Who's Who
No man is an island — John Donne
No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is
the less, as well as if a promontory were,
as well as any manner of thy friends or
of thine own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
The Benefice of Coniston and the Crake Valley covers a large area and many communities, and there are five places of worship and numerous events and activities. The task of pastoring, nurturing and missional outreach could never be the role of one man or one woman, and so it is important to introduce the team members that support the benefice and its work and mission.
|
Brian has been the incumbent of St. Mary’s, Egton-cum-Newland, St. Luke’s, Lowick and Holy Trinity, Colton since February 2015. While, more recently, he also took on the incumbency for St. Andrew’s, Coniston & St. Luke’s, Torver in January 2018 forming the Coniston & Crake Valley Benefice.
|
 |
|
| Brian’s roots are in the evangelical and charismatic wing of the Church, and he is also the Regional Consultant for the North of England for Filling Station, a network of meetings focussed on renewal and evangelism. |
Robin was appointed as the editor of the Coniston and Crake Valley News in September 2025.
David retired from full time ministry in 2015 after forty years, twenty six years in West Cumbria and Carlisle. Married to Gillian and father to a son who is a vicar and a daughter actively involved in youth ministry. David and Gillian have five grandchildren. Spare time interests include railways, large and miniature and enjoying the countryside with his large dogs. David and Gillian are interested in spiritual renewal, healing ministry and faith nurture.
Wife to Howard. Daughter to Gerald and Nancy. Sister to Mark and Tim. Born in the USA. BA Psychology/Business. CPA CGMA. Enjoy intellectual challenge of theology (4 years with Joe Daly learning with 12 other lovely souls under the direction of Allen Legate) and the signs and wonders of charismatic ministry. Worship & Outreach Minister for Coniston & Torver though most time with Coniston. Play keyboard, piano, organ and french horn. Live and work from Brantwood, the former home of John Ruskin. Founder and Treasurer of Berkeley Square Speakers in London, Secretary of Friends of Ruskin’s Brantwood and The Rawdon-Smith Trust. Member of Windermere Orchestra and Ambleside Choral Society. Director of theslipper.com. Manage the St Andrew’s web-site and twitter @standrewsangel.
Barbara Watson is the Pastoral Team Leader for the parishes of Holy Trinity, Colton, St. Luke's, Lowick with Blawith and St. Mary the Virgin, Egton cum Newland.
Barbara lives locally with her husband Tom, and they are both active and key members of the Greenodd and Penny Bridge communities. Previously, Barbara and Tom had been dairy farmers in the Crake Valley and both come from a farming background and farming families.
Therefore, Barbara has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the local communities and the local people — and is related one way or another to quite a few of them!
St. Mary's, Penny Bridge
