Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Abbey

Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Abbey was a twin Benedictine monastery in the Kingdom of Northumbria and remains one of the most important sites of early English Christianity. It consists of two churches a few miles apart: St Peter's at Monkwearmouth, now part of Sunderland, and St Paul's at Jarrow in South Tyneside. Jarrow is the one most visitors seek out when following in the footsteps of the Venerable Bede.

How did the abbey begin?

Benedict Biscop, a Northumbrian nobleman who had travelled to Rome and brought back books, relics and craftsmen, founded St Peter's at Monkwearmouth in 674. The sister house of St Paul's at Jarrow followed around 681-682 on land granted by the king. The two communities were treated as a single institution in two places, and Bede himself described them as "one monastery in two places".

Why does it matter?

Bede joined the community as a boy, around 680, and went on to write the Ecclesiastical History of the English People. He spent nearly his whole life here, producing works of history, theology and science. Thanks to him, Monkwearmouth-Jarrow became one of the leading centres of learning in Europe at the time. The twin monastery was also the UK's nomination for World Heritage Site status, put forward in 2011.

What can you see at Jarrow?

Part of the Anglo-Saxon church survives at St Paul's as the chancel, while the nave was rebuilt in the Victorian period. Set into the tower wall is the original stone slab recording the church's dedication on 23 April 685. Alongside stand the remains of the medieval monastery, re-established in the 11th century. Nearby, Bede's World is a museum and living history farm that recreates life in Anglo-Saxon England.

What can you see at Monkwearmouth?

St Peter's dates from the late 7th century and is still a working parish church. In 1984 an arson attack destroyed the chancel roof, which was later rebuilt. The site lies near the mouth of the River Wear, just off the A1231.

Frequently asked questions

Is the abbey a single building? No. It is two separate sites: St Peter's Church in Monkwearmouth (Sunderland), and St Paul's Church with the monastery ruins in Jarrow.

Who lived here? The Venerable Bede, the medieval monk and historian, who entered the monastery at the age of seven.

How do I get there? St Peter's is off the A1231 in Sunderland. St Paul's and Bede's World are in Jarrow, off the A19, south of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Can I visit both in one day? Yes. They lie on opposite sides of the Tyne and Wear area, only a few miles apart, so they combine easily into a day trip through Anglo-Saxon Northumbria. Check opening times beforehand, as these are working churches.

Why is it worth the trip? It is one of the few places in England where you can see walls and stone inscriptions more than thirteen centuries old, tied to the man often regarded as the father of English history.