Steve Harding’s

Wirral & West Lancashire Viking Research Page

One of the four new Thingwall signposts on Wirral – officially opened June 15th 2012.

Cross Hill – believed to be the site of Wirral’s Thing – is to the right of the hedge. Thanks to Don, Roy, Matt and United Utilities.

Next project: Meols Park Viking Statue. Click here!

Headline from The Guardian, 3rd December 2007

from The Independent, 8th December 2004

BACKGROUND BEHIND THIS PAGE
I’m Steve Harding, Professor of Applied Biochemistry at the University of Nottingham and welcome to my Wirral and West Lancashire Viking Research page. It’s been designed primarily to keep people abreast of research on the Vikings in this part of North West England, although I‘ve added quite a bit of trivia too. The page was first set up in 2002 as The Wirral 1100^th Viking Anniversary Page to commemorate the 1100^th anniversary of Vikings arriving and settling in Wirral in or around AD902, an event generally accepted by Scholars to be correct. Wirral was the area I was born and brought up and I was particularly inspired when as a Finals year student, not in History but in Natural Science - Physics - I stumbled on F.T. Wainwright’s book “Scandinavian England” in the College Library. What was particularly inspiring was when I found that the football team I had been supporting since the age of 5 had a Norse Viking name: Tranmere! And more recently ITV Weatherman Fred Talbot described Wirral as “Little Scandinavia”. This website is a collection of cuttings and trivia about not just Wirral but also neighbouring West Lancashire and Chester which are also steeped in Viking tradition (but Lancastrians and Cestrians please forgive my Wirral bias). Although Linguistics, History and Archaeology have been the main grammar of enquiry, Biology and Physics are now making important contributions and there are several examples of this below – and of teams of people working together. The book that has just appeared VIKING DNA: The Wirral and West Lancashire Project provides an excellent example of this. For a more general picture of Vikings in the Irish Sea region I recommend Dr. David Griffiths book Vikings of the Irish Sea, also published last year. Due to copyright restrictions I haven’t been able to directly link to all that I would have wished but I have put a link to an email request where appropriate. If there are any glaring mistakes or factual inaccuracies please let me know.

INTRODUCTION
The year 2002 marked the 1100th anniversary of the expulsion of Vikings from Ireland and their subsequent arrival and settlement of Wirral, a small peninsula between Wales and Liverpool, by Norsemen and Danes: Vikings from Norway and Denmark… and although they appear to have settled peacefully, 2007 also marked the 1100^th anniversary of the start of their raids on Chester.

Migrations Picture: John Harding

After their expulsion from Dublin in AD902 the Wirral Vikings, initially led by the Norwegian Viking INGIMUND, would have landed in their boats along the north Wirral coastline probably between what is now the lighthouse at Lingham (Old Norse lyng-holmr), Hoylake/Meols (Melr), West Kirby (vestri Kirkjubyr) and Thurstaston (Thorsteinn’s tun). They spread throughout the peninsula as far as south Chester and across the Mersey to populate South West Lancashire, joining another large group of Vikings who populated West Lancashire. Let's explore!...

ACADEMIC BOOKS

1. Scandinavian England (F.T. Wainwright, ed. H.P.R. Finberg, 1975). Now out of print but 3 chapters (on Wirral) are reprinted in Wirral and its Viking Heritage, and one (on Lancashire) in Viking Mersey.

2. Vikings in North West England. The Artefacts (Ben Edwards, 1998), paperback. Amazon link (UK).

3. Wirral and its Viking Heritage (Paul Cavill, Stephen Harding and Judith Jesch, 2000), paperback. Amazon link (UK) and Amazon.com.

4. Viking Norway (Torgrim Titlestad, 2008), hardback, 405 pages, Saga Bok (Stavanger). Order from Saga Bok or Bokkilden. Contains an Appendix: Norway’s “colony” of Wirral, Liverpool.

5. The Battle of Brunanburh. A Casebook (edited by Michael Livingston, May, 2011), Exeter University Press. Amazon link (UK) and Amazon.com.

6. Stability of Complex Carbohydrate Structures. Biofuels, Foods, Vaccines and Shipwrecks (edited by Stephen Harding, January 2013), Royal Society of Chemistry (based on a Meeting held at the RSC, Burlington House, London, September 2011). Leading experts exchange ideas and consider the stability and degradation (mechanisms and measurement) of carbohydrate structures in areas as diverse as food, biopharmaceuticals, vaccines, biofuels and preservation of Viking boats from microbial decay.

There are also significant Viking elements in the books by David Griffiths, Rob Philpott and Geoff Egan on Meols: The Archaeology of the North Wirral Coast and also in a research report/book by Rob Philpott and Mark Adams on Irby, Wirral. Excavations on a Late Prehistoric, Romano-British and Medieval Site, 1987-96.

POPULAR BOOKS

1. Ingimund's Saga: Norwegian Wirral (Stephen Harding, with Foreword by Magnus Magnusson, 2000), paperback, colour. Amazon.co.uk.
Hardback edition (2006): Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

2. Blood of the Vikings (Julian Richards, 2001), hardback - pages 176 to 179. Amazon link (UK).

3. VIKING MERSEY: Scandinavian Wirral, West Lancashire and Chester. (Stephen Harding, 2002), paperback, 240 pages, Countyvise Ltd. Amazon link (UK) and Amazon.com.

4. Bjarki the Viking (Jane Dickman, March 2010), paperback, 80 pages (for 7-12 year olds).

5. VIKING DNA. The Wirral and West Lancashire Project (Steve Harding, Mark Jobling and Turi King, Foreword by Michael Wood. Countyvise, December 2010), paperback, colour 166 pages. Amazon.co.uk [click on “5 new” and follow the Countyvise Link & order your copy for £17.50] … and Amazon.com.

6. Vikingblod - spor av vikinger i Nordvest-England - (Steve Harding & Stig Vaagan, Genesis Forlag, Oslo, December 2011) hardback, 314 pages. Bokkilden … og Bokelskere.

FORTHCOMING

1. In Search of the Vikings (book based on the Chester Viking Conference, November 2010, edited by S. Harding, D. Griffiths and E. Royles) – due Spring 2013.

2. In Search of the Battle of Brunanburh (P. Cavill & S. Harding) – due Spring 2013.

ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

1. North-West Mercia AD871-924. Article by F.T. Wainwright, originally published in the Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire & Cheshire in 1942 and edited version reprinted in Wirral and its Viking Heritage, ed. P. Cavill, S. Harding & J. Jesch, 2000, pages 19-42.

2. Ingimund’s Invasion. Article by F.T. Wainwright, originally published in the English Historical Review in 1948 and edited version reprinted in Wirral and its Viking Heritage, ed. P. Cavill, S. Harding & J. Jesch, 2000, pages 43-59.

3. The Background of Brunanburh. Article by John McNeal Dodgson, originally published in the Saga Book of the Viking Society in 1957 and reprinted in Wirral and its Viking Heritage, ed. P. Cavill, S. Harding & J. Jesch, 2000, pages 60-69.

4. Early monuments of West Kirby. Article by W.G. Collingwood. Originally published in John Brownbill ed., West Kirby and Hilbre. A Parochial History, 1928 and reprinted in Wirral and its Viking Heritage, ed. P. Cavill, S. Harding & J. Jesch, 2000, pages 84-97.

5. Wirral Field Names. Article by F.T. Wainwright, originally published in Antiquity in 1943 and edited version reprinted in Wirral and its Viking Heritage, ed. P. Cavill, S. Harding & J. Jesch, 2000, pages 98-99.

6. Pre-Norman crosses of West Cheshire and the Norse settlements around the Irish Sea. Article by J.D. Bu’Lock, originally published in Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society in 1958 and in Wirral and its Viking Heritage, ed. P. Cavill, S. Harding & J. Jesch, 2000, pages 70-83.

7. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the Stanley family of Stanley, Storeton and Hooton. Review of English Studies, volume 30, pages 308-316 (1979). Article by Edward Wilson. The 14th century poem is interesting from a Wirral perspective in that some of the (fictitious) action takes place in Wirral, the poem contains a significant proportion of Norse dialect words and a number of scholars such as Edward Wilson, Gervase Mathew and Andrew Breeze have associated the unknown poet with Sir John Stanley of Storeton Hall, Knight of the Garter.

8. Scandinavian Wirral. Article by Judith Jesch. From Wirral and its Viking Heritage, ed. P. Cavill, S. Harding & J. Jesch, 2000, pages 1-10.

9. From Scandinavia to the Wirral. Article by Judith Jesch, with appendix by Simon Bean a silver ingot discovered in 1995 at Ness. From Wirral and its Viking Heritage, ed. P. Cavill, S. Harding & J. Jesch, 2000, pages 11-18.

10. The Vikings and Victorian Merseyside. Article by Andrew Wawn. From Wirral and its Viking Heritage, ed. P. Cavill, S. Harding & J. Jesch, 2000, pages 108-124.

11. Locations and Legends. Article by Steve Harding on the location of names and features in Wirral, mapping the distribution of some Norse-derived names, and looks at some tenacious Victorian legends. From Wirral and its Viking Heritage, ed. P. Cavill, S. Harding & J. Jesch, 2000, pages 108-124.

12. Battle of Brunanburh: extract from book by Paul Cavill – Vikings: Fear and Faith in Anglo-Saxon England, Harper Collins Publishers, London & Glasgow, 2001, pages 97-111. See also The Context of Brunanburh. Chapter by N.J. Higham in Names, Places, People. An Onomastic Miscellany in Memory of John McNeal Dodgson (ed. A.R. Rumble and A.D. Mills), Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1997, pages 144-156.

13. Viking Settlement in the Wirral. Journal of the Chester Archaeological Society, new series vol 78, 2003, pages 107-117. Article by Stephen Matthews suggesting Ingimund's arrival was part of a deal with Queen Aethelflaed.

14. Scandinavian Settlement in West Cheshire - Stretching the Boundaries. Cheshire History, no. 43, pages 28-40 (2003/4). Article by Dan Robinson of the Grosvenor Museum, Chester: it includes a description of the Shocklach "Sleipnir" Horse.

15. Revisiting Dingesmere. Journal of the English Place Name Society, October 2004, volume 36, pages 25-38. Article by Paul Cavill, Stephen Harding and Judith Jesch suggesting a solution to a mystery concerning the Battle of Brunanburh: Dingesmere = Thing’s mere or marr.

16. The Wirral Carrs and Holms. Journal of the English Place Name Society, December 2007 volume 39, pages 45-57. Article by Steve Harding on the distribution of the carrs (ON kjarr) and holms (ON holmr) in Wirral - old Norse names associated with marshland - and their significance in terms of dialect (and in relation to the total absence of corresponding English names for the same features) - and possible relevance to the Battle of Brunanburh.

17. The Neston cross: an exercise in community engagement. Abstract by Roger White, Steve Harding and Martin Cooper in Vikings in the 21st century (J. Jesch, C. Lee, J. Carroll and C. Callow, eds). University of Birmingham 17-18 December, 2007. Use of the latest scanning laser technologies to help construct a replica of a remarkable piece.

18. The site of the battle of Brunanburh: manuscripts and maps, grammar and geography. Article by Paul Cavill in A Commodity of Good Names. Essays in Honour of Margaret Gelling (edited by O.J. Padek and D.N. Parsons), Shaun Tyas, Donington UK, pages 303-319, 2008.

19. Excavating past population structures by surname-based sampling: the genetic legacy of the Vikings in northwest England. Molecular Biology and Evolution, February 2008 volume 25, pages 301-309. Article by Georgina Bowden, Patricia Balaresque, Turi King, Ziff Hansen, Giles Pergl-Wilson, Emma Hurley, Stephen Roberts, Patrick Waite, Judith Jesch, Abigail Jones, Mark Thomas, Stephen Harding and Mark Jobling.

20. Wirral: folklore and locations: Chapter by Steve Harding in The Battle of Brunanburh (ed. Michael Livingston), Exeter University Press, accepted for publication 8th May 2009.

POPULAR DVDS

1. Lost Treasures Series 1 (shown on ITV Granada and The History Channel UK, Planet X TV, 2005). Vikings (Wirral, N. Lancs and Isle of Man) – Programme 4.

2. Lost Treasures Series 2 (2007): More Vikings – Programme 1 (part 2).

3. Lost Treasures Series 3 (2008): New Blood of Vikings –Programme 5. Vikings in Anglesey – Programme 7 (part 1).

4. Fred’s Family Walks (2008): ITV’s Fred Talbot explores the delightful corners of the north west of England – including the Viking settlers in Wirral.

TV/ RADIO BROADCASTS

1. BBC Radio Merseyside, Tony Snell show, 5/2/01 ("The Vikings" - 20 min)

2. BBC North West Tonight Broadcast 23/2/01 (News item by Mark Edwardson - launch of 2 new Wirral/Mersey Viking books, 3 min)

3. ITV1 Granada Reports, 9/10/01 (News Item by Rachel Bullock: Derek Mellor from Neston - 3 min)

4. BBC North West Tonight, 22/10/01 (News item by Alan Newry: Keith Sherratt from Frankby - 2 min)

5. BBC Blood of the Vikings, 13/11/01 (clip from programme 2 - Brunanburh, 1 min)

6. BBC Blood of the Vikings, 4/12/01 (clip from programme 5 - Wirral and the Lake District, 3 min)

7. BBC Blood of the Vikings, 4/12/01 (clip from programme 5 - Bill Housley from Meols, 3 min)

8. Channel One, 3/1/02 (News item by Nicola Dixon - 1100th anniversary of Viking settlements, 3.5min)

9. BBC Radio Lancashire, 8/3/02 Patrick Waite talks about the forthcoming genetic survey of Wirral and W. Lancs.

10. BBC Radio Merseyside, 1/5/02 Lucinda Smith describes the celebration of 1100 years of Norse Wirral.

11. BBC Radio Merseyside, 1st broadcast 28/5/02 Where's Wirral? - BBC Sense of Place series, 30 min. Roger Phillips interviews Lorraine Rogers, Ben Harrison, Helen Renner, Steve Harding, and Scirard Lancelyn-Green. Brief excerpt.

12. BBC Radio Lancashire, 5/5/02 Patrick Waite and Wigan MP Ron Rigby talk further about the forthcoming genetic survey of Wirral and W. Lancs.

13. BBC Radio Lancashire, 14/11/02 Alison Brown covers the DNA Sampling session at Ormskirk the previous day.

14. BBC Radio 4, Nature Series, 18/10/04 One of the Vikings favorite dishes was lobster. Lionel Kelleway talks to experts about a fascinating molecule that comes from the shell of this creature.

15. BBC Radio 4, Today Programme, 20th December 2004, Review of Today's Papers - Battle of Brunanburh.

16. BBC News at One. 20th December 2004 (3 min). Report following Steve’s initial suggestion of the identification of Dingesmere in the Battle of Brunanburh as Things-mere. The research paper, Revisiting Dingesmere: Journal of the English Place Name Society, October 2004, volume 36, pages 25-38.

17. BBC Radio 4, 6pm News, 20th December 2004, Mark Simpson Reports on the Battle of Brunanburh.

18. BBC North West Tonight, 20th December 2004, News Item by Abbie Jones on the Battle of Brunanburh.

19. BBC Radio Merseyside, Roger Phillips Show, 31st December 2004 (5 min) Report by Laura Fynn on Dingesmere and the Battle of Brunanburh.

20. BBC Lancashire Telling Lives Series, January 2005 (2 min) "My Grandad Said": short film by Gladys Armstrong about the origins of the Rimmers.

21. BBC Radio Merseyside, Breakfast Show, 25th January 2005 (6 min) Wirral Head Ranger Martyn Jamieson and Steve Harding talking about "Dingesmere" - the "Things mere" on the Dee estuary.

22. ITV1 Granada (North West England): LOST TREASURES, Series 1, Episode 4, Part 1 (11min) before the break and Part 2 (11min) after the break. VIKINGS. Mark Olly and Stephen Harding go in search of Viking Treasures in Lancashire, Isle of Man and Wirral. Thursday 1st September 2005, 7.30pm.

23. BBC North West (Inside Out Series) Monday 2nd October 2006, 7.30pm: The Wirral Vikings! Programme about the Wirhalh Skip Felag. (8 minutes, 160Mb)

24. BBC Radio Merseyside, Linda McDermott Show, 13^th December 2006 (4min). Report on new Web resource “Vikings in Wirral” for Wirral Schools (Key Stage 2/3). BBC link.

25. BBC Radio Merseyside, 8^th January 2007 (5min). Steve Harding pays tribute to Magnus Magnusson.

26. ITV1 Granada, Sunday April 29th 2007: LOST TREASURES, Series 2, Episode 1: mystery over old cliinker boat buried beneath a pub at Meols: Mark and Steve explore. Download high resolution avi version.

27. RUV TV (Iceland) Kastljos, 21st June 2007 (2 min). Icelandic Booker Prize winner Andri Snaer Magnason and Mike McCartney talk about the Viking Mersey book and Liverpool’s ICE2007 Festival

28. BBC News24. 10th September 2007 (4min) News item on Ground Penetrating Radar studies on an old boat buried under a pub – and a hypothesis of what it might be.

29. ITV1 Granada, 13^th September 2007 (3.5min). Reporter Andy Bonner visits the Railway Inn, Meols and meets the team behind the Ground Penetrating Radar studies on the old boat underneath the pub.

30. BBC Radio Merseyside, 2^6th November 2007 (4 min). Tony Snell Breakfast Show. Looking forward to the Viking Genetics event at the David Lloyd Leisure Centre, Knowsley the following evening.

31. NRK Radio, 27^th November 2007 (6 min). Norgesglasset. Prof. Torgrim Titlestad (University of Stavanger) reviews the publication of the Viking Genetics paper in Molecular Biology and Evolution. Introduction, Notes, Elink to Norgesglasset.

32. BBC Radio Merseyside, 28^th November 2007 (3 min). Tony Snell Breakfast Show. Looking back at the Viking Genetics event.

33. BBC North West Tonight, Evening News 28^th November 2007 (3.5min). News item by Andy Gill reflecting on the publication of the Viking Genetics paper in Molecular Biology and Evolution.

34. BBC Radio 4: Thingwall, DNA and the Vikings in Wirral, 20th May 2008 (8min). And you can read about it here.

35. ITV1 Granada, 20th July 2008 6pm (22 min) LOST TREASURES (Series 3, Episode 5): VIKINGS 3. Mark and Steve go in chase of Vikings again…. and also this clip from Lost Treasures Episode 7: Anglesey, broadcast on 3rd August 2008.

36. CityTalk105.9 (Liverpool), 26th July 2008 8.15am (6 min). Saturday Breakfast Show: Simon O’Brien talks with Steve Harding about the days Olsok08 Viking Churches Heritage Walk between Neston and St. Olave’s Chester.

37. Sunday August 31st: ITV1 Granada, 5.30pm. FRED’S FAMILY WALKS, Episode 3: Fred takes us for a walk in Little Scandinavia. ITV Weatherman Fred Talbot walks through a corner of Viking Wirral with Steve Harding. Low resolution version.

38. Wednesday November 26th. Y-chromosome DNA testing as part of the Liverpool Nordic Festival event. BBC Radio Merseyside coverage, ITV1 Granada coverage, BBC North West Tonight coverage

39. BBC2, Saturday 3rd January 2009, 8pm-9pm GMT. Neil Oliver gives the Scottish perspective on the Battle of Brunanburh - and emphasizes its importance for the UK. “The Last of the Free: At the dawn of the first millennia there was no Scotland or England. In the first episode of this landmark series, Neil Oliver reveals the mystery of how the Gaelic Scottish Kingdom - Alba - was born, and why its role in one of the greatest battles ever fought on British soil defined the shape of Britain into the modern era “. Repeat of broadcast on BBC1 Scotland in November 2008. Direct link to the piece.

40. WCR Radio (W. Miidlands), Monday 9th November 2009, 7pm, Philip Solomon show. Philip chats with Steve Harding about the Vikings and DNA tests.

41. BBC Radio Lancashire, Saturday 30^th May 2010, 1pm. (8 minutes). Maria Felix-Vas talks to Steve about the DNA testing in North Lancashire and the earlier results for Wirral-West Lancs. Part of the Viking Day at Lancaster Maritime Museum.

42. BBC Radio Lancashire, Saturday 18^th December 2010, 8.20am. (6 minutes). John Gilmore talks to Steve about the new book “Viking DNA: The Wirral and West Lancashire Project”.

43. BBC Radio Lancashire & BBC Radio Manchester, Tuesday 18^th January 2011, 10.25pm. (35 minutes). John Barnes talks to David Johnson (Tarleton) and David Swindlehurst (Preston) about DNA and their Viking ancestry.

44. BBC Radio Lancashire, Thursday 10^th February 2011, 2pm. (35 minutes) John Gilmore and the new book.

45. NRK1 Norway (Rogaland), Friday 27^th May 2011. News item (in Norwegian) about volunteer training of recruit oarsmen for the Drakken Harald Fairhair Longship Project (news item runs from 8.21 to 11.36)

46. BBC Radio Merseyside, Sunday 29^th May 2011 5pm & Wednesday 2^nd June 9pm (30 minutes). Roger Phillips asks Steve Harding how he got involved with the Vikings – he also talks about the Harald Fairhair project.

47. ITV1 GranadaReports, Wednesday 6^th July 2011 6pm (3 minutes). London may have the Olympics in 2012 but the NorthWest has the Draken in 2013! Andy Bonner and Steve Harding are at Meols & talk about the Draken Harald Fairhair project– and then Liverpool Victoria Boat Club put them through their paces…

48. Channel 4, Wednesday 26^th October 2011 (1 minute). Opening sequence from Come Dine with me “Welcome to Wirral, home of Tranmere Rovers, the only football league team with a Viking name”.

49. BBC Radio Merseyside 18^th November 2011 (3 minutes). Steve tries to persuade RM’s Roger Phillips to become a Tranmere fan as part of BBC’s Children in Need, live on air, Radio Merseyside.

50. NRK Østlandet, 9^th December 2011 (20 minutes). Interview with Stig Vaagan (in Norwegian/ i norsk) about the new book Vikingblod.

51. BBC Radio Nottingham 23^rd January 2012, 8.50am (4 minutes). Andy Whittaker talks to Steve about his award from Norway. Visit also the Royal Palace Web-site.

52. BBC Radio Merseyside 27^th January 2012, 11.58am (2 minutes). Roger Phillips on Steve’s award from Norway.

53. BBC Radio Nottingham 27^th January 2012, 5.55pm (5 minutes). Simon Hoborn also talks to Steve about his award from Norway.

54. BBC Radio Lancashire 30^th January 2012, 8.25am (5 minutes). Graham Liver talks to Steve about the Vikings in Lancashire – are they still here today?

55. BBC North West Tonight 14^th March 2012, 6.45pm (2.5 minutes). Andy Gill reports.

56. BBC Radio Merseyside 14^th March 2012, 6.50pm (7 minutes). Lee Bennion (Drivetime) reports.

57. BBC Radio Cumbria, 15^th March 2012, 7.25am (2.5 minutes). Ian Timms reports.

58. BBC2, Friday 1^st June 2012. 9-10pm. The Great British Story. Part 2: The Vikings. Presented by Michael Wood: see this excerpt (30 mins).

59. ITV1 Granada Reports, Friday 15^th June 2012, 8pm. News item by Andy Bonner on the unveiling of the new Thingwall signposts in Wirral.

Granada link / Blog / avi-video

POPULAR MAGAZINE & JOURNAL ARTICLES

1. The Great Stone of Thor (Notes and Queries, 5th Series 8, Nov 1877, pages 364-365) and 6th Series 3, Jan 1881 pages 30-31). Two articles by Sir James Picton pondering the origins of a large outcrop of red sandstone at Thurstaston. Picton argues the name Thurstaston derives from Thors stone whereas later research shows it derives from Thorsteinn’s farmstead – Old Norse, but nothing to do with what we now call Thor’s stone.

2. Meols (article by David Griffiths) British Archaeology, Issue 62, December 2001, p8.

3. Bookshelf: Viking Mersey. (Charles Nelson reviews the latest releases with a Lancashire flavour), Lancashire Life, April 2003, p270

4. The Norsemen Re-Take Thingwall. Wirral Champion, July 2003, p61 (Report on the 1st Icelandic tour)

5. Heathen and Higgin, Letter by Steve Harding, and Ingimund's Saga, Letter by Anne Beer, Wirral Champion, November 2003, page 70.

6. The Brunanburgh Viking. Poulton Hall Gardens Magazine, April 2004, page 11. Article by June Lancelyn-Green on the unveiling of Sue Sharples Sculpture "The Brunanburgh Viking", 4th April 2004.

7. On the Net: The Vikings. BBC History Magazine, May, 2004, page 71. Chris Moss and Steve Harding review Viking web sites.

8. June Lancelyn Green's Dowagers Diary. Wirral Champion, August, 2004, pages 36,37. Article includes Sue Sharples' Brunanburgh Viking.

9. Viking Wirral and the Battle of Brunanburh. Battlefield, August, 2004, pages 22, 23.

10. Its all in a name. BBC History Magazine, January 2005, volume 6, no.1., page 61. Article by Robin Attar in the Journals section, reviewing the recent publication in the Journal of the English Place Name Society about Dingesmere and the Battle of Brunanburh.

11. If you are looking for the Vikings - looking no further! Teaching and Learning Magazine, January/February 2006, page 64. Feature article by Juliet Smith on the forthcoming launch this year of the Web Resource 'Vikings in Wirral'.

12. Vikings nice blokes really, Times Education Supplement Magazine, 19 January 2007 pages 54-55. Feature by Stephen Manning on the launch of the Web Resource ‘Vikings in Wirral’, with Mike McCartney.

13. Scandinavian Invasion, Tranmere Rovers Official Programme (Tranmere v Chesterfield, 2^nd March 2007), p21 &36. Article by Tony Coombes about Tranmere’s growing band of Scandinavian supporters.

14. Honour for Norwegian king. Oxford Today, Hilary Issue, 2007. page 4. Article about award of Degree of Doctor of Civil Law to King Harald V. Harald tells about the long line of Norwegian kings educated in England since Harald Haarfagre’s son Hakon the Good. You can download the King’s speech here.

15. Viking Time Travellers. Historic cross at Neston to be restored. Wirral Champion, October 2007. Article on the stone fragments belonging to 10^th Century Viking crosses at Neston.

16. Anglo-Norse Review, Winter 2007, pages 27-30. Report on the rediscovery using Ground Penetrating Radar of an old buried clinker boat at Meols – and speculation as to what it might be.

17. A Viking ship at Meols? Current Archaeology, December 2007, volume 213, pages 4-5. Article by Lisa Westcott about an intriguing vessel buried under the Railway Inn car park, Meols.

18. The Viking Roots of North-west England. Current Archaeology, April 2008, volume 217, page 7. News item about the publication of the paper in Molecular Biology and Evolution.

19. Norways “colony” of Wirral, Liverpool. Appendix article in Torgrim Titlestad’s book Viking Norway, Saga Bok, Stavanger, 2008, pages 371-379.

20. Raiders or Traders? Smithsonian Magazine, July 2008, pages 26-30. Article by Andrew Curry on the Vikings: including a section on page 29 about the genetic survey of north west england. Web link.

21. Looking for Vikings in north-west England. Two articles in British Archaeology (Nov/Dec 2008, pages 18-25) by David Griffiths and by Steve Harding and Mark Jobling. Web link.

22. St. Olav’s Viking Walk. The Norseman, January 2009, pages 46-53. Article by Steve Harding and Dan Robinson on the Wirral-Chester “Olsok” Viking walk.

23. Viking Wirral and Viking Genes. Heswall Magazine, February 2010, pages 24-25.

24. Ny “Liverpool-bok” I salg: Vikingblod. November 2011. Artikkel i "Kopite" - for de 30 000 medlemmene av den skandinaviske støtter klubben av Liverpool FC - om ny bok av Steve og Stig om det skandinaviske påvirkninger fortid og nåtid i området rundt Liverpool - Wirral og West Lancashire - i Nordvest-England. [Article in the "Kopite" – for the 30000 members of the Scandinavian supporters club of Liverpool FC - about the new book by Steve and Stig about the Scandinavian influences past and present in the area around Liverpool - Wirral and West Lancashire - in north west England].

25. Nottingham’s Knight of Norway. Article in the University of Nottingham Newsletter, February 2012.

26. Wirral Sets Sail. Cheshire Life, June 2012 pages 217-220. Article by Emma Mayoh. NB “King Alfred” should read “Queen Aethelflaed, daughter of King Alfred”.

27. Vikings in The Wirral: From Tranmere Rovers to the Royal Palace. The Pembrokian (Pembroke College Oxford Magazine), Issue 36, July 2012, page 7. Article by Sophie Elkan.

EVENTS 2013

Trondheim, March 2013, photo Astrid Kähler

1. Sunday March 10^th 2013. Trondheim Vikinglag Symposium, suhmhuset vitenskapsmuseet.

2. Tuesday March 12th – Wednesday March 13th, 2013. Viking Worlds (Archaeological Conference). Institute for Archaeology, Conservation and History, Archaeological Conference, Neils Henrik Abels vei, Oslo.

3. Wednesday March 27^th 2013. Viking Irby, Thurstaston & Pensby (ITPAS – Irby, Thurstaston & Pensby Amenities Society Spring Lecture). Irby Village Hall, 7pm for 7.30pm. Members free, Non-members £5.

4. **NEXT**: Thursday 6^th June – Sunday 9^th June 2013. Wirral’s 100-strong “Viking Navy” visits Haugesund, Norway to join the Karmøy Viking Festival and row on the Draken Harald the Fairhair Longship in practice for the arrival in Wirral/Liverpool for its first maiden overseas voyage in 2014.

5. Monday 29^th July (St. Olav’s Day) 2013. St. OLAVE’s VIKING HERITAGE WALK AND PILGRIMAGE. 13 mile walk/pilgrimage to commemorate St. Olav Haraldsson, patron saint of Norway. St. Mary & St. Helen Neston to St. Olave’s in Chester (meet 9am outside St. Bridget’s for 9.30am start). If you would like to take part contact Prof. Steve Harding.

6. Friday 15^th November 2013. Heswall Society 60^th Anniversary Talk: “Viking Heswall and Gayton”. Host: Dennis Clegg.

7. Monday 25^th November 2013. Lecture to Chester Society for Landscape History “What’s in a name? Place names, Surnames and the Viking settlements of Wirral”, Grosvenor Museum, Chester. Host: Mike Headon.

For details of all these events: Steve.Harding@nottingham.ac.uk
Events Archive 2002-2012: click here

VIKING BLOGS

1. WIRRAL NEWS VIKING BLOG – 5 blog items to comment on: Viking Wirral, Neston Coin Forgery, new Thor movie, St. Olave’s Day Wirral Viking heritage walk and the Dragon Harald Fairhair Longship

2. The Viking Theatre – Old Wirral Forums

THE GENETIC SURVEY OF WIRRAL AND WEST LANCASHIRE

Steve Harding, Judith Jesch and Mark Jobling with Kevin Taylor at the Knowsley Genetics Event,
27th November 2007. Photo courtesy of Trinity Mirror Copyright and the Liverpool Echo

The survey supported by the U.K. Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council under the prestigious Watson-Crick 50th Anniversary programme was commenced in 2002 by researchers from the Universities of Leicester and Nottingham and has now been completed. The synopsis for the project was as follows: "If Vikings invaded and settled particular regions of the British Isles, we may be able to see their legacy within the DNA of modern populations of these regions. The male-specific Y chromosome is more likely to have preserved the signal of Viking presence than other parts of our DNA. In this project we extend the BBC's 'Blood of the Vikings' study in the Wirral and SW & West Lancs region, where Viking settlement is known to have been substantial, but where modern population influx has also been great. We plan to analyse the Y chromosomes of men from these regions who also have surnames known to have been present their in mediaeval times, and thus to bypass the recent major population movements in the region that may disturb the relationships between old genes and modern geography". The results from the project have been published in the leading scientific journal Molecular Biology and Evolution (Oxford University Press). It can be downloaded from here as an open access article. A more general publication “Viking DNA: The Wirral and West Lancashire Project” has recently been published (December 2010) by Countyvise Ltd [click on the link and then click on “5 new” and then “Countyvise”, and order your copy for £17.50].

For more details about the background behind the project click here.

THE BALTIC SEA ORIGINS OF FAIR HAIR & BLUE EYES

Fair or light hair and light or blue eyes have been associated with the Vikings since the origins of the genetic mutations leading to these appear to be around the Baltic Sea. The poster of the Youtube clip below is quoting data from a study by Beals and Hoijers which is discussed on pages 57 and 58 of Viking DNA. The Wirral and West Lancashire Project – the genetics behind both these features (although complicated involving several genes) is now becoming better understood. The contribution of the Vikings to the spread from the Baltic is however not known.

Click image:

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DUPUYTREN’s CONTRACTURE

The genetics behind another physical condition associated with the Vikings namely Dupuytren’s Contracture (above), is also becoming better understood (p59 of Viking DNA. The Wirral and West Lancashire Project). This is a condition involving tightening of the elastic tissue of a hand making it difficult to flex the 4^th or 5^th fingers, and its occurrence appears most frequent in Scandinavia and areas settled by the Vikings.

St. OLAVE’S WIRRAL-CHESTER VIKING WALK AND PILGRIMAGE. NEXT WALK MONDAY JULY 29^th 2013 (St. Olav’s Day)
The 2012 St. Olave’s Wirral-Chester Viking Walk (8 miles) went from St. Bridget’s Church at West Kirby - home of the famous Viking Hogback tombstone- and where there is a dedication to St.Olav - to St. Mary and St. Helen’s Church at Neston – home of the famous Neston Norse cross fragments. The walk was first introduced into the Calendar in 2008 to celebrate Wirral and Chester’s Viking heritage and also to commemorate St. Olav Haraldsson, patron saint of Norway. It was recently featured in The Norseman magazine. Since then many people have enjoyed the envigoration of a “mini” pilgrimage with Christian-Viking roots, including BBC Television’s Michael Wood, who joined us in 2010. Stein Thue, in his book The Pilgrim Way writes the following: “When we now encourage people to walk the pilgrim ways it is to reap the benefits of outdoor life, special cultural experiences and personal reflection. The pilgrim dares to leave behind everything that is near and dear and wander into a new landscape, where he becomes a peregrine, a wanderer from far away. In the middle ages he would break from everything around him to express his devotion, seek healing, or do penance. Today a pilgrim seeks knowledge, recreation and self-fulfilment in such a way that perhaps the path is more important than the goal. The pilgrim understands that there is a path he must travel and that there is risk in the endeavour. The benefits nevertheless outweigh the risk for those who dare embark on such and adventure, as on their return from their fulfilling wandering, they will shed at least one prejudice and replace it with at least one new idea” . Click here for the web site for the 2012 walk. If you are interested in participating in next year’s walk (from Neston to St. Olave’s in Chester) – July 29^th 2013 - please email Steve Harding.

VIKING ANNIVERSARY Services at St. Olave's Church in Chester: 2001 and 2002
To celebrate the 1100th (or approximately 1100th) anniversary of the arrival of Vikings into the area, in 2001 and 2002 re-enactments of the arrival of Ingimund and some “local skirmishes” were performed at Arrowe Park Wirral followed by “Olsok” services at St. Olave's Church in Chester. The 2001 service was led by Pastor Oddgeir Bolstad (of the Scandinavian Church, Park Lane Liverpool). The 2002 service was led by Pastor Kjell Skartseterhagen, the St. Olav Pilgrimprest (Pilgrim Priest) from Trondheim. Unfortunately the church is not in a state at the moment to do this again! But view these clips from 2001 and 2002. St.Olave’s Service, August 2001 with Pastor Oddgeir Bolstad (approx 4min) and St.Olave’s Service, August 2002 with Pastor Kjell Skartseterhagen (approx 3min).

OTHER SITES OF VIKING INTEREST ON WIRRAL
There are many other sites on Wirral of relevance to its Viking Heritage and I’ve mapped out a proposal for a potential trail: this is simply my suggestion, and some of the sites marked are currently accessible – some are currently not. For details see here.

OLD CLINKERBOAT OR CLINKERSHIP UNDER PUB AT MEOLS
In 2007 ground penetrating radar experiments appear to have confirmed the existence of an old clinker built boat deep under a pub car park at Meols. The boat had been discovered by workers digging foundations in the 1930’s and, after one of the workers had made a sketch of the end of the boat that was exposed, was covered over again. An unpublished study made in 2007 using Ground Penetrating Radar seem to suggest the vessel is still there. A hypothesis or suggestion has been made that it may possibly date back to the Viking age: the boat is of clinker design (overlapping planks) although it appears to have a rounded end. Until the boat is dated, all we can say for sure is that it is very old! Download a transcript of a seminar given at the North Sea Conference at Gothenburg Museum, October 14^th 2011.

CHESTER VIKING CONFERENCE “IN SEARCH OF THE VIKINGS” 20^th November 2010
Held at the Grosvenor Museum, & organized by Liz Royles and Steve Harding
Presentations:
Introduction: Professor Stephen Harding
What’s in a name? The genetic legacy of the Vikings in the north of England: Dr. Turi King
Taking sides: North West Vikings at the battle of Tettenhall in 910: John Quanrud
The Dee/ Mersey Basin and the Archaeology of the Irish Sea Region: Dr. David Griffiths
The historic background to Viking settlement in the North West: Dr. Clare Downham
The Battle of Brunanburh: Dr. Paul Cavill
The Neston Cross reconstruction: an exercise in community engagement: Dr. Roger White
Viking-age rural settlement in Wirral: Dr. Rob Philpott
Viking Age Women: Dr. Christina Lee
Poster Presentations:
Resistivity surveys at Thingwall: Dean Paton
Shocklach rider stone: Jo Kirton
Book Launch introductions: David Griffiths, Steve Harding and Rob Philpott

If you wish to watch an on-line video of one of the above talks please click here and email us.
There will also be a book based on the meeting, edited by Steve Harding and David Griffiths, to be published by Taylor & Francis Ltd., Spring 2013.

NEW COURSE ON WIRRAL VIKINGS!

Such is the interest, the Workers' Educational Association (WEA) are offering a course entitled 'Viking Wirral' with course tutor Heather Butler, commencing Tuesday 18th September 2012 between 7pm & 9pm at St. Bridget's Centre, West Kirby, Wirral. For further details please contact the WEA on 0151 243 5340 or simply attend the first session.

SCHOOLS WEB RESOURCE: VIKINGS IN WIRRAL
A web resource for Wirral Schools is also available produced by the Wirral Learning Grid. It is targeted for Key Stage 2/3 as part of the National Curriculum.

Lost Treasures: Vikings clips:
For Key Stage 2/3 “Vikings in Wirral”. Courtesy of Planet X TV/ITV Granada (broadcast September 2005):

AD902 Cuerdale Treasure, (3 min)
Viking cross at Halton, N.Lancs (2min)
Heysham, N. Lancs (4 min)
Isle of Man (3 min)
AD902 Ingimund’s deal with Queen Aethelflaed (2 min)
Hogback monument at West Kirby (3 min)
Thingwall (2 min)
Brunanburh and genes (4 min)

General Educational TV/Radio Broadcasts on Vikings:

BBC Radio 4: Thingwall, DNA and the Vikings in Wirral, 20th May 2008 (8min).
Melvin Bragg Radio 4 broadcast on Thor and the other Norse gods, March 2004 (40min)
Viking women: unearthing evidence on how they lived (12min). BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour Broadcast on 15 Feb 2005, with the University of Nottingham's Judith Jesch and the University of Oxford's Caroline Larrington, and featuring the Jorvik Festival. Hear also Sheryl O'Connell and Nottingham's Christina Lee talk about Viking food.
The Viking Way (three Programme series): (30min each). BBC Radio 4, 2nd, 9th and 16th November 2005, 11am. David Aaronovitch talks to experts including the University of Nottingham's Professor Judith Jesch. Programme 1, Ruling the Waves; Programme 2, A Danelaw Day; Programme 3, Inform, Educate, Entertain.

VIDEOS OF VIKING LECTUREs

1. Viking Wirral (~45 mins)

2. Viking Genes (~45 mins) - mp4 version.

(recorded by Alan Parker at the Wirral Bookfest, Wallasey Library, October 12^th 2009)

PDF DOWNLOADS OF RECENT LECTUREs

1. Viking Wirral and the Dragon Harald Fairhair Longship Project (Wirral Bookfest Lecture, Birkenhead Central Library, October 11^th 2011)

2. Viking DNA (Gothenburg Museum Conference, October 13^th 2011)

3. Wirral Clinkership under a Pub (Gothenburg Museum Conference, October 14^th 2011)

4. DNA Detectives (Lowdham Book Festival, November 4^th 2011)

5. Viking DNA (Wirral 3L’s, Bebington, November 23^rd 2011)

6. Viking Wirral and the Dragon Harald Fairhair Longship Project (Liverpool Victoria Boat Club, January 9^th 2012)

7. Viking Wirral and the Battle of Brunanburh (St. Bridget’s West Kirby Community Centre Appeal Lecture, February 1^st 2012)

MAGNUS MAGNUSSON DIES
Magnus Magnusson died on Sunday January 7^th 2007 at the age of 77. Magnus, one of the country’s leading television presenters and well-known Viking Scholar was a good friend of the region. Goodbye Magnus.
Listen to this tribute to Magnus on Radio Merseyside, 11.40am, 8^th January 2007
Watch this tribute to Magnus, 7.30pm, 5^th February 2007
Magnus on Brunanburh (1980); Magnus as King Canute; Magnus plays the Viking pan-pipes

BATTLE OF BRUNANBURH AD937
The Battle of Brunanburh was one of the most defining battles in the history of the British Isles and, as described by BBC Broadcaster Neil Oliver in History of Scotland it determined whether Britain would become one imperial power or stay as separate identities. Although the Northern Alliance of Scots, Strathclyde British and Norsemen from Ireland lost the battle against a combined Anglo-Saxon army from Mercia and Wessex - with heavy losses on both sides - the strong resistance proved decisive in what was to follow. The Battle of Brunanburh is recorded as a contemporary (or near contemporary) poem in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, and almost certainly took place on Wirral. Compelling arguments had earlier been made for other locations, notably in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Northants and SW Scotland. However the weight of scholarly opinion seems to be heavily in favour of Wirral.

The Wirral peninsula and Chester had not long earlier witnessed another major battle between “the armies of the Norsemen and the Danes” and the Mercian English – AD907. Chester was also the place where the Anglo Saxons had one of their earlier crushing and most significant victories against the British - AD613. Brunanburh was the old name until about 1732 for Bromborough. The poem also gives the location of the coastal point of escape as Dingesmere – which has now been satisfactorily explained as the “Things – mere or – marr”, the wetland or marshland associated with the Thing – the Viking parliament, at Thingwall on Wirral (see cutting from the Independent at the top of this web-page).

You can read more by following this link here …..

SOME TRIVIA:

1. pushING BACK THE TIDE?
Many people in North Wirral used to believe that the famous event where King Canute is alleged to have attempted to push back the tide took place between Meols and Moreton shore. This tradition – which went back generations - may have been inspired by the constant flooding of the area before the sea defences were built coupled with romanticism of the Victorians. Indeed, and apparently as a bit of fun a special “Canute Chair” was constructed by the Cust family of Leasowe Castle with the inscription “sea not come hither and wet the soles of my feet” but was sadly broken up in the 1950’s. Maybe there is a chance of another construction, but in the meantime, see my attempt to push the tide back in this clip (Vikings didn’t have horns on helmets by the way!). Magnus Magnusson also has a go on the banks of the Thames (I think) in this clip.

2. Music: CD based on Thor's Stone
An impressive large outcrop of sandstone at Thurstaston Common is called Thor’s Stone (shown above) and for generations many people on Wirral – most notably the Victorian antiquarian Sir John Picton who propagated the legend (see journal/magazine article #1 above) – believed that this was mjöllnir – Thor’s hammer. For decades it has been the site of Viking style marriages – attracting enthusiasts from around the country - and for May 1st celebrations. Local composer Mal Bailey has produced a CD based on Thors stone, Thurstaston. The eleven tracks are: 1. Thors beginning, 2. Thorstone, 3. Black side of the Stone, 4. Magic Stones, 5. Longboats on the Beach, 6. Commonland, 7. Into the Sun, 8. Vikings land at Hilbre, 9. View from the hill, 10. Celt and Viking, 11. Thors Hammer. More details, email Malcolm Bailey. And Michael Heery has written a poem inspired by Thor's Stone. Michael has also written this short poem based around the Battle of Brunanburh.
3. DEFINITION OF SCOUSE
1. a stew made from leftover meat. This is a shortened form of "lobscouse" and the dish is very similar to "lapskaus" in Norway. Variations include “labskovs” in Denmark, lobskows in Anglesey, lapskojs in Sweden and labskaus in Northern Germany. A comparison of the two is given included in our new book Vikingblod (in Norwegian); 2. the accent/dialect spoken by a person from Liverpool. The precise origin of the word is uncertain and the subject of current research. You can buy some of the Danish stuff here.

FINALLY…VIKING TRANMERE

Wirral’s Tranmere Rovers (Trani-melr = "Cranebird/heron sandbank”) is the only team in the English Football League with a Norwegian Viking name. Many Scandinavian supporters come over for a weekend and watch the big clubs like Man Utd., Liverpool and Everton on the Saturday/Sunday and watch Tranmere if they are playing on Friday night, but not many realise the connection. See links below for directions etc. and tickets.

· TRANMERE ROVERS: Official Tranmael Rovers site, Directions to the Tranmael Stadium - Wirral, Cowsheds: Tranmere supporters forum, BBC match reports, news and fixtures, Tranmæl - Tronderlag Norway, Panoramic view of the ground, Tranmael jingle (17 seconds), Tranmere Rovers Viking Page.

· Tranmere Rovers Supporters Norway

Left: Photo by Per Anders Todal; Right – Mersey Tricolour at Oslo: Per Anders, Steve and Stig Vaagan (from Vikingblod - spor av vikinger i Nordvest-England)

Links
Centre for the Study of the Viking Age, based at the University of Nottingham
National Museums, Liverpool
Grosvenor Museum, Chester

Vikings in Wirral (Key Stage 2/3) for Schools

Steve Scaysbrook's fine site

Tranmere Rovers Supporters Norway

St. Bridget’s Church

ChesterTourist.com site
Life Story 108 minute BBC film (1986) about the Discovery of the Double Helix

Havrsfjord Festival, Stavanger

NRK1 Broadcast (8^th April 2008) Dagsrevyen (Days Review) on publication of Norwegian translation
of Torfaeus’ History of Norway. Includes Editor Torgrim Titlestad and King Harald V. Report

The 12 string Harding Fiddle (Hardingfele or Hardanger Fiddle) : the National Instrument of Norway.

Norsk Tre (Norwegian Wood): courtesy of the Hardingkvartetten (The Harding Quartet)

Harding/Hardinger page

Visit Kinsarvik, Hordaland, home of the Hardings

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank friends and colleagues at the Wirhalh Skip-Felag, BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio Lancashire, BBC North West Tonight (particularly Jim Clarke), BBC Inside Out series (Laurence Innwood, producer), Trinity Mirror Copyright, the Wirral News Group, the Wirral Globe, the Wirral Champion, the Wirral Journal, Cheshire Life, Morgunblaðið, Nytt fra Norge, British Archaeology, Journal of the Chester Archaeological Society, Cheshire History, Wirral Life/ Chester Chronicle, Trine Andersen (NTB), Phil Hirst (Planet X TV), Chris Bartley and Sigrun Davidsdottir and Chris Collingwood for allowing me to reproduce or link to their material. I was recently fortunate enough to receive from King Harald V the award of Ridder av første klasse, den Kongelige Norske Fortjenstorden - Knight of the 1st class, the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit. Really it represents the work of a great number of people – many thanks to all those who have helped over the last 2 decades.

Left: Photograph with the “Knights Cross” courtesy of Mike McCartney. Right: close up of the cross.
BBC coverage of the award: BBC North West Tonight 14^th March 2012

Nottingham University Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri8ew-yHH3w&feature=plcp

This is an educational non-profit making web site. The site is maintained, and updated weekly by Steve Harding, and is in conjunction with the Wirral Learning Grid. The West Lancashire part of this page is still under construction and is being developed in conjunction with the West Lancashire Heritage Association. Lancastrians please visit the Hesketh Bank web site

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Site maintained by Steve Harding. This is my own personal site and any views expressed here are my own

Tranny the Heron, Richmond Bridge, April 2009