The intricately decorated hand-written book of the Four Gospels is one of the great landmarks in human cultural achievement. The manuscript is getting more fragile with age and The British Library has the state-of-the-art facilities needed to maintain the gospels.
 | | The Gospels permanent home is the British Library's new building at St Pancras, London |
In order to preserve this National treasure for future generations levels of temperature, relative humidity and lighting are strictly controlled in the ‘Treasures Gallery’ where the gospels hold a prominent position.
Balancing the huge public demand to see more pages whilst preventing damage to the delicate manuscript means the pages are turned - but only rarely and under closely monitored conditions.
Dr Michelle Brown, a leading authority on the origins of the gospels, recently re-dated the manuscript from the accepted AD 698 to about 710-720 AD. This was based on evidence about the style of the work and its technical production and by reassessing its place in the development of the cult of St Cuthbert.
 | It is wonderful to see
the Gospels in the
North East to mark
the Millennium year |  | Dr Michelle Brown, Curator of Illuminated Manuscripts at the
British Library |
|
Although confirming that they were probably written by Eadfrith her research post-dated them by around 22 years. This means that the Venerable Bede, author of the first English history book is now thought to have been involved in producing the masterpiece.
Research by Dr Brown, who is a curator at the British Library, also led to the discovery of some 60 previously undetected drawings on the back of the calf-hide leaves. These are design trials by the monk who produced the work. The drawings were made using a metal or ‘lead-point’ pen and, as such, are quite a revelation because no other metal-point drawings are known to have existed before 1000 AD.
 | | Dr Michelle Brown is a leading authority on the Gospels |
She says of this find "I feel tremendously privileged and blessed to work with such material. It has been a once
in a lifetime experience…"
The Millennium Festival
Heritage Lottery Board awarded £75,000 to the Association of the North East Councils for the temporary return of the Lindisfarne Gospels to the North East.
"Transporting the manuscript around is a very complex and sensitive business, which cannot safely be undertaken often, but it is wonderful to see them in the North East to mark the Millennium year - a very special occasion" said Dr Brown.
"The gospels are an outstanding ambassador for the region and for Britain as a whole. They are of international significance and are a real draw at The British Library, which is something I think the North East can be rightly proud of, whether they are on view here or in the capital".
Find out more about the Lindisfarne Gospels at the British Library on their website www.bl.uk
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