The Lindisfarne Gospels

'In honour of God and of Saint Cuthbert'

Made up of more than 250 leaves of high quality vellum, (i.e. calf skin), the manuscript contains the texts of the Four Gospels, in Latin, with appropriate introductory material, including a set of Canon Tables.

Third Canon Table

Last Canon Table

A word by word translation into Old English, (Anglo-Saxon), was added between the lines during the third quarter of the 10th century by a priest named Aldred, afterwards Provost of Chester-le-Street, giving us, in addition, the earliest surviving version of the gospels in any form of the English language.

The rich decoration of the book is carried out in a wide range of colours drawn from animal, vegetable and mineral sources, some of which were imported over vast distances.

Anglo-Saxon writing implements.

Fifteen elaborate fully decorated pages are supplemented by a series of lesser decorated initials and sixteen pages of canon table arcades.

Each Gospel is distinguished by an image of the appropriate evangelist, followed by a 'cross carpet' page of pure decoration and a major initial page.

Evangelist St.Luke with
his symbol of a winged
calf carrying a book.

St. Luke's cross carpet page.

Major decorated initial
page at the beginning
of St. Luke's Gospel.

We are indebted to the late Janet Backhouse who supplied the text for our Gospel Page and gave
permission to use the images in her book "The Lindisfarne Gospels" published in association
with The British Library by Phaidon, Oxford - ISBN 0 7148 2148 9.

Available from:
THE LINDISFARNE CENTRE

Page Transcribed by: Mrs.J.Ward
Web Page Design by : Geoff Porter

updated: 12th January 2010