Holy Island

Holy Island, also known as Lindisfarne, is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England in Northumberland, accessible by causeway twice daily at low tide. It was an important centre of early English Christianity, founded as a monastery by the Irish monk St Aidan in 635 AD, and later associated with St Cuthbert, whose relics were kept there before being moved to Durham Cathedral. The island is home to the ruins of Lindisfarne Priory, a Norman monastery built on the site of the original Celtic foundation, and the well-preserved Lindisfarne Castle perched on a volcanic crag. The island is a National Nature Reserve with important habitats for wading birds and grey seals.