nine years. A synod at Twyford elected Cuthbert Bishop of Hexham in 684. Letters and messengers were sent to inform him of the synod’s decision, but he refused to leave his solitude. At last, and with great reluctance, he submitted to the will of the synod and accepted the office of bishop. Almost immediately, he exchanged Sees with Saint Eata, and became Bishop of Lindisfarne while Saint Eata went to Hexham. 

Image: 

https://www.oca.org/index.php/saints/lives/2017/03/20/109071-saint-cuthbert-wonderworker-of-britain

Bishop Cuthbert remained as humble as he had been before his consecration, avoiding finery and dressing in simple clothing. He fulfilled his office with dignity and graciousness, while continuing to live as a monk. His life as Bishop of Lindisfarne was quite similar to what it had been when he was prior of that monastery. He devoted himself to his flock, preaching and visiting people throughout his diocese. He served as a bishop for only two years, however. Though he was only in his early fifties, Saint Cuthbert felt the time of his death was approaching. He laid aside his archpastoral duties, retiring to the solitude of Inner Farne shortly after the Feast of the Lord’s Nativity in 686 to prepare himself. He was able to receive visitors from Lindisfarne at first, but gradually he weakened and was unable to walk down to the landing stage to greet them. He asked to be laid to rest east of the cross that he himself had set up. He told him where to find a stone coffin hidden under the turf. “Put my body in it,” he said, “and wrap it in the cloth you will find there.” The monks entreated him many times to be buried at Lindisfarne and finally, the bishop agreed to be buried in the church on Lindisfarne so the monks would always have him with them. He surrendered his holy soul to God on March 20, 687

Read more about St. Cuthbert here: https://www.oca.org/index.php/saints/lives/2017/03/20/109071-saint-cuthbert-wonderworker-of-britain



Leaving Lindisfarne, back across the sands and heading inland, we walk through Shiellow woods on our way to Hethpool. (below)

Image: David Purchase, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2213625 , no changes


We pass St. Cuthbert’s Cave, where the monks carrying his remains rested after fleeing the Viking raids in 875.

Image: JC Ousby, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/75776 , no changes

We cross the Devil’s Causeway, a Roman Road which branched off Dere Street at Corbridge and runs North to Tweedsmouth.

Image: Russel Wills,  https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4574548 , no changes


Crossing Doddington Moor and Weetwood Moor, we pass by many prehistoric stones and several prehistoric settlements. We then head down into the valley to the village of Wooler.

Image: Russel Wills, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4564438 , no changes


We pass the Iron Age Hill Fort on Humbleton Hill and Tom Tallon’s Crag where the 19th-century wall is built from Bronze Age stones. This area has around 150 long-haired, long-horned Feral Goats, descendants of the original goats brought over from the Middle East in the Neolithic Age, 5000 years ago. The people in the 7th century would have had domesticated goats from these hills. Nowadays the people raise sheep instead of goats.

Image: Andrew Curtis,  https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4017473 , no changes


The Iron Age Hill Fort of Yeavering Bell is the largest and most important in Northumberland, encompassing 5.5 hectares and with large buildings and 130 houses inside its walls. Yeavering means ‘The Hill of the Wild Goats’. The Bell is the entire 2-summit hill and the fort encircled both summits. The walls, now just rubble, were 10’ thick in places and over 8’ high (below, looking toward Hethpool in the valley).

Image: Andrew Curtis https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1508677 no changes

 The stone used to build the Hill Forts in the area is the local bright pink andesite which then turns grey after years of exposure. (bleow)
Image: Russel Wills, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3035003  no changes

On the meadow below Yeavering Bell is Ad Gefrin (below), one of the palaces of the Royal families in the 7th century. This spot has been settled for 5000 years. In 580, King Ida built a Royal Court here because although the capital was Bamburgh, the Kings in the 7th century built several Royal Courts and traveled between them, staying in each for several months as they administered justice and received tribute from the surrounding area.

Image: Richard Webb https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1381778 no changes


Both King Aethelfrith in 600, and King Edwin in 627, stayed there and expanded the settlement. King Edwin's wife brought Bishop Paulinus with her from Kent and he preached in the Ad Gefrin Hall, baptizing many people in the nearby River Glen. (below)

Image: Richard Webb https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4851268 no changes


Ad Gefrin was only a Royal Court for about 100 years, destroyed by fire twice during battles with Wales and Mercia, and then abandoned.

 

Hethpool itself has several nearby settlements of Celtic peoples from during the Roman occupation and a 2400 BC neolithic stone circle (most of it is buried now, below). This is the only large stone circle in Northumberland and as it is near the stone henges of Milfield Basin 6 km away, makes this area an important Neolithic religious center.

Image: Ewen Rennie https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/905429 no changes

Next week we continue along St. Cuthbert's Way to St. Boswell's.

[Walking St. Oswald's Way and St. Cuthbert's Way (Rudolf Abraham), Wikipedia, stcuthbertsway.info, britainexpress.com, northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk, historicengland.org.uk]