Islandshire

Lindisfarne

Belford

Islandshire is an area comprising Lindisfarne (or Holy Island), and five parishes on the mainland of Northumberland.

Islandshire though contained wholly within the borders and coast of Northumberland was part of the County Palatine of Durham ruled by the Bishops of Durham until their authority was transferred to the Crown in 1836, and it remained even after that date administratived as an exclave of County Durham until the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844, which treated it as a Hundred (or Ward) of Northumberland.

The name of Islandshire remained in use not only for the Ward in the county but to lend a name to an administrative district council for 80 years from 1894, known as part of the Norham and Islandshires Rural District, which encompassed another old Durham liberty; Norhamshire.

The historic parishes of Islandshire are:

• Ancroft
• Belford
• Elwick
• Holy Island
• Kyloe
• Tweedmouth