St Pauls Monastery

The Monastery of Saint Paul in Jarrow was once the home of the Venerable Bede, whose most notable works include The Ecclesiastical History of the English People and the translation of the Gospel of John into Old English. At the time of its foundation, it was reputed to have been the only centre of learning in Europe north of Rome.

In 794 Jarrow became the second target in England of the Vikings, who had plundered Lindisfarne in 793. The Monastery was later dissolved by Henry VIII. The ruins of the Monastery are now associated with and partly built into the present-day church of St. Paul, which stands on the site. One wall of the church contains the oldest stained-glass window in the world, dating from about AD 600.

Just beside the Monastery is “Bede’s World“, a working museum dedicated to the life and times of Bede. Bede’s World also incorporates Jarrow Hall, a grade II listed building and significant local landmark.