Lindisfarne Gospels

The Lindisfarne Gospels, the most spectacular manuscript to survive from Anglo-Saxon England, will be on display at the Laing Art Gallery from 17 September to 3 December 2022, on loan from the British Library.   

The Lindisfarne Gospels will feature in a contemporary exhibition about its meaning in the world today and its relationship with themes of personal, regional and national identity.   

Created on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, the book represents the golden age of design and craftsmanship in Northumbria and has survived in almost perfect condition for over one thousand years.   

The exhibition will begin with an immersive digital experience and include a stunning selection of early medieval treasures brought together from across Britain, representing both personal and collective religious experiences in the 8th century. A selection of paintings, drawings and photographs will further explore how art and spirituality have developed in the centuries since the Lindisfarne Gospels were created. 

A highlight of the exhibition will be a new film by Turner Prize winning artist Jeremy Deller. 

Alongside the Laing exhibition, there will be a supporting exhibition at neighbouring Newcastle City Library and venues across the North East will host complementary events in an Inspired By programme.

The plan to display the Gospels in Newcastle was co-ordinated by the North East Culture Partnership and the British Library.

Accessibility information

The Lindisfarne Gospels exhibition is across three spaces. The first space contains a large-scale audio-visual projection which some visitors may find uncomfortable if they are particularly sensitive to loud noises, flashing lights, and motion sickness. If visitors wish to skip this part of the exhibition, please alert a member of staff who can direct you to the other two exhibition spaces.

Our busiest time slots are during the mornings and weekends. If you wish to visit us during a quieter time, we recommend visiting during the evening or late afternoon when the gallery is less busy.

Digital trailer for the exhibition:

What can I expect to see in The Lindisfarne Gospels exhibition?

You can learn about the Lindisfarne Gospels by exploring the digitised collection items on the British Library website. Zoom in on the book’s intricate illuminations, or see if you can decipher the Old English gloss added between the lines of the main Latin text by a priest named Aldred – the earliest rendering of the Gospels in the English language.

Newcastle City Library, which is situated next door to the Laing, will host a complementary exhibition, Libraries and the Lindisfarne Gospels: Sharing stories through the ages (17 September to 3 December 2022).

The exhibition will explore the changing way people have shared stories since the creation of the Lindisfarne Gospels in the eighth century to the modern day, using artefacts from the Newcastle Libraries Heritage collection and special loans from the British Library and Seven Stories.

An outreach programme throughout libraries in the North East will complement the exhibition, creating a new work which will feature in the exhibition in City Library. 

Image credit: The Lindisfarne Gospels, Cross-carpet page of St John's Gospel © The British Library Board