The
Lindisfarne Gospels are an illustrated
Latin edition of the
gospels of
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke and
John. The Gospels were written down by a monk of
Lindisfarne named Eadfrith in the
7th century. He later became Bishop of Lindisfarne (
698) and died in
721. The Gospels are richly illustrated in the insular style, and were originally encased in a fine leather binding covered with jewels and metals made by Billfrith the
Anchorite in the
8th century. During the
Viking raids on Lindisfarne, however, this cover was lost, and a replacement made in
1852.
In the 10th century an Old English translation of the Gospels was made - a word-for-word gloss inserted between the lines of the Latin text by Aldred, Provost of Chester-le-Street. This is now the first known translation of the gospels into the English language.
Recently, the Gospels were moved from their traditional location in Durham Cathedral (the bishopric under which Lindisfarne falls) to the British Library in London - a proceeding which has caused some controversy in the region.
See: Illuminated manuscript
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