Bede’s Festival: Arts and Crafts

The extraordinary life of the Venerable Bede (AD673-735) was chosen to represent the elements of the Festival that celebrated Anglo-Saxon art and crafts with hands-on activities and demonstrations, displays, and specially-commissioned drama, music and song.

As well as books and magnificent illuminated manuscripts like the Lindisfarne Gospels, the Golden Age of Northumbria produced beautiful art in many forms including jewellery, sculptured stone crosses and carved ivory objects, isplaying distinctive interlaced designs that were influenced by native Celtic culture.

This first English poetry and epic tales like “Beowulf” were written in this period.

The Lindisfarne Gospels Rag-Rug

The “Belford Hookers”, a community rag-rug group based in Belford, created`a beautiful wall-hanging based on a page from the Lindisfarne Gospels.

Gospel Seed Collages

Members of Berwick Floral Art Club created four panels using seeds and other natural materials.

The collages illustrated the traditional symbols of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the writers of the Four Gospels, and were displayed at the Festival of Flowers in July 2008.   

Festival of Flowers

6th to 8th July 2008  

A spectacular floral art display was arranged by Berwick Floral Art Club in St Andrew’s Wallace Green Church.

The arrangements interpreted a selection of themes from Northumbria’s Golden Age.

“Flying Our Flag”

Local schools were invited to create a display of art based on the design and the red and gold colours of the ancient flag of Northumberland, which has its origins in the 7th century.

The children’s artwork was exhibited at several events during the Golden Age of Northumbria Festival.