Barbara Johnston's Watercolors

Lindisfarne and Iona

Barbara did these watercolors during our travels and was kind enough to send copies to her fellow pilgrims. September in Scotland and Northumbria is obviously beautiful. (Okay. Okay. So we had one blustery day on Iona. I mean, it IS Scotland.)

Many thanks to Barb for sharing her talent with us and providing these precious memories, both of the pilgrimage sites and of her presence. Clicking on these pictures will open a link to the full size image.

The castle is visible from almost everywhere on Lindisfarne, the Holy Island. It dates from the 1550's and is picturesque but not historically important. In this view, you can see the mainland in the background, including a view the truly old and very important castle of Bamburgh. Bamburgh, which would be enlarged and modified throughout the following centuries, was the family castle of the Angle kings of Northumbria. It was the boyhood home of Oswald, the son of Aethelfrith. It is from here that he was exiled as a young man when is father was overthrown, Oswald spent part of his exile in Iona where he was cpnverted to Christianity by the Celtic monks of St. Columba's foundation. When he returned to Northumbria and won back his kingdom in battle, he promptly invited the Celtic monks from Iona to come to Northumbria as missionaries. Saint Aidan took up that challenge and built the first monastery on Lindisfarne, the Holy Island, across the estuary from Bamburgh. The monks were protected by the castle but not injected into court life. Since Lindisafarne is a tidal island, they were able to cross to the mainland twice a day, if they wished, to pursue their missionary activities. Yet when the tide was in, they were isolated in their contemplative community. In fact, the estuary acts as the physical separation of church and state. Ultimately, it is easy to see the Holy Island itself as a metaphor for the normal Christian life; in the world but not of it; balancing action with contemplation.

Another view of the Holy Island. This is a view back toward town from the path to the bird sanctuary on the north side of the island.

A view of the mainland from the Holy Island.

Iona. This is the view from the sitting room in the St. Columba hotel, looking across the sound to the Island of Mull. The building in the foreground is the Bishop's House, an Anglican retreat house, that can rightly be credited with setting the motion the modern return of Iona to its ancient status as a center of prayer and spiritual renewal.

No one who has spent time in Iona can look upon this view without a tug on their heart and a longing to return.

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	The castle is visible from almost everywhere on Lindisfarne, the Holy Island. It dates from the 1550's and is picturesque but not historically important. In this view, you can see the mainland in the background, including a view the truly old and very important castle of Bamburgh. Bamburgh, which would be enlarged and modified throughout the following centuries, was the family castle of the Angle kings of Northumbria. It was the boyhood home of Oswald, the son of Aethelfrith. It is from here that he was exiled as a young man when is father was overthrown, Oswald spent part of his exile in Iona where he was cpnverted to Christianity by the Celtic monks of St. Columba's foundation. When he returned to Northumbria and won back his kingdom in battle, he promptly invited the Celtic monks from Iona to come to Northumbria as missionaries. Saint Aidan took up that challenge and built the first monastery on Lindisfarne, the Holy Island, across the estuary from Bamburgh. The monks were protected by the castle but not injected into court life. Since Lindisafarne is a tidal island, they were able to cross to the mainland twice a day, if they wished, to pursue their missionary activities. Yet when the tide was in, they were isolated in their contemplative community. In fact, the estuary acts as the physical separation of church and state. Ultimately, it is easy to see the Holy Island itself as a metaphor for the normal Christian life; in the world but not of it; balancing action with contemplation.


	Another view of the Holy Island. This is a view back toward town from the path to the bird sanctuary on the north side of the island.


	A view of the mainland from the Holy Island.


	Iona. This is the view from the sitting room in the St. Columba hotel, looking across the sound to the Island of Mull. The building in the foreground is the Bishop's House, an Anglican retreat house, that can rightly be credited with setting the motion the modern return of Iona to its ancient status as a center of prayer and spiritual renewal. No one who has spent time in Iona can look upon this view without a tug on their heart and a longing to return.