The Holy Island of Lindisfarne is a place apart for those seeking peace, rest and refreshment: - Vera’s house is here; Alistair Moffat walked here in his book, ‘To the Island of Tides’; almost a million visit* every year many of whom have come to see the place where Christianity came to the north of England.

A key component in this, is Marygate House which has been serving such visitors since1970 as a non-profit-making retreat centre for those who wish to stay on the island for longer than the fleeting hours between high tides, when the island becomes accessible by land. Our Visitors’ Book is a testament to the comfort this has brought to people over the decades. 

After 54 years of providing solace and support Marygate House now requires some TLC too.  While we are strong in heart and spirit, the structure of the building is suffering - Holy Island sits several miles out in the North Sea and is often battered by storms and strong winds which take their toll.

We have ambitious plans to take us into the next half century and have a programme in place which will make the building environmentally more responsible, more comfortable for our guests generally and, in particular, more accessible for disabled visitors.

But before we can embark on that programme, it is necessary to deal with the immediate depredations of Holy Island weather and make the building watertight. To that end, we are launching a number of initiatives to raise £30,000 to cover the cost of urgently required works to the fabric of the building.

In a chaotic and noisy world, it is vital to provide places for silence and contemplation - which has been our charity’s overriding concern.  Please help us provide this vital service for another half century and make a donation. 

For further information, interview or photograph requests please contact:-

Frances Wilson, Warden.

Tel. 01289 389246

Email: marygate.house@gmail.com

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