World Heritage experts visit Wearmouth-Jarrow

Friday 16 Jan 09

World heritage experts from across the country have been in the region to take a closer look at the North East’s next potential World Heritage Site.

Representatives from the International Council on Monuments and Sites, UK (ICOMOS-UK) and the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) visited the twin Anglo-Saxon monastery of Wearmouth-Jarrow.

DCMS are the people who decide which UK sites are put forward for worldwide recognition. They have chosen to nominate Wearmouth-Jarrow for World Heritage Site status in 2010.

The monastery centres on two churches, St Peter’s, Wearmouth, Sunderland and St Paul’s, Jarrow. If successful it would join other regional landmarks to receive the worldwide recognition, Durham Castle and Cathedral and Hadrian’s Wall.

The monastery has huge historical significance. Parts of 7th century buildings still stand on both sites and archaeology from the site includes the largest collection of 7th-century coloured window-glass in Europe. A centre of learning, innovation, and creativity, it inspired Bede, to become one of the most influential figures in contemporary culture, whose work is still read internationally over 13 centuries later.

While at the site, the representatives were shown a copy of the Wearmouth-Jarrow Book of Life. The Books are new versions of old manuscripts, which were used to record the names of supporters of particular monasteries over many centuries, from 7th-century Northumbria on. They are being used to record signatures of support which will be presented to UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, the people who decide which sites are given the worldwide recognition.

Rt Rev Mark Bryant, Bishop of Jarrow and Chair of the Wearmouth-Jarrow Partnership, explains why gathering support is so important to the success of the bid, he said: “UNESCO, who decide which sites become World Heritage Sites, are keen to see that people value the site and are actively involved with supporting the nomination.