The Vicar of Morwenstow: Being a Life of Robert Stephen Hawker, M.A.

A striking portrait emerges of a man whose imagination seemed as boundless as the sea that lapped the Cornish coast he called home. From a mischievous youth who fled school and penned early verses, to his restless years at Oxford and his first marriage, his life was marked by a restless spirit that turned ordinary moments into lyrical adventures.

Settling in the remote parish of Morwenstow, he became both shepherd and storyteller, weaving local legends of mermaids, pixies and shipwrecks into his sermons and poetry. His unconventional habits—eccentric dress, a troupe of cats, and a deep compassion for the poor and for animals—made him a beloved yet baffling figure to his neighbours.

Through vivid anecdotes of coastal folklore, charitable deeds, and his zealous pursuit of justice, the biography captures the paradox of a brilliant, sensitive soul whose brilliance was often shadowed by an inner turbulence that colored every step of his remarkable journey.