Hopes are rising for return of Gospels

May 27 2008 by William Green, The Journal

THE campaign to return the Lindisfarne Gospels is creating “some movement”, with the Government discussing a potentially permanent North East home for them with the British Library.

North Durham MP Kevan Jones has revealed talks are under way between Culture Secretary Andy Burnham and the British Library, which holds the famous manuscripts in London and has been resistant in the past to even a long-term loan. He said that the campaign to return the Gospels had been well supported by many North East politicians of all parties, including himself, Durham City’s Roberta Blackman-Woods and Tynemouth’s Alan Campbell.

“The campaign is creating some movement, and I pay tribute to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who is now talking to the British Library, not merely about loaning us the Gospels, but about there being a permanent home for them in the North East.

“I also pay tribute to Durham University and the Cathedral, which are now actively looking at building a resource and visitor centre on Palace Green in Durham, not only as a possible home for the Gospels, but to display the university and cathedral’s rich collection of early Christian manuscripts.

“That would be a great tourist attraction not only for the city of Durham, but for the North East,” said Mr Jones. Speaking later, Dr Blackman-Woods said there did appear to be some movement with the British Library on the Gospels.

“The really key point is that if they are able to demonstrate an open mind on moving them to somewhere in the North East, even a British Library building in the North East, then it is up to us to demonstrate we can look after them properly. That would be a really significant development because we could really put together a clear case on bringing them home,” added the Labour MP, who also revealed a group of MPs are planning to hold talks with the British Library.

The news comes after Mr Burnham met a high-powered regional delegation during a visit to County Durham’s Beamish Museum in March to discuss plans to create a “sub-section” of the British Library attached to Durham University on the city’s Palace Green, where the manuscripts could form a “Christian hub”.

It is thought that opening a branch of the British Library in Durham could get around a section of the British Library Act which prevents “repatriation” of its treasures.

The proposal, supported by the university and by North East MPs, has also won the backing of the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams.