St. Peter's Church

St Peter's, Monkwearmouth is one of the oldest churches in Britain, where Christians have gathered for more than 1300 years.
St Peter’s was built in 674AD by Benedict Biscop, a pioneering monk who was given a grant of land by the Northumbrian King, Egfrith. Benedict built an important complex of church and monastic buildings in the Roman style, probably on the site of a settlement founded by Hilda of Whitby. Glaziers from Gaul (France) created the windows for Benedict’s church establishing Monkwearmouth as the birthplace of British stained glass.
Benedict's work was continued and expanded by his successor Ceolfrid, the second Abbot. Ceolfrid expanded the library and supervised the making of three copies of the Latin Bible, one of which, the Codex Amiatinus, survives today in Florence, and is the oldest complete manuscript of the whole Bible.
Ceolfrid’s pupil Bede began his monastic life here at the age of 7. Bede grew up to be a gifted writer and he recounted the early history of St Peter's and of the sister church of St Paul at Jarrow in his Lives of the Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow. His History of the English Church and People is a unique account of life in 7th century Saxon Britain.
St Peter's was originally built as part of a monastery, but it is now a parish church. Much of the interior dates from a major restoration carried out in the 1870s, though medieval stonework is visible at the south side of the chancel arch. Following an arson attack in 1984, there were more changes during which the nave sanctuary and exhibition area were built, the chancel ceiling was repainted, and a fine Copeman-Hart organ was installed.

Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, Wearside, England.
June 2013.