St Bede was a monk at the twin Northumbrian monasteries of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow. He wrote many books, the most famous of which is his Ecclesiastical History of the English People. He was a distinguished linguist and translator, writing over 60 books. He was trained under St Benedict Biscop. During the plague of 686 he and Ceolfrith kept the choir of the monastery going. His tomb, which contains at least some of his bones, can still be seen in the Galilee chapel in Durham cathedral.
St Bede believed in the unity of the church in Britain. But he was very critical of the native British church, not least because of their slowness to adopt the Roman dating of Easter and so on. St Bede also chides the British for not doing more for the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons. Given that there two peoples were at war for a long time this seems harsh. He also shows scarcely any interest in the West Saxons.
He wrote the Life of St Cuthbert.
