Bede Behind The Scenes

Our museum tours are back! Join early medieval history expert Peter Turton for guided insights into our Bede Museum, with different thematic focuses each month.

This month’s theme is

Saints and Scribes: when Northumbria taught the rest of Europe

Our museum tells the story of Bede and his time, from the beginnings of the Anglo-Saxon period through his life, death and extraordinary legacy. Widely regarded as the ‘father of English history’, Bede was an author, scholar, linguist and translator who also composed works on astronomical timekeeping and the motions of the sun, Earth and Moon. His most famous work is The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, one of the most important original references on Anglo-Saxon history and a key contributor to the development of an English national identity.

Peter Turton is a local tour & walk guide with a specific interest in the twin Wearmouth and Jarrow monasteries, which were home to Bede. Jarrow Hall now sits on the Jarrow monastery site, while St. Peter’s in Sunderland marks the Wearmouth monastery. Peter is a former Latin teacher and has participated in many archaeological excavations, having received a degree in History and Archaeology with specialism in early medieval history, including the Age of Bede.

Tours usually last 30-45 mins and are free with our Annual Pass, but please book online to reserve a place.