Campaigners for return of Lindisfarne Gospels stage peaceful protest

Date: 2000-03-21, Publication: The Journal

CAMPAIGNERS for the return of the Lindisfarne Gospels to their rightful home staged a peaceful protest in London yesterday.

A delegation from the North-East celebrated St Cuthbert's Day with a vigil outside the British Library.

The trip to London brought further pressure on the Government to have the 1,300-year-old manuscripts returned to the region - a move supported by Tony Blair's constituency agent, John Burton.

The group, led by the Northumbrian Association's chairman Richard Berg-Rust, vice chairman Mike Tickell and MP Fraser Kemp, met the library's chief executive, Dr Brian Lang, to put their case.

The Northumberland Association hopes its pressure, combined with a Bill introduced in the Commons by Mr Kemp, will mean the priceless Gospels coming home. The Houghton and Washington MP wants them placed in Durham Cathedral.

Mr Kemp said yesterday: "The vigil went very well. There was an awful lot of interest."

Dr Lang said although he understood their frustration the Gospels would be staying in London.

"The Lindisfarne Gospels are regarded as a national treasure," he said.

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