Copies of gospels come north

The gospels is too fragile to be physically handled

A facsimile of the Lindisfarne Gospels will be presented to Durham Cathedral at a service on Friday.

The jewel-encrusted copy - valued at £13,000 - is a gift from the British Library in London, and is one of a limited edition of 290.

It comes as the original, one of Britain's most important texts, goes on show at the British Library in London on Friday in an exhibition looking at cultural life in the eighth century.

The original gospels, dating to the seventh century, will remain at the library, despite a campaign to return them to the north-east of England.

Friday's church service is meant to mark a truce in the so-far unsuccessful campaign to return the gospels to the North East.

Now the retiring bishop of Durham, Michael Turnbull, who supported the campaign, says for the forseeable future the gospels should now stay at the British Library.

Leather-bound

He said: "I think there are strong arguments from scholars, from the world of arts and museums, for making sure such a world-renowned treasure is taken care of in proper circumstances."

The British Library is also gifting a leather-bound copy of the gospels to Holy Island worth £8,500, and one of a larger limited edition of 690.

The gospels, which were created by the scholarly priest Eadfrith in the north-east of England about 720 AD, are widely regarded as one of the most important books in British history.

They detail the rise of a coherent British society around the legend of St Cuthbert, the patron saint of Northumbria.