Day 4 Wooler – Lindisfarne

Weetwood Bridge.
Dates from C16th and restores 200 years later. Former bridge used by English army on their way to victory at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.
Northwest of the bridge is Doddington Moor, where St. Cuthbert used to mind sheep as a child. On the SW slopes a cave known as Cuddy’s Cave, affectionate name for St. Cuthbert.
Two iron age hillforts on the moor and the remains of a stone circle.

St. Cuthbert’s Cave.
875 monks left Lindisfarne after repeated Viking raids taking the remains of Cuthbert. Monks stopped here to rest. Travelled round the North of England for 8 years before settling at Chester-le-street. Remained there for c100 years, before moving again to Durham in AD 995

793 Lindisfarne attacked by Viking raiders. Community moved with Cuthbert’s body to Norham on the Tweed. 875 had to move again to Ireland. Ship blown back by storm and the Lindisfarne gospels washed overboard. St. Cuthbert appeared to one of the brothers in a dream telling him that they would be washed ashore unharmed at Whithorn, the place of St. Ninian.
In 882 after the death of King Halfdan, Cuthbert appeared to the leader of the community and told him to the Christian Viking King Guthfrith and make him King of Northumbria. In gratitude he gave them the old Roman fort at Chester-le-street. In 995 another Viking uprising and Cuthbert’s folk on the move again. On the way back to Chester-le-street the cart carrying the coffin got stuck and could not be moved.
That night a brother received in a dream the instruction that Cuthbert wanted to go to Dunholm, an island like hill in a U shaped bend of the River Weir. Found the cart could now be moved. Saw two women. Have you seen my dun cow? Yes it is at Dunholm. Followed the woman. He Dun cow grazing on the hill top. This was to be the new home for Cuthbert’s folk.

1093 – Foundation stone laid.
1104 – 29th August, Cuthbert’s body to be translated to the Cathedral.
Found his body still preserved. On his side as if asleep.
1537 – Dissolution of the monasteries. Royal Commissioners amazed at the jewels contained in Cuthbert’s shrine. Took them for the crown. Opened the coffin expecting to find more jewels. His body still intact. Taken aback. Asked the King’s instructions. Buried again behind the altar.
1827 – opened again. By now the wooden coffin in a state of decay. Still contained portable altar, beautiful pectoral cross, silk and gold stole. These were removed and the mortal remains of Cuthbert’s body allowed at last to rest.

Pass through Woodland, and then emerge onto a track skirting the wood Kyloe Old Wood. Here the original Leylandii cypress stock raised in C19th.

When reach A1 look to the right. To the left of the road is a clump of trees known as Grizel’s Clump.
In 1685, 19 year old Grizel Cochrane held up the mail coach from London, and seized the death warrant for her father who had been sentenced to death for taking part in the Earl of Argyll ‘s insurrection. The delay gave time for her father to obtain a royal pardon from King James II. Later she married John Ker of Morriston in Lauderdale. Buried at Legerwood , where her tombstone records how she died on 21 March 1748 at the age of 82
Heroic Women