Who was Grace Darling and what feat did she perform?

Grace Horsley Darling (1815 -1842) was the daughter of lighthouse keeper William Darling.

During the early morning of 7 September 1838 the SS Forfarshire was shipwrecked on the rocks near Longstone Lighthouse on the Farne Islands, off the coast of Northumberland.  Grace Darling saw the ship from the lighthouse and alerted her father. Because of the rough seas the two of them took a 4 man rowing boat out to rescue any survivors as it was too rough for the lifeboat.  They picked up 4 men and a Mrs Dawson (who had lost both her children in the disaster) and returned to the lighthouse.  Mr Darling & 3 of the survivors returned to the wreckage and rescued a further eight people.  They were all marooned at the lighthouse for 3 days because of the rough weather.

Grace & her parents are buried in Bamburgh in St Aidan's Churchyard.