Robert Floure

Robert Fleur is a pious hermit who lives in a cave beside the River Nidd, less than a mile downstream from Knaresborough. He is protected by William de Stuteville, Baron of Knaresborough and Constable of Knaresborough Castle, who though he first believed he Robert sheltered outlaws and ne'er-do-wells, was struck by a vision warning him to leave the hermit alone.
Robert's cave and the foundations of his chapel, photographed in 1910:

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Robert Fleur is the eldest son of wealthy York merchant Took Floure and his pious wife Semenia. Asa child he was noted for his attention to the devotions his mother taught him, and his reluctance to play with other children in favour of solitary contemplation.
As a mechant's child Robert was taught his letters, and proved to have a love of learning. He took minor orders and became a sub-deacon. In 1180 he joined the Cistercian abbey at Newminster, in Northhumberland, where he was initially impressed with their dev0tion and pious behaviour, but withdrew from his noviate after 14 weeks as he found he was unsuited for communal living.
He returned home to his parents' house in York, but soon heard of a hermit who lived in a cave beside the River Nidd near Knaresborough, 18 miles from York, and determined to join him. The hermit proved to be a knight in hiding after deserting Richard the Lionheart's army rather than someone truly drawn to the eremetical life. Nevertheless, Robert remained for a while, living off fruits, roots and herbs, and the donations of local people.
Shortly afterwards Robert moved to a hermitage at Rudfarlington, in the Forest of Knaresborough between Knaresborough and Spofforth, where a wealthy widow, Juliana Percy, offered him a chapel dedicated to St Hilda and land to support himself. He developed a reputation as a pious asnd generous man, who lived simply and cared for the poor. After a year, however, the hermitage was raided by outlaws who stole his winter food and seed corn, and he moved to Spofforth. Disturbed by constant requests for advice from the villagers, he accepted an offer from the Bendictine priory at Bramham to join their community. His criticisms of the monks' lifestyles soon made him unwelcome, and he returned to Rudfarlington, where his patron promised a more secure storage for grain.
William de Stuteville, Constable of Knaresborough Castle, believed Robert was harbouring thieves in the forest cell at Rudfarlington, and ordered it torn down. Robert returned to the cave in the cliffs of Knaresborough where he had started his eremetical life. There he built a hut from tree branches. De Stuteville determined to have him removed again, but experienced a terrfying vision of angels threatening him if he did so. He therefore granted Robert the lands between his cave and Grimbald Crag, and ordered a granary and poor-house built.
Robert has remained there ever since, tending to the sick and the poor. HI sknightly companion is still with him.

Date of Death

24 September 1218

Year of Birth

1160 AD 32 Years old

Parents

Took Floure

Semenia Floure