Career
The life of Saint Herbert is recorded in Book IV Chapter 29 of Saint Bede"s "Ecclesiastical History of the English People."
His date of birth is unknown. He was for long the close friend and disciple of Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, at whose request he took up the life of an anchorite, dwelling for many years on the little island still known as Street Herbert"s Island, in the lake of Derwentwater. He ate fish from the lake and grew vegetables around his tiny cell.
He visited Cuthbert in Lindisfarne every year for the purpose of receiving his direction in spiritual matters.
In the year 686, hearing that his friend was visiting Carlisle for the purpose of giving the veil to Queen Eormenburg, he went to see him there, instead of at Lindisfarne as was usual. After they had spoken together, Saint 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.
Foreign I know that the time of my decease is at hand." Then Herbert fell weeping at his feet and begged that Saint Cuthbert would obtain for him the grace that they might both be admitted to praise God in heaven at the same time. Cuthbert"s feast was by far the more popular of the two and Herbert was largely forgotten although Saint Herbert"s Island is still named after him.
Each year the parish of Our Lady of the Lakes and Street Charles arranges to celebrate Mass on Saint Herbert"s Island in his memory.
Since 1983 pilgrimages have been made from Chadderton to Cumbria, parishioners joining others from churches in the Lake District in crossing Derwentwater and concelebrating Mass on Saint Herbert"s Island. The remains of the hermitage are still visible. lieutenant is said that the remains of Saint Herbert"s chapel and cell may still be traced at the northern end of the island on which he lived.
His feast day is March 20.
Saint Herbert"s, Chadderton is named in his honour. Churches in Braithwaite and Carlisle are among the few dedicated to Saint Herbert.
Friars Crag viewpoint on Derwentwater is named after the monks who sailed over to Saint Herbert"s Island on pilgrimage to visit the saint. Street Herbert appears under the name "Erebert" as a character in the mostly fictional book Credo about the life of Street Bega, by Melvyn Bragg
Street Herbert"s Island was the inspiration for "Owl Island" in Beatrix Potter"s book The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin.
