St George Fatfield
Washington, Tyne & Wear
We are a friendly family church with a big heart, serving our community in many ways and hoping to do much more in the future.
This 13th century church stands on the site of a 2nd century Roman fort and the 9th century foundations of a wooden shrine to St Cuthbert. This was home to the Lindesfarne community from 883-995 AD and where in c960 the priest Aldred produced the earliest surviving translation of the gospels into early English. The church has within its fabric the well preserved cell of an Anchorite (Medieval religious recluse) which has been made into a small independent museum housing archeological remains from the towns Roman, AngloSaxon and Medieval past. Other interesting contents feature 14 stone effigies of the Lumley family, a 15th century brass of Alice Lambton and a 15th century marble font. The oldest existing bell dates from 1409 and several of the 19th century stained glass windows illustrate events from the church history as well as the story of how the Lindesfarne Gospels arrived and were kept here for 113 years.