History lesson with uncle Bill

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!

On the move - Viking style

Anyway, from a very early age I’ve always had an interest and fascination for travelling to far off shores, boats and Vikings: Since being knee-high to a grasshopper I would pester my Dad to regale me with stories of his years in the Royal Navy during WWII and the foreign countries that he visited while serving for Queen and country. I didn’t grasp the severity of what real wars were and there consequences but, at an age of innocence, nevertheless, I grasped that there were places around the globe that were accessible by taking to the ocean waves and setting sail. I also sat glued to the TV every Christmas Day transfixed by ‘Jason and the Argonauts’  and the swashbuckling involved while occurrences occurred in their quest for the ‘Golden Fleece.’ All this to place while being watched over from the clouds above by the ancient Gods. (I’ll let you in to a secret, I really thought Jason and the lads were Vikings back in the day.)
        

Far from the Scandinavian dresser

Moving on a few years: History lessons at school never went to in-depth on what the Vikings had done for us, unlike what the Romans had; this apart from the dark side of their exploits. We were informed that the Norse warriors had raided Britain for their self gain leaving a trail of destruction in their wake, akin to land pirates.

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.

Grimsargh, East of the City of Preston

*Grimsargh is a semi-rural village to the East of the City of Preston, whose name is said to deprive from an Old Norse name Grimr, with ‘argh’ added* (NB: Grim also meaning ugly in modern Norwegian. Grym in Sweden meaning both ugly and cool.)

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?

A Viking mansion

The Norsemen knocked up shed-like-huts, ploughed the fallowed land and planted crops. Without going round the houses to explain Old Norse, Danish and Saxon meanings of the aforementioned, the name of Grimsargh for their settlement had been established. Also, the only boozer in the village to this day is called The Plough, in reference to Grimsargh’s past inhabitants.

Proud of our local Scandinavian heritage, Vikings have been hewn in old stone farmers gateposts and new, pristine Viking heads have been commissioned too.

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.

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.