A replica of the Lindisfarne Gospels has gone on display in a North-East museum.
The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, is housing the facsimile thanks to a collaboration between the British Library and the North East Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.
The full colour copy, on show until January 11, reproduces in exact detail the intricate designs of the gospels which were created on the island of Lindisfarne in the early 18th Century.
The gospels are thought to have been the work of Eadfrith, Bishop of Lindisfarne, and taken six years to produce.
Viv Reid, exhibitions manager at the museum, said: "It's very pertinent that we should have the Lindisfarne Gospels up here in the North-East. We'd like to encourage people to get up close to the work, to really see the immense amount of labour which went into creating each page."
The original gospels are kept at the British Library in London.
Facsimiles are also on permanent display at Durham Cathedral and the Lindisfarne Heritage Centre.
Published: 17/12/2003
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