Farne Island, Northumberland

This painting was one of six commissioned from Richard by Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd. to use as illustrations in their guides and calendars. See images below.

The world’s oldest bird sanctuary was founded on the Inner Fame in 676 or 677, by Cuthbert, later sixth bishop of Lindisfarne and saint. Here, for nearly a decade, he lived the life of a hermit, taming and understanding the resident birds and mammals. Today the whole archipelago (15 to 28 separate islands and islets, depending on the state of the tide) is the pro‐perty of the National Trust, managed by their Farne Islands Local Committee, and visited by 7,000-8,ooo people every year. Most of the exposed rock is volcanic dolerite, which provides elegant platforms, pinnacles and cliffs for a …

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The world’s oldest bird sanctuary was founded on the Inner Fame in 676 or 677, by Cuthbert, later sixth bishop of Lindisfarne and saint. Here, for nearly a decade, he lived the life of a hermit, taming and understanding the resident birds and mammals. Today the whole archipelago (15 to 28 separate islands and islets, depending on the state of the tide) is the pro‐perty of the National Trust, managed by their Farne Islands Local Committee, and visited by 7,000-8,ooo people every year. Most of the exposed rock is volcanic dolerite, which provides elegant platforms, pinnacles and cliffs for a huge sea bird population to nest on. Richard Eurich’s view looks north-west across the south end of Staple Island to the Inner Farne beyond, with Prior Castell’s tower (home of some of the watchers); in the distance the Northumberland mainland by Monk’s House. On the right guillemots nest on the Pinnacles, and around the entrance to Kittiwake Gully wheel clouds of our only ocean-going species of gull. The foreground birds are shag (flying), razorbill, duck eiders with young, arctic terns. Eric Ennion, long a bird observer on the Farnes, has painted portraits of roseate terns, cider pair, kittiwakes. St Cuthbert’s Islands have one of the greatest mixed terneries in the U.K.‐arctic, common, Sandwich and the rare and graceful roseate terns all come here to breed. Over 200 bird species have been logged on the archipelago which is an important staging post for migrants. Here, almost alone on Britain’s east coast, breed grey seals. The lighthouse island of Inner Fame and Staple Island are open to the (welcome) public. For landing permits apply to Fame Islands Committee, Narrowgate House, Alnwick; or Natural History Society, Hancock Museum, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; or Bamburgh Castle Hotel; or Bolton’s Garage, Seahouses: all in Northumberland. Boats operate from Seahouses (3 m. SE of Bamburgh, on B I340). The rest of the archipelago is virtually out of bounds. JAMES FISHER

Richard's trip to Seahouses and the Farne Islands for this Shell commission inspired several other paintings.