Carham - St Cuthbert

Reputed to be the site of a cell established by the monastery on Lindisfarne, possibly by Cuthbert possibly in the second half of the 7th century. When the monks fled from Holy Island it is said that they brought the body of St Cuthbert here. Todays church was built in 1790 on the site of a much earlier church.

The border with Scotland is only about 200m apart. Around 1018 the Battle of Carham was fought near to this place. Northumbrian forces led by Uhtred of Bamburgh fought the combined forces of Malcolm II of Scotland and Owen the Bald, king of the Cumbrians.

The Scottish victory is seen as a pivotal event in the establishment of the Scottish kingdom. The ultimate result of the Battle was the determined of the eastern border of Scotland at the River Tweed.