It is the first account of Anglo-Saxon England ever written, and a valuable source for this period, unequalled for centuries to come. Starting with Julius Caesar's invasion in the 1st century BC, it goes on to tell of the kings, bishops, monks and nuns who helped to develop government and convert people to Christianity. 

But don't let the word “ecclesiastical” put you off. Bede writes about important men and women but also describes landscape, customs and ordinary lives. The history also includes the famous analogy comparing life to a sparrow's experience of flying out of the darkness into a great hall. After a few moments of comfort the bird vanishes from sight into the wintry world that he came from.

The rich, vivid work cast a light across the whole of Western Civilisation and Bede became a bestseller, a well-known scholar, and eventually a saint. It has been in print ever since it was written.

Bede was pretty well qualified to write about the church – he was put in a monastery at Wearmouth when he was seven, became a deacon at 19 and a priest at 30.

His importance cannot be understated. Dubbed “The Father of English History”, his chronological works were a major factor in encouraging Europe to adopt the numbering of years from Christ’s birth. Anno Dominii (AD), “The Year of Our Lord”, was a phrase used by Bede in his works. His edition of the Bible remains the Catholic Church's most authoritative Latin version to this day.

Bede committed the English version of history to writing at a time when oral culture was gradually becoming discredited and replaced with ink and paper.

He wrote on a wide range of topics, from music to Scripture commentaries, but other historical works included The Life And Miracles Of St Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne. The Lindisfarne Gospels were made in honour of Cuthbert and Bede’s work recounts his life as a miracle worker, (as the name suggests). To learn more about St Cuthbert click here

Bede died in AD 735 at Jarrow and his remains were later moved to Durham Cathedral.