St Herbert Press

Why did I choose this name for my imprint?

For a few years we were able to keep our ‘Wanderer’ class sailing dinghy at Portinscale on Derwentwater. A favourite family outing was to sail to St Herbert’s Island – preferably to land and eat a picnic. (See ‘Affinity’ April 1989) But who was St Herbert?

St Herbert lived as a hermit on this island in the seventh century. Local people would row out to bring him food, seek his counsel, ask for his prayers. He is now chiefly remembered as the ‘soul friend’ of the much better known St Cuthbert, who served as Bishop of Lindisfarne and did much to bring Christianity to Northumbria and Cumbria. In his very active and public life, he was supported day by day, year by year, by the prayers of his faithful friend Herbert, living a very different life on his island on the lake. It is believed that Cuthbert and Herbert both died on 20 March 687.

St Herbert’s Island, Derwentwater, from the lake, Skiddaw in the background