The Vikings are alive and well and living in the North West of England, if we are to belive our friend William "Bill" Routledge. We asked him for an interview on one of our common favorite subject; the relationship between our two great nations. Bill was willing to share his thought on the matter.
The North West has long been known to have special links with the Vikings going back over a thousand years, through archaeological evidence, ancient manuscripts, local surnames and place-names. It’s believed many of the Vikings, of mainly Norwegian origin, ended up in the region after being expelled from Ireland in AD902. Also, recent research of nearly 50 per cent of men that volunteered to have their DNA collected from within and just outside the boundaries of Lancashire, whom had surnames names dating back thousands of years connected and to the county, found out that their ancestry was indeed Viking in origin. I too, myself, have blonde eyebrows and blue eyes!
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| On the move - Viking style |
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| Far from the Scandinavian dresser |
Once
old enough, I tapped the local newsagents for a morning paper round,
whereupon I was taken on due to an older lad retiring at the end of the
week. Mornings would be spent wandering aimlessly while supping a pint
of gold top milk that I’d ‘borrowed’ from a doorstep and reading such
delights as the ‘Hagar the Horrible’ comic strip in the Sun newspaper
chuckling to myself before posting a percentage of the papers and
dumping the rest in the bushes. It wasn’t long before a coped the
bullet.
Leading to today: Stepping over the threshold from where I live nowadays, Grimsargh, Lancashire, there has been many a historical happening since the village was listed in the Domesday Book. Within a mile or two of my humble abode, and even under the foundations of where I sat typing these notes up, events took place that have connections to the Vikings.
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| Grimsargh, East of the City of Preston |
After
the Romans had left Blighty, the Celtic influence prevailed; boatloads
of Norwegians and Viking Norsemen, from Scandinavia, sailed across the
North Sea in the early part of the tenth century to our fair shores,
possibly via Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man on their jollies,
before landing on North of England beaches - no doubt with a bit of
lumber and pillaging on the way. Some of these Vikings then dodged the
Spivs selling snide sunglasses and sticky toffee apples on Blackpool’s
Golden Mile and set up camp near to the River Ribble, not too far from a
Anglo Saxon gaff, Brockholes. Both of these settlements being a stone’s
throw from Princeps Pacis, Prince of Peace or Preston-Preston more
commonly known as just, Preston. The two encampments seemingly kept
themselves to themselves and co-existed – it’s nice to be nice, isn’t
it?
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| A Viking mansion |
Proud
of our local Scandinavian heritage, Vikings have been hewn in old stone
farmers gateposts and new, pristine Viking heads have been commissioned
too.
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| Bill the protector |
Apart
from being a member of the Scandinavian forum Our Culture, amongst
others, I’ve also a passion for Preston North End. And recently, through
a mutual friend, Minty, I was introduced to The PNEFC Norwegian Branch
of supporters while having a pint in the Old Black Bull in Preston –
what a cracking bunch of lads they were too. Hopefully, one day soon, I
will cross the North Sea for a flagon or two of ale with our
Scandinavian brethren – if my Lotto numbers come-up, that is.
We thank you for the history lesson, Bill. Looking forward to seeing you again and talk about our fellow ancestors over a horn of ale or two.
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| Wearing the colours |
We thank you for the history lesson, Bill. Looking forward to seeing you again and talk about our fellow ancestors over a horn of ale or two.
