The talk on the above subject was given by Mrs Paula Keating as the Society’s first lecture
in the Four Lane Ends Mission Bickerstaffe.
Records show that the so called Hermit was born in 1736 and Died in 1824 and was interred
in the older part of Ormskirk Parish Church Graveyard with a poem inscribed on his
gravestone signed what seems to be ‘HP’
He was a very well known gentleman and his death was recorded in London Liverpool and
Preston newspapers of the time.
His abode was an octagonal thatched roof cottage on Ladies Walk he was given 1 acre of
land in New Park for the production of flowers and vegetables. Mrs Keating described him
as being a jocular character with Silvery hair he wore a broad rimmed hat. His will describes
him as a professional gardener he had the use of a ‘Hot House and produced a number of
highly ornamental plants.
The Hermits name was Robert Swarisbrick which was spelt in various ways. People referred
to him as a Religious Recluse a Jilted lover or even as an ornamental hermit who happened
to have a 100 year old flute. He was the subject of poems by Rev Thomas Garrat of Burscough.
Robert was a servant of the Catholic Church and was paid to play the part of a hermit as an
ornamental feature of gardens His will remains at Preston and he bequeathed £124.00 in total
to his brother William and to churches in the area and £5.00 each to his two gravediggers.
A lengthy and enthusiastic discussion developed between Mrs Keating and a member with a
very similar surname.
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