The Island Where Time Stands Still

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 196, 21 August 1935, Page 13

The Island Where Time Stands Still

I have just conic back from Britain’s strangest holiday island, writes a London journalist from Berwick-on-Twecd. Though it is only three miles from land and can bo reached on foot at low tide, it is an island where the women still carry water from the wells in gourds; thero aro no cinemas, gas, or electricity; there is no doctor or policomau; the word “pig” must not bo mentioned, and fishermen will not go to sea if they meet a cross-eyed man or woman.

The island is Lindisfarno or Holy Island, off tho const of Northumberland, so named because St. Aifian, the Irish monk, established a priory hero iu U 35 A.D. It was to celebrate the 130th anniversary of this historic fact that a pilgrimage, headed by the archbishop of York, recently visited tho ruins of the ancient priory. Holy Island is a place where, in many respects, time has stood still for centuries.

There are but 300 people there, and most of them belong to the Cromarty or Kyle families. Fishermen and farmers, they light for hardy livelihood from the sea and the soii. In rcccilt years they have derived considerable income by catering for holiday visitors. Getting ou the island is an exciting and adventurous business, and whoa they get there visitors receive many “shocks’’ and surprises. When the tide is low it is possible to walk over the sands barefooted. The ' way is marked by a long row of poles—tho Pilgrim’s Way—and is dotted at intervals by 12-foot high cages, reached by a ladder, in which anyone overtaken by the tide may take refuge. Pony carts make the journey across when the tide lias left the sand too wet or full of holes for tho journey to be made in the old rusty carts which are the official means of crossing. When noted visitors arrive at the island by car they are given a distinguished welcome. This means that the car is dragged up the village street and a salvo of guns fired over it.. If the visitors happen to be bride and bridegroom, there is no escape from lho ceremony of “loaning” or jumping the formidable piece of rock I in the ancient churchyard which is known as the "petting stone”—a feat which is said to ensure happiness. The fact that there is no electricity or gas ou the island- does not worry the islanders, i'or they dance the old-time dances, tho quadrille, the polka, and the Sir Roger de Coverlcy in the church hall under the light of oil lamps and to tho music of a piano.

Tlie absence of a doctor never worries them. Coming- of hardy northern stock they rarely ail, and when they want a doctor they fetch one over from the mainland. But a policeman has yet to bo called to the island to deal with misconduct on Ihc part of the natives. One of the most amusing superst-itu-

tions on Holy Island is*that the "pig" must never be mentioned by name. So that, although* there arc thousands cm the island, they are always referred to as "the article." Another superstition is that lishermeu will not go to sea, however favourable the prospect, if they meet a cross-eyed man or woman on their way to tlio boats. Tho fishermen of this island, with the traditional bravery of Grace Darling and her father ever before them (they set out from the neighbouring Long Stone lighthouse), do not hesitate when the call is made to launch the lifeboat in tho fierce storms which sweep the barren c vst.

One of the oldest inhabitants—and one of the most popular with young visitors because of his stories of wrecks and stormy nights —is old George Cromarty, who has twice been decorated by tho King for his work as coxswain of the lifeboat.