Nature conservation, it’s a modern thing right? We are gradually becoming more enlightened about the need to protect species and habitats?
Well, yes, we appear to be a bit better than we used to be but don’t go thinking that nature conservation is a modern thing.
This is St Cuthbert, former Bishop of Lindisfarne and a monk who lived for many years as a hermit on the island of Inner Farne off the coast of Northumberland.
He was born in 634 and died in 687 and was one of the most popular saints of early British Christianity.
While living on the Farne Islands, Cuthbert shared his rock in the sea with thousands of sea birds, including Eider Ducks.
He instituted laws protecting the ducks and the other sea birds that used the islands for nesting. These were the world’s first nature protection laws.
And that is why Eider Ducks are still called Cuddy (Cuthbert’s) Ducks in Northumberland.
Well, you know now 