IT'S quite unnerving to follow in the footsteps of someone great. Many people still remember Bishop Hardy who was vicar of Gargrave from 1948 to 1957. He and his family had a huge impact on the church and the village.

But by far my most illustrious predecessor must be St Robert of Newminster. Robert was born in Gargrave just 34 years after the Norman conquest and was probably from one of the Norman families that moved to Gargrave in about 1087. He was sent to university in Paris and was, reputedly, a good scholar; he loved the Psalms, and went on to write a commentary on them.

He became a priest and returned to Gargrave around 1125. The current church is built more-or-less on the foundations of the previous building so, when Robert was leading services in church, almost 900 years ago, he was probably standing where the vicar stands today!

Robert was eventually recognised as a saint because he was clearly a man who loved and followed Jesus. He was said to be a gentle man and “merciful in judgement”. A few years after returning to Gargrave he left the genteel village life to become a monk. Eventually he founded a new abbey, at Newminster, and monks from his abbey established several others across the north.

So what can we learn from Gargrave's most illustrious vicar? Well, he sought God in prayer, and in his studies. He aimed to live the way Jesus taught, and he followed Jesus wherever He led him; even at some personal cost. Robert lived life in three dimensions: knowing God spiritually; caring for the people around him; and looking after himself. That is how we can have a good, meaningful life too.

The Rev David Houlton

Vicar of Gargrave and Coniston Cold