Monkwearmouth and Jarrow

double monastery, England, United Kingdom

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

Monkwearmouth and Jarrow were twin monasteries founded in Northumbria, England, by Saint Benedict Biscop in the late 7th century. These foundations became significant centers of Christian scholarship and art in western Europe. The monasteries followed the Benedictine Rule and were home to the Venerable Bede, a renowned theologian and historian. Bede's historical works, particularly his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, are crucial sources for understanding early Anglo-Saxon history. The libraries assembled at Monkwearmouth and Jarrow supported Bede's scholarly endeavors, contributing to a golden age of learning in England.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Western painting
England and Ireland, c. 650–850
…the Northumbrian double monastery of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow, Italian books and their illustrations were imitated extraordinarily faithfully (e.g., the Codex Amiatinus, a great Bible, c. 700). But artists in other Northumbrian centers in the late 7th century began to adapt the standard decorative apparatus of late antique Italian manuscripts to…
Read More
…the Northumbrian double monastery of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow, Italian books and their illustrations were imitated extraordinarily faithfully (e.g., the Codex Amiatinus, a great Bible, c. 700). But artists in other Northumbrian centers in the late 7th century began to adapt the standard decorative apparatus of late antique Italian manuscripts to…
Read More