Northern England - Religion

Religion

Many religions are present in northern England, with Christianity remaining the largest since the Early Middle Ages; its existence in Britain dates back to the Roman era and continued through Early Insular Christianity. The Holy Island of Lindisfarne played an essential role in the Christianisation of Northumbria, after Aidan from Connacht founded a monastery there as the first Bishop of Lindisfarne on the request of King Oswald. It is known for the creation of the Lindisfarne Gospels and remains a place of pilgrimage. Paulinus, as part of the Gregorian mission, became the first Bishop of York. It was at the Synod of Whitby that calculations of Easter were brought into line with Roman calculations. In the modern day the three main forms of Christianity practised are Anglicanism, Catholicism and Methodism. In terms of ecclesiastical administration of the Church of England, the entire north is covered by the Province of York, which is represented by the Archbishop of York. Likewise, with the exception of old Cheshire, the north is covered in Roman Catholic Church administration by the Province of Liverpool represented by the Archbishop of Liverpool.

There is a sizeable Muslim population in the north, which ranges from zero percent in many rural areas to 19.4% in Blackburn with Darwen.