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BOAT passengers on Derwentwater float happily past the wooded St Herbert's Island, without giving it a great deal of thought. They may spare it a momentary thought perhaps as to why it might so named, but often little more, yet the story is an interesting one. Herbert was a Saxon saint, who lived a solitary life on the island, a disciple of the great St Cuthbert of' Lindisfarne, but he was greatly overshadowed by the North East saint. Herbert's date of birth is unknown but he lived in the seventh century for many years on the little island in the lake. He was a long time close friend of Cuthbert and would visit him at Lindisfarne, every year to seek Cuthbert's direction in spiritual matters. In 686 Herbert heard that his friend and mentor Cuthbert was visiting Carlisle to give the nun's veil to Queen Eormenburg, who was presumably taking holy orders in the wake of her husband's death. She was the wife of King Ecgfrith of Northumbria, who had been killed in battle. A popular legend concerning Ecgfrith's death fighting in Scotland, has his queen touring the church at Carlisle with Cuthbert during the campaign, as she could not bear to stay behind at the royal quarters and patiently await news of the battle's outcome. During the tour Cuthbert stopped, paused, and said to Eormenburg: "I have just had a vision of your husband's death. Return to your palace and escape with your children." Almost immediately, a messenger arrived from Scotland, with the news that Ecgfrith had been slain and his host routed. Whatever the truth, Herbert went to Cuthbert there, instead of at Lindisfarne and after they had spoken together St. Cuthbert said: "Brother Herbert, tell to me now all that you have need to ask or speak, for never shall we see one another again in this world. For I know that the time of my decease is at hand." Then Herbert fell weeping at his feet and begged that St. Cuthbert would obtain for him the grace that they might both be admitted to praise God in heaven at the same time. And St. Cuthbert prayed and then made answer, "Rise, my brother, weep not, but rejoice that the mercy of God has granted our desire". And indeed Herbert, returning to his hermitage, fell ill of long sickness, and, purified of his imperfections, passed to God on the very March 20, 687 on which St. Cuthbert died on Holy Island Subsequently Cuthbert’s feast became by far more popular and Herbert was largely forgotten with only the island named after him. In 1374 Thomas Appleby, Bishop of Carlisle, ordered the vicar of Crosthwaite to celebrate a sung Mass on St Herbert’s Island each year on his feast and granted 40 days indulgence to all who visited it on this day. The ruins of a circular stone building there may be connected with St Herbert. His feast is on 20th March. St Herbert appears under the name “Erebert” as a character in the mostly fictional book “Credo” about the life of St Bega by Melvin Bragg. St Herbert’s Island is also said to be the inspiration for “Owl Island” in Beatrix Potter’s book “The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin”. Thanks to Chris Breen for this text which appeared in the September 2011 edition of his local “The Guide Magazine” Magazine Website - includes recent copy of “The Keswick Guide Magazine” __________________________________________________ The Annual Mass on St Herbert’s Island is organised by Our Lady of the Lakes and St Charles Catholic Church in Keswick (Not in March as the weather and access to the island are difficult at this time) Please see recent years’ photographs
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