The visit of leading heritage experts to the site yesterday underlined the importance of the World Heritage Site bid.
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A local authorities World Heritage Forum was staged, bringing together local authority elected members and officials from across the country who are closely involved in World Heritage Sites.

The aim of the forum was to ensure that local communities like South Tyneside and Sunderland derive maximum benefits from World Heritage Site status.

The Bishop of Jarrow, the Right Reverend Mark Bryant, who chairs the Wearmouth-Jarrow Partnership, said: "The worldwide view of the twin monastery of Wearmouth-Jarrow cannot be underestimated.

"It was home to the Venerable Bede, Europe's greatest 8th century scholar, and in its day formed one of the most influential institutions in the western world.

"Bede contributed much to the western world, including setting the calculation for Easter, that we still use today.

"The site is also home to the largest collection of rare 7th century window glass in Europe and some of the best surviving 7th century building fabric in the world."

In January, Bishop Mark Bryant took part in the historic Bede's Way Pilgrimage, from St Paul's in Jarrow to St Peter's in Sunderland, to mark his role as spearheading the historic bid.

Supporters of the Wearmouth-Jarrow Partnership include South Tyneside and Sunderland City councils, plus One NorthEast, English Heritage and the Diocese of Durham.

Known as the Father of English History, Bede was medieval Europe's greatest scholar during the so-called Golden Age of Northumbria, and made the Wearmouth-Jarrow monastic site an international centre for learning and culture in the 7th and 8th centuries.

The nomination for World Heritage Site status, announced by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in October 2006, is helping boost annual tourist numbers at Bede's World museum in Jarrow and attracting major outside investment to improve both the Jarrow St Paul's monastic site, in Church Bank, and Monkwearmouth.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) will ultimately consider Wearmouth-Jarrow for World Heritage Sites status.

World Heritage Sites are officially deemed places or buildings of outstanding universal value and recognised as constituting a world heritage "for whose protection it is the duty of the international community as a whole to co-operate"

Benedict Biscop is the 7th century saint credited with founding the twin monastic site, which became one of Europe's greatest centres of culture and learning.

The World Heritage Site Management Plan will be taken through full public consultation later in 2008.