Bishop’s Chapel Installed at St Aidan’s Church, Holy Island, Lindisfarne

There was a special celebration for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord at St Aidan’s Catholic Church on Holy Island, Lindisfarne as the first Mass was said with a new altar in place.

The ornately carved wooden altar, reredos and panelling were originally designed for Bishop Joseph McCormack when he moved from Tynemouth to East Denton Hall in Newcastle in 1942 by Architect Robert Burke. Burke was an accomplished architect who designed a number of churches in the Diocese starting with St Joseph’s in Ushaw Moor in 1931 and finishing with St Mary’s in Bishop Auckland in 1956, although he produced the original drawings for St Mary’s in Lobley Hill, which was completed by David Brown after Burke’s death in 1958.

Burke’s churches were all built in brick, and he favoured a Basilica style with Romanesque arches with gothic timber interiors. Similarities can be seen in the style of the sanctuaries and chapels designed by Burke in St Robert’s, Fenham and Corpus Christi, Gateshead, but the Bishop’s Chapel fittings are by far the most ornate with their gilded tracery and tableaux of the Crucifixion and angels to the front of the high altar.

The bishop of Hexham & Newcastle, Bishop Stephen Wright, said, “I am delighted that the Bishop’s Private Chapel has found a new public home at St Aidan’s Church, Holy Island. I thank Fr Shaun and the community for welcoming the Altar, Reredos and Panelling. They certainly add dignity and beauty to the Sanctuary in the lovely small church. The Bishop’s Chapel began life in Denton Hall. Most of it could be relocated into the Bishop’s House in Gosforth, but not the Altar. However, nothing could fit into the smaller present Bishop’s House in Benton. We looked for a new home where the whole Chapel could be reunited, used and valued. There can be no more fitting place than Holy Island.”

“The sacred place that gave us St Aidan and St Cuthbert and the earliest Bishops of our Diocese. It is not practicable for the Bishop to reside on the Island these days, but the Bishop’s Chapel provides another spiritual link between the Diocese past and present. Our Diocesan family is privileged to continue the mission of the Northern Saints. I am so pleased many pilgrims will pray before the Lord present in the new splendid Sanctuary. I am most grateful to all who have worked on this project.”

Fr Shaun O’Neill said, “I was delighted to walk into St Aidan’s Holy Island and see the new altar from Bishop’s house standing proudly on our sanctuary, my first thoughts were that it made the whole atmosphere one of prayer and that it was more fully a church. The presence of the new altar is able to enhance and highlight the stained-glass windows and the Stations of The Cross, pulling them both into focus for prayer.”

“Sister Tessa remarked that it felt lovely and quite Catholic and Andy Raine was awe struck at its beauty and colours. It was a delight to celebrate the first Mass with the new altar on the feast of the Presentation as it was noted that we had been presented with such a beautiful altar by Bishop Stephen, an altar that has already had such wonderful prayer associated with it. Holy Island, St Aidan’s, certainly feels truly blessed and enhanced by the gift of the new altar.”

The original chapel in East Denton Hall was quite a narrow room and the panelling has required some alteration with additional panels being added with the move to Gosforth and now to Holy Island. The joiners who did the work have done an excellent job of matching the timber of the panelling and making the necessary alterations as well as the travelling and strange working hours required for getting across the causeway at Holy Island.

St Aidan’s is open daily, and visitors and pilgrims are welcome to come and spend some time there.

https://visitlindisfarne.com/listings/churches/st-aidans-catholic-church/