St Cuthbert's Day

   A group from Cheviot Churches, along with our minister, spent St Cuthbert's Day (20th March) visiting the site of the Northumbrian monastery at Old Melrose, where Cuthbert first began his monastic life. The trip was organised by the St Cuthbert's Way Churches Together Group, which has member churches in north Northumberland and the Scottish Borders (for more information click HERE).
   We were guided round the area by Dr Margaret Collin, who can be seen in the photograph above pointing out the site of the medieval ford used by pilgrims to this sacred space. Unfortunately, due to recent wet weather, the ford itself was barely visible! (Though weather on the day of our trip was dry, if rather grey).
    Located in a loop of the River Tweed, very similar to the situation of Durham Cathedral, the site is spectacularly beautiful. The peninsular on which the monastery was positioned is bounded in the landward approach by a still visible vallum, but all trace of the monastery itself has disappeared. As well being given archeological and historical background to the area by Dr Collin, we also took the opportunity for moments of reflection focussed on the life and times of this remarkable saint. The photograph below shows our minister, Colin Johnston, leading one such meditation near the site of the vallum.

   In the 9th century the Scottish king Kenneth Macalpin burned down the monastery, but its location was never forgotten. After monastic life was revived in the 12th century and the still-standing monastery at Melrose was built, a chapel was constructed on the site, which became a place of pilgrimage. We visited Chapel Knowe where this is believed to have been situated. Again, though, today nothing remains - except, perhaps, for a single enigmatic stone built into the 19th century steading built nearby ...