A literary survivor from Britains dark ages - The British Library acquires St Cuthbert Gospel
The British Library announces a most spectacular new acquisition: The Library has bought the St Cuthbert Gospel, which is known as the oldest European book to survive fully intact.
The British Library announces a most spectacular new acquisition: The Library has bought the St Cuthbert Gospel, which is known as the oldest European book to survive fully intact.
The 7th Century gospel was written in the north east of England and buried with the early English Christian leader on Lindisfarne in 698. Four hundred years later it was rediscovered at Durham Cathedral after the coffin had been moved to escape Viking raids. Since 1979 the Gospel had been on loan to the British Library.
To acquire this magnificent cultural treasure the Library initiated its largest fundraising campaign ever. Now the Gospel was bought by the British Library in partnership with Durham University and Durham Cathedral.
>>> Watch the video on BBC News
The 7th Century gospel was written in the north east of England and buried with the early English Christian leader on Lindisfarne in 698. Four hundred years later it was rediscovered at Durham Cathedral after the coffin had been moved to escape Viking raids. Since 1979 the Gospel had been on loan to the British Library.
To acquire this magnificent cultural treasure the Library initiated its largest fundraising campaign ever. Now the Gospel was bought by the British Library in partnership with Durham University and Durham Cathedral.
>>> Watch the video on BBC News