Journey's end

The only place to end the St Aidan  journey is at the place where he is said to have died - Bamburgh. Not everyone agrees that this was actually the place, but the story is so much a part of St Aidan’s Church, Bamburgh that I am happy to accept it. 

Bamburgh is not a place we go to very often, as it is such a tourist destination and is dominated by a castle that I have no desire ever to visit. The only reason we go is to head straight for the sea, avoiding the town, and to walk along the beach. This could be the reason that we have never thought of going to the Grace Darling Museum . . . until today. I wanted to go to the church and, as it is opposite the Museum, we decided to make that visit first. We were very impressed. The Museum tells the story very well indeed - life in the lighthouse, Grace’s childhood and growing up. Then the story of the rescue is brought to life brilliantly. The whole set up by the RNLI is professionally done and is fascinating. At the moment there is a short multi-screen film installation, which is excellent.

Then we crossed the road to the church. Of course the ostentatious Grace Darling memorial is unmissable, but I was in search of Aidan. St Aidan’s Church is said to have been built on the spot where Aidan had a monastic cell and a wooden mission church and, as there was a royal citadel where the Castle now is and as King Oswald and Aidan worked closely together, this made sense. It is thought that this is where Aidan died in August 651. He was leaning on a wooden prop which held up a tent outside his cell when he died. There is an odd looking forked length of wood high up in the rafters of the church, said to be the same prop.

My blip is made up of three images of Aidan that are in the church. He always appears as a gentle man and this is probably what he was. Bede said of him: “a man of remarkable gentleness, goodness and moderation, zealous for God".