chris watson: in st cuthbert's time the sounds of lindisfarne & the gospels

To celebrate the exhibition of the Lindisfarne Gospels at Durham Cathedral from July to September 2013, award-winning wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson has researched the sonic environment of the holy island as it might have been experienced by St. Cuthbert in 700 A.D. Throughout human history, artists have been influenced by their surroundings and the sounds of the landscape they inhabit. When Eadfrith, the Bishop of Lindisfarne, was writing and illustrating the Lindisfarne Gospels on that island during the late seventh century and early eighth century, he would have been immersed in the sounds of the holy island while he created this remarkable work. This production aims to reflect upon the daily and seasonal aspects of the evolving variety of ambient sounds that accompanied life and work during that period of exceptional thought and creativity. Cuthbert was an Anglo Saxon monk, bishop and hermit who became prior of Lindisfarne in c. 665. In later life Cuthbert felt called to be a hermit and moved to the nearby island of Inner Farne to begin fighting the spiritual forces of evil in solitude. Cuthbert became associated with the birds and other animals on the island and gave special protection to the Eider duck which is still known locally as Cuddy's duck. Photography: Maggie Watson; Design: Jon Wozencroft; Sound mastering by Denis Blackham, Skye. Texts by Chris Watson, Dr. David Petts, Lecturer in Archaeology/Associate Director of the Institute of Mediæval and Renaissance Studies Dept. of Archaeology?, Durham University, and Dr. Fiona Gameson, St. Cuthbert's Society, Durham. Includes a 24-page booklet with texts and photos.