The son of an important townsman of York, Robert became a cleric early in
life. As a subdeacon he was a novice at the Cistercian Abbey of Newminster,
but he stayed only a few months. He then chose to live as a hermit at
Knaresborough in a cave.
Robert continued there for some years, until a wealthy widow offered him a
cell and chapel at Rudfarlington, near by. A year later this hermitage was
destroyed by bandits, so Robert lived at Spofforth under the church wall for
a few months, then at Hedley, near Todcaster, before returning to
Rudfarlington.
He was soon in trouble with William de Stuteville, constable of
Knaresborough Castle, for harbouring thieves and outlaws. William destroyed
the hermitage, so Robert returned to his cave at Knaresborough where he
lived for the rest of his life.
Robert's death, like much of his life, was controversial, Cistercian monks
from Fountains Abbey tried unsuccessfully to aggregate him to their Order on
his death-bed and after his death on the 24th September, to bury his body in
their church. But he refused the first and foiled the second by arranging
for his burial in the chapel beside his cave.
Seven stained-glass panels of his life survive at Morley, in Derbyshire,
that were taken from Dale Abbey.
The site of Robert's chapel can still be seen, overlooking the river Nidd.
His feast day is the 24th September.
Written and contributed by Phillip Lloyd.
