Cuthbert, saint to be, was born in 643 into a highly placed Anglo-Saxon family, sheep-farming near Channelkirk at the head of Lauderdale. Even in childhood he had a vision of a man on horseback who told him a cure for his lameness. When eight years old Cuthbert was sent to live with foster-parents, and probably to attend bishop Aidan's school for gifted youths on Lindisfarne. On a visit to the River Tyne his prayers caused the wind to change so that a party of monks being swept to sea on rafts were returned to safety. The monks were probably engaged in salmon fishing. At the age of 15 Cuthbert was enlisted in king Oswald's army for the defence of Bamburgh Castle against a Mercian raid. His visions continued as did his duties as a shepherd. Tending flocks by night he saw a vision of angels ascending with a soul of great brightness. Next day he learned that Aidan, his mentor, had died. He resolved to become a monk and in 651 was received at Mailros by abbot Boisel. His asceticism in drink and food enhanced his reputation for holiness. Later he went with bishop Eata to Ripon to found the monastery there, where Cuthbert was the Guest Master.

In 660 Eata and his monks returned to Mailros in protest at the Roman practices imposed upon the convent at Ripon. An epidemic illness struck the convent of Mailros. Cuthbert recovered but his abbot, Boisel, died. Cuthbert was appointed prior of Mailros. He accepted the decisions of the Synod of Whitby of 664 though several fellow clerics did not and returned to Iona. As prior of Mailros he made prolonged missionary journeys. One of these was to the double monastery of Coldingham where Aebbe, sister of king Oswald, was abbess. On another occasion he was seen to spend the night in prayer immersed to the arm-pits in the sea. He may have sought the trance-like state induced by deep chilling, hypothermia, a dangerous practice.

In 669 Eata was made bishop of Lindisfarne and Cuthbert went with him as prior. Cuthbert continued his missionary journeys, preaching and performing miracles. With difficulty he persuaded many Celtic monks to submit to the Synod of Whitby. In 676 he retired to seek solitude on the Farne Islands.

In 684 Cuthbert was appointed bishop of Hexham. He accepted with great reluctance and immediately exchanged sees with Eata, bishop of Lindisfarne. As foretold by Boisel, abbot of Mailros, later Saint Boswell, Cuthbert was consecrated bishop of Lindisfarne at Easter of 685. He continued his evangelical activities and the miracles of wisdom and healing with the added burden of episcopal duties but after Christmas of the next year, 686, he resigned and retired to his hermitage on the Farne island, never to return alive to Lindisfarne.

On the 20th of March, 687, he died and was buried on Lindisfarne. Ten years later, in 698, monks moving the body found it still fresh and uncorrupt, a certain sign that Cuthbert was a saint. Continuing miracles were associated with his body.