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Holy-Island in Northumberland County England History and GeographyHOLY-ISLAND, or LINDISFARN, a parish in ISLANDSHIRE, county palatine of DURHAM, though locally to the north of the county of Northumberland, 5½ miles (N. by E.) from Belford, and 10 (S.E.) from Berwick upon Tweed, containing 760 inhabitants. It is situated in the German ocean, a mile and a half from the Northumbrian coast, and derives its name from an abbey founded by Oswald, King of Northumberland, which became the seat of a bishop's see; but after a succession of fourteen prelates, the cathedral church was destroyed by the Danes, in 893, and the bishoprick was removed to Chester le street. After the Norman Conquest a Benedictine priory was established here, as a cell to that of Durham, the revenue of which at the dissolution was £60. 5.: its foundations may be traced over a space of nearly four acres, but the only considerable remains are those of the church, a noble cruciform structure, displaying in the nave, choir, and a part of the central tower, the Norman and early English styles of architecture. Holy Island was invaded and plundered by Malcolm I., King of Scotland, in 941. In the great civil war it was the station of a parliamentary garrison; and in 1715 it was seized by the adherents of the Pretender, who were however soon dislodged by a detachment from the king's troops at Berwick. Besides the principal island, the parish comprises the Farn islands, and the hamlets of Fenham and Goswick on the main land. At the south-western angle of Holy Island is situated the village of Lindisfarn, distinguished for its romantic scenery and the ruins of the monastery. It is a place of considerable resort for sea-bathing, and there are several fishing-boats belonging to the village, employed in catching cod, ling, haddock, and lobsters, which are very abundant in the neighbouring seas, and are sent in large quantities to the London market. The south-eastern extremity of the island rises in a conical peak, sixty feet in height, on the summit of which is a small castellated fort: the north side abounds with limestone; and there are also a small seam of coal, and a stratum of slate, the latter containing a considerable quantity of iron-ore, with which are found the entrochi, or fossils popularly termed St. Cuthbert's beads. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry of Northumberland, and diocese of Durham, endowed with £400 private benefaction, and £400 royal bounty, and in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Durham. The church, dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, is a small neat building, constructed out of the remains of the ancient priory. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
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