Cuthbert was a Northumbrian monk-bishop who earned a reputation for spiritual guidance and miraculous healing.
The cult of Saint Cuthbert spread after many people reported miraculous healings when they prayed at his relics.
The holy island of Lindisfarne was located near to Durham.
Northumbrian monasteries also produced the Venerable Bede whose scholarship and piety earned him veneration.
Durham became an important place of pilgrimage as it housed the shrine of Saint Cuthbert.

Keywords

Hermitage - a place where a religious person lives on their own, away from the rest of society, dedicating themselves entirely to prayer
Pilgrimage - a religious journey to a holy place
Relics - the remains of a holy person
Cult - a group devoted to a saint

Common misconception

That saints have always been celebrated as they are in modern Britain.

In fact, medieval saints established a cult with many people believing that a prayer close to a saints' relics provided the best chance of help or healing.

Prepare a mystery box containing items (or printed images) related to Cuthbert and Bede, e.g., a pilgrim's cross or a copy of Lindisfarne Gospels. Have students guess what each item could be before revealing their significance and the wider context of the cult of saints in Anglo-Saxon England.

Teacher tip

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

Which word means an army made up of mostly untrained conscripts from England’s peasant population?

housecarl

Correct answer: fyrd

knight

Q2.

Which term describes when soldiers pretend to retreat in order to lure the enemy into a more vulnerable position?

Correct Answer: feigned retreat, fake retreat

Q3.

Complete the sentence: A is a military tactic where soldiers stood in a long line overlapping their shields to form a wall of shields.

Correct Answer: shield wall

Q4.

Put the following events in chronological order.

1 - William intended to sail from Normandy but bad weather prevented him.

2 - Harold sent the southern fyrd home.

3 - Harold fought the Battle of Stamford Bridge.

4 - William set sail for England.

5 - Harold quickly rode south with his housecarls.

6 - The Normans constructed a castle and raided Wessex.

7 - Harold decided to leave London before the whole fyrd had arrived.

Q5.

Put the following events in chronological order.

1 - Harold positioned his forces at the top of Senlac Hill.

2 - Trumpets signalled the start of the battle.

3 - The Norman knights charged up the hill but failed to break the English defence.

4 - A section of the Norman army began to retreat.

5 - William tipped back his helmet to show he was still alive.

6 - The shield wall weakened and the Norman knights rode through.

7 - Harold was killed.

Q6.

The Normans' successful breaking of the Anglo-Saxons' shield wall can be described as a what?

master plan

tactic

Correct answer: turning point

harrying

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

Which word describes a place where a religious person lives on their own, away from the rest of society, dedicating themselves entirely to prayer?

Correct Answer: hermitage

Q2.

Which word describes a religious journey to a holy place?

Correct Answer: pilgrimage

Q3.

Which of the following actions did Cuthbert take during his time as prior and bishop?

Correct answer: He travelled by foot to preach in remote areas of Northumbria.

He built a large cathedral on Farne Island.

Correct answer: He provided comfort and aid to plague victims.

Correct answer: He was reluctant to become the Bishop of Hexham but eventually accepted.

He was buried at Lindisfarne in a richly decorated tomb.

Q4.

Why did Cuthbert’s grave at Lindisfarne become popular with pilgrims?

Because he built a magnificent cathedral there.

Because the monks of Lindisfarne created beautiful books and artwork.

Correct answer: Because his remains were found to be undecayed 11 years after his death.

Correct answer: Because many people reported miraculous healings when praying at his grave.

Q5.

What was a notable feature of the library at the Wearmouth-Jarrow monasteries?

It was famous for its collection of ancient Roman artefacts.

Correct answer: It contained one of the finest collections of imported books in the country.

It focused primarily on botanical studies and herbology.

It was the first library in Britain to use parchment instead of vellum.

Q6.

What was a major impact of Bede's work, "The Ecclesiastical History of the English People"?

It led to the destruction of Lindisfarne monastery by Viking raiders.

It was the primary source of wealth for the Wearmouth-Jarrow monasteries.

Correct answer: It helped create a unified English identity.

It caused the monks to stop producing manuscripts.

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