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LINDISFARNE PRIORY

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The site of the monastery founded circa AD 634 by Aidan, a missionary bishop of Iona, and ruins of its Medieval successor. It was founded in the Celtic Christian tradition, but, after the Synod of Whitby in AD 664, was forced to conform to Western Christianity as espoused by the Church of Canterbury. In AD 793 it became the scene of the first Viking raid on England. According to records, the monastery was sacked and most of its monks killed. However, the succession of bishops and abbots continued until AD 875 when the community fled before a second Viking onslaught. In 1081, the site became the property of the Benedictine priory and convent of Durham and was refounded as a cell of the cathedral monastery. The priory was dissolved in 1537. No remains of the pre-Conquest church and monastery have yet been found at Lindisfarne. Knowledge of the site comes chiefly from contemporary records. The upstanding remains and current layout of Lindisfarne Priory are entirely post-Conquest in origin. The earliest building is the priory church which was begun at the end of the 11th century and extended circa 1140. The later clositer ranges date mainly to the late 12th and 13th centuries. The earliest remains are of the ground floor of the west range, dating to between 1190 and 1210, used for storage until the 14th century when it was split into three and used as a buttery or pantry. The 13th century east clositer range include the remains of the chapterhouse. In the 14th century a new prior's lodging was created at the junction between the east and south ranges with a warming house below. West of the prior's lodgings are the remains of the 13th century monks' frater and kitchen. In the 14th century, a brewhouse and bakehouse were added to the west and include the remains of a tub and large oven. South of the cloister is the outer court of the priory, built circa 1300 and included the gatehouse into the priory and guest house. It was supressed in 1537. Managed by English Heritage.

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