▁well ▁as ▁saving ▁the ▁landscape ▁from ▁ins ens itive ▁development , ▁Ra wn s ley ▁and ▁his ▁colle agues ▁aim ed ▁to ▁protect ▁rights ▁of ▁way ▁and ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁common ▁land . ▁The ▁new ▁society ▁gained ▁support ▁not ▁only ▁among ▁local ▁people ▁but ▁throughout ▁Britain , ▁including ▁the ▁cities ; ▁there ▁was ▁support ▁from ▁outside ▁Britain , ▁particularly ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Vic ar ▁of ▁Cro st h wa ite ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁time ▁the ▁Lake ▁District ▁Def ence ▁Society ▁was ▁being ▁formed , ▁the ▁Bishop ▁of ▁Carl is le , ▁Har vey ▁Good win , ▁offered ▁Ra wn s ley ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁vic ar ▁of ▁St ▁Kent ig ern ' s , ▁Cro st h wa ite ▁and ▁rural ▁de an ▁of ▁K es wick . ▁Good win ▁said , ▁" In ▁my ▁opinion ▁the ▁post ▁which ▁I ▁offer ▁you ▁is ▁as ▁near ▁Heaven ▁as ▁anything ▁in ▁this ▁world ▁can ▁be ". ▁Ra wn s ley ▁took ▁up ▁the ▁appointment ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 8 8 3 . ▁ ▁By ▁contrast ▁with ▁the ▁tiny ▁parish ▁of ▁W ray , ▁which ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁about ▁ 1 0 0 , ▁Cro st h wa ite ▁was ▁substantial , ▁with ▁not ▁only ▁St ▁Kent ig ern ' s ▁but ▁five ▁out lying ▁churches ▁in ▁the ▁surrounding ▁coun tr ys ide . ▁The ▁parish ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁the ▁sixth ▁century , ▁and ▁ ▁there ▁was ▁much ▁to ▁appeal ▁to ▁Ra wn s ley ' s ▁sense ▁of ▁history . ▁He