Not more than forty years had gone since the conversion of Wessex, and Sussex was still given over to the worship of Thunor and Woden.

But Baeda's own life was one which brought him wholly into connection with Christian teachers and Roman culture.

Left an orphan at the age of seven years, he was handed over to the care of Abbot Benedict, after whose death Abbot Ceolfrid took charge of the young aspirant.

"Thenceforth," says the aged monk, fifty years later, "I passed all my lifetime in the building of that monastery [Jarrow], and gave all my days to meditating on Scripture.

In the intervals of my regular monastic discipline, and of my daily task of chanting in chapel, I have always amused myself either by learning, teaching, or writing.