Colmán’s Legacy: From Lindisfarne to Inishbofin (Possibly via Commondale?)

Today marks the anniversary of the death of Colmán of Lindisfarne in the year 675. A fine excuse, I thought, to wander over to Commondale, a place supposedly named after the saint. At least, that is what Tom Scott Burns claimed in The Walker’s Guide to the Cleveland Hills¹Tom Scott Burns Book — The Walkers’s Guide to the Cleveland Hills. Page 53. Smith Settle. 1993.. But, as with most things, it is not that simple.

The accepted explanation is that the name does indeed mean ‘Colman’s valley’²“Commondale :: Survey of English Place-Names”. epns.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 February 2025.. However, a rather more weighty and ancient source suggests that another bishop, also named Colman and equally pious, resided in the valley³Young, George (1817). A History of Whitby, and Streoneshalh Abbey: With a Statistical Survey of the Vicinity to the Distance of Twenty-five Miles. Clark and Medd. p. 175.

Forty years ago, I could have made the journey from Guisborough to Commondale and back in an hour. My mind still assumes I can, but my legs strongly disagree. So an hour later, I found myself merely at these standing stones, remnants of the prehistoric cross ridge dyke and stone alignment north of North Ings Slack, a tributary of Commondale Beck⁴NYMNPA HER Records (Monuments) HER No: 4034. Cross ridge dyke and stone alignment north of North Ings Slack.. But no matter, it was an excuse to be here.

And who was Colmán of Lindisfarne? An Irish monk from Iona, he became Bishop of Lindisfarne in 661 AD after Finan’s death. Like his predecessor, he clung to the Irish way of calculating Easter, which inevitably put him at odds with the Romanisers gaining influence in Northumbria.

This quarrel came to a head at the Synod of Whitby, where King Oswiu, ever the pragmatist, called for a resolution. Colmán defended his tradition, claiming it came from St John the Evangelist and his followers. Wilfrid, champion of the Roman method, countered by invoking St Peter, whose authority was supposedly unquestionable. Oswiu, not keen on arguing with the supposed gatekeeper of heaven, sided with Wilfrid. Thus, the Roman calculation of Easter prevailed, and Colmán, unwilling to conform, left Lindisfarne, taking with him monks who shared his stubbornness.

After ruling Lindisfarne for three years, he departed, carrying some of St Aidan’s bones for good measure. He first returned to Iona, then settled on the island of Inishbofin, off the Irish coast, where he founded a monastery.

Trouble soon followed. The Irish monks would disappear during the summer to gather food, only to return in winter expecting to share what the English monks had carefully stored. Unsurprisingly, this arrangement did not sit well with the English. In response, Colmán established a separate monastery in Mayo exclusively for them, leaving the Irish to fend for themselves on Inishbofin.

Ironically, despite Colmán’s loyalty to the Irish tradition, his monastery in Mayo became a stronghold of Roman influence in Ireland. Meanwhile, he remained on Inishbofin, where he died on 18th February 675.

So, was Colmán ever in Commondale? If he did pass through on his way to or from Whitby, perhaps the locals remembered him well enough to name the valley after him. Perhaps he even paused by these very stones. Perhaps he even carved that cross on the smaller stone. Or perhaps that is wishful thinking.

• 1
  Tom Scott Burns Book — The Walkers’s Guide to the Cleveland Hills. Page 53. Smith Settle. 1993.
• 2
  “Commondale :: Survey of English Place-Names”. epns.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
• 3
  Young, George (1817). A History of Whitby, and Streoneshalh Abbey: With a Statistical Survey of the Vicinity to the Distance of Twenty-five Miles. Clark and Medd. p. 175
• 4
  NYMNPA HER Records (Monuments) HER No: 4034. Cross ridge dyke and stone alignment north of North Ings Slack.