Steve Harding’s

WIRRAL AND WEST LANCASHIRE 1100th VIKING ANNIVERSARY HOME PAGE

viking pic
Steve Harding, Judith Jesch and Mark Jobling with Kevin Taylor at the Knowsley Genetics Event, 27th November 2007 – see link below

Photo courtesy of Trinity Mirror Copyright and the Liverpool Echo

Headline from The Guardian, 3rd December 2007

from The Independent, 8th December 2004

Welcome to my Viking site. I’m Steve Harding, a Professor of molecular biology at the University of Nottingham. I have also a strong interest – as an amateur enthusiast - in the Norse or Vikings in the region where I grew up in – the Wirral in North West England - and 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”. The site 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. This is my own personal site and any views expressed here are my own and not necessarily of colleagues at the University of Nottingham.

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
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!...

BULLETIN BOARD (LAST UPDATED 27^th January 2010)
Brunanburh: Broadcast by Neil Oliver which went out on BBC2 Saturday 3rd January (8-9pm) gave the battle from the Scots perspective: access to the clip below. Fred Talbot’s family walk through “Little Scandinavia” (Wirral) was shown on ITV recently and can be watched on the web (see below). The Scandinavian Consuls “DNA Challenge” and some public DNA testing was on 26th November 2008 as part of the Nordic Festival of NW England: analyses have now been completed and personal results have been sent out indicating where your top matches are – if you have not received yours please get in touch with us.

Other news: Professor Judith Jesch gave the first Ruth Hurst Vose Memorial Lecture at Ormskirk on 29th January … work on the construction of a replica of one of the Neston crosses based on laser scanning of the fragments is well underway;…. Meols boat – a scientific publication is now being prepared based on the ground penetrating radar scans performed in 2007, although the vessel remains undated; … A link has been set up between Thingwall and Tingvoll Molde, Norway: pupils from the schools are corresponding with each other and on March 20th there was a 12 strong delegation from Tingvoll Kommune (Council) who visited Thingwall and Wirral … and on Sunday 22nd March at 5.30pm The History Channel (UK) showed Lost Treasures Vikings – North Lancashire, Isle of Man and Wirral. Last November British Archaeology published a feature based on the genetic survey of old Wirral and West Lancashire published in February 2008 in Molecular Biology and Evolution. Following the success a new survey of North Lancs, Cumbria and N. Yorkshire – to see how far the “Norseness” penetrates - is now underway, funded by the Wellcome Trust: the project, led by Mark Jobling will involve obtaining an improved genetic profile of old Scandinavia and was covered recently in the Scandinavian press. (Norwegian) Viking Tranmere Rovers are celebrating their own anniversary – this is their 125th season. For the latest fixture see below. The next Viking Olsok walk will be Olsok2010 on July 31st 2010 and will be a forerunner to the Chester Viking Festival: details below, and also details of the Chester Viking Conference being organized by Liz Royles and Steve Harding for Saturday 20th November 2010.

ACADEMIC BOOKS

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.
Vikings in North West England. The Artefacts (Ben Edwards, 1998), paperback. Amazon link (UK).
Wirral and its Viking Heritage (Paul Cavill, Stephen Harding and Judith Jesch, 2000), paperback. Amazon link (UK) and Blackwells on-line.

POPULAR BOOKS

Ingimund's Saga: Norwegian Wirral (Stephen Harding, with Foreword by Magnus Magnusson, 2000), paperback. Amazon link (UK). Hardback edition (2006).
Blood of the Vikings (Julian Richards, 2001), hardback - pages 176 to 179. Amazon link (UK).
VIKING MERSEY: Scandinavian Wirral, West Lancashire and Chester. (Stephen Harding, 2002), paperback, 240 pages, Countyvise Ltd. Amazon link (UK) and Blackwells on-line.

Wirral Vikings: The Wider Context (Hrolf Douglasson, 2005), paperback, 77 pages, Countyvise Ltd. Amazon link.
Hardback reprinting (2006) of Ingimunds Saga: Norwegian Wirral (Stephen Harding, with Foreword by Magnus Magnusson). Amazon.co.uk and Blackwells on-line. In case of difficulty order direct from the publisher. See image here.
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.
Tranmere Rovers: The Complete Record (G. Upton, S. Wilson and P. Bishop, Breedon Ltd, 2009). Complete record of Viking Tranmere.

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. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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

15. 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.

16. NEW: Wirral: folklore and locations: Chapter by Steve Harding in The Battle of Brunanburh (ed. Michael Livingston), Citadel Press USA – in 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. BBC Blood of the Vikings, 13/11/01 (clip from programme 2 - Brunanburh, 1 min)

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

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

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

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

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

9. 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.

10. 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.

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

12. 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.

13. BBC News at One. 20th December 2004 (3 min). Report following 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.

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

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

16. 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.

17. 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.

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

19. 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.

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

21. 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.

22. 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

23. 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.

24. 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. Full hypothesis and latest news: The Meols Boat Project.

25. BBC Radio Merseyside, 26^th 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.

26. 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.

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

28. 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.

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

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. 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

34. NEW: 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.

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

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. 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.

17. 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.

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

19. 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.

20. NEW: 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.

21. NEW: 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.

POPULAR NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

1. The last of the Wirral Vikings, (Article by Jim Barrow about Mr. Gordon Tottey from West Kirby) Daily Post, 15/3/1971, page 5

2. Wirral’s place names – Viking heritage. (Article by David Healey on the Viking place names in Wirral) Wirral News 5/7/80, pages 14-15

3. Meols’ relics mimic the Viking culture (Article by David Healey on the finds from Ancient Meols – and the artistic tastes of the Vikings) Wirral News 12/7/80, page 14

4. Wirral’s Vikings – Cultured and Christian (Article by David Healey on the culture and Christianity of the early Viking settlers) Wirral News 19/7/80, page 11

5. Ethelred was ready (Article by David Healey on the Norseman Ingimund – a man who incited Wirral’s Vikings to attack Chester – or did he?) Wirral News 26/7/80, page 13

6. 'Stonehenge' in Thurstaston?, Hoylake and West Kirby News, 10/5/89

7. Viking stone used for Odin worship, Wallasey News, 17/5/89

8. "Fury at Odin cult's beliefs", and "Live and let live: Son Ragnor replies" , Wallasey News, 28/6/89 and (reply) 7/7/89?

9. Woodland rape cry 'Vikings', Wirral News, 1990 (exact date uncertain)

10. 'Heathens' plan for local Viking village, Heswall News, 12/12/1990. Article about plan to set up "Vendel", a local Viking village.

11. Blushing Bride a Viking, (Article about Viking Marriage at Thor's Stone, Thurstaston) Wirral News, 5/6/91

12. The Vikings are back - in peace (Article by Alan Weston), Daily Post, 24/2/01, page 14

13. De fant Tors Hammer (They found Thor's Hammer - article by Hermann Hansen) Adresseavisen (Norway) 24/2/01, page 5. Translation

14. Vikinger fram fra glemselen (Vikings rescued from oblivion- article by Trine Andersen) Dagsavisen (Norway), 27/02/01, page 21

15. Wirral's Viking legacy (Article by Louise Powney), Wirral News Group, 7/3/01

16. Bætt við breska víkingaafarinn (a rediscovered British Viking Place - article by Sigrun Davidsdottir) Morgunblaðið (Iceland) - lesbók section, 10/3/01, p17

17. New book reveals Wirral's Viking past, (Article by Stuart Hughes), Wirral Globe, 14/3/01

18. Pupils keen to pass Viking DNA tests (Article by Louise Powney), Wirral News Group, 17/07/02

19. Youngsters get back in touch with Viking roots, (article by David Harding), Wirral Chronicle, 5/07/02 p21

20. Modern Vikings!: swab tests, Wirral Globe, 24/07/02, p21

21. City to Celebrate its long Viking history , Chester Chronicle, 9/08/02, p19

22. Vikings return in force to Chester ... one thousand years on, Daily Post, 13/08/02, p7

23. Viking Invasion wins over Town, Chester Chronicle, 16/08/02 p13

24. Church's Viking Past, The Mail (Chester), 21/08/02, p2

25. Peaceful invaders from across the sea, (Article by Clifford Birchall), Ormskirk Advertiser, 21/11/02, p25

26. Viking's New Home. Wirral News, 21st April 2004. Article by Louise Powney on Sue Sharples' Brunanburh Viking sculpture at Poulton Hall.

27. Discovery is rewriting our peninsula's history. Wirral Globe, 23rd June 2004, page 11. Article by Eric Munn on amazing discovery of Viking stonework at Bidston.

28. VIKINGS ARE RETURNING: Heritage of Norse invaders to be marked. Wirral News, 21st July 2004, Page 1 and Page 2. Article by Louise Powney on the Wirral Viking Heritage Project.

29. BATTLE COULD SPARK BOOM: Heath site of historic conflict. Wirral News, 13th October, 2004, pages 1-2. Article by Kevin Core on the solution of a mystery concerning the Battle of Brunanburh: “Dingesmere” as the “Thing’s mere or marr”. See also web link and also this video clip of marshland/wetland on the Dee estuary.

30. For the Cradle of English Civilisation, go to the Wirral. The Independent, 8th December 2004, page 15. Article by Louise Jury on the Battle of Brunanburh.

31. Is this the battle site that shaped England's destiny?. The Times, 20th December 2004, page 18. Article by Ben Hoyle on the Battle of Brunanburh.

32. History Hot Topic! Wirral News, 10th August, 2005. Article by Louise Powney/ photo Val Curtis about the annual Viking boat burning at Thurstaston.

33. Rovers Fan on Rich-List. Wirral News, 16th November, 2005. Article by Louise Powney on rumours from Norway that Shipping Magnate John Fredriksen is a Tranmere Rovers supporter. See also this web link.

34. Stone 'most vital' find in 20 years Wirral News, 30th November, 2005. Article by Louise Powney about a lecture given by Professor Richard Bailey on the discovery of the 'mini-hogback' tombstone at Bidston.

35. New bar mixes area's past with the present. Wirral News, 20th September, 2006, page 7. Article by Katy West on The Wro in West Kirby and an ancient Charter.

36. Viking Scholar asked the right questions. Wirral News, 10th January, 2007. Wirral News’ tribute to Magnus Magnusson, who died on Sunday 7^th January 2007.

37. Viking Support. Wirral Globe, 6th March, 2007. Article about the large numbers of Norwegians coming to Tranmere home games – and the historical connection with the Vikings.

38. Viking invaders are flocking to Tranmere. Wirral News, 7th March, 2007, page 6. Article about over 100 Norwegian supporters now regularly coming to Tranmere’s Friday home games – and the historical connection with the Vikings.

39. Festival Celebrates our Viking Heritage. Wirral News, 27^th June, 2007, page 11. Article by Katy West on visit by Wirral Cultural delegation Mike McCartney and Steve Harding to Iceland as guests of ICE2007 Festival organiser Ingi-Thor Jonsson and Icelandic Booker Prize winner Andri Snaer Magnason.

40. Heritage Walk. Wirral News, 25th July 2007. Article by Katy West on Wirral Viking Churches Heritage between St. Bridget’s West Kirby and St. Mary and St. Helen’s in Neston.

41. Bid to rebuild historic cross. Ellesmere Port Pioneer, 22^nd August, 2007.

42. Town’s historic Viking cross to be restored. Ellesmere Port Standard, 22^nd August, 2007.

43. Historic Find to be Rebuilt. Neston News, 22^nd August, 2007, pages 1&2. Article by Matt Hurst on the stone fragments belonging to 10^th Century Viking crosses at Neston.

44. Bold icon needed to announce borough. Wirral News, 29^th August, 2007. Article by Sue McCann. Stephen Harding writes a statement in support of the M53 “Magic” Boat. Web link.

45. Natives are of Viking Stock, Ormskirk Champion, 3^rd October 2007, pages 1 and 5. Article by Natasha Robson on the forthcoming publication and presentation of results at the David Lloyd Centre, Knowsley, 27 November 2007, 7pm.

46. Ligge det et vikingskip under denne puben? (Transl. Does there lie a Vikingship under this pub?). Dagbladet (Norway) 20^th October 2007 pages 14 and 15. Full 2 page article in one of Norway’s leading papers by Ole Bjørner Loe Welde considering the evidence for a Nordic clinker boat under the Railway Inn Pub at Meols, on the Wirral peninsular near Liverpool. Conclusion: we don’t know, but fingers crossed! Direct web link from Dagbladet. Full hypothesis and latest news: The Meols Boat Project.

47. Vikingefunn ved pub? (Transl. Viking find at a pub?) Aftenposten (Norway) 30^th October 2007 page 13. Article by Cato Guhnfeldt considering the evidence for a Nordic clinker boat.

48. Forensics tracking a Viking ancestry. Volunteers take a DNA voyage into the past. Wirral News, 31^st October 2007 page 5. Article by Clifford Birchall on the forthcoming publication and presentation of results at the David Lloyd Centre, Knowsley, 27 November 2007, 7pm.

49. Viking links to be disclosed. Ormskirk Advertiser, 1^st November 2007, page 29. Article by Clifford Birchall on the forthcoming publication and presentation of results at the David Lloyd Centre, Knowsley, 27 November 2007, 7pm.

50. Findings of Viking study expected soon. Midweek Advertiser, 7^th November 2007, page 8. Article by Clifford Birchall on the forthcoming publication and presentation of results at the David Lloyd Centre, Knowsley, 27 November 2007, 7pm.

51. Forensics find Viking clues, Midweek Visiter, 7^th November 2007, page 12. Article by Clifford Birchall on the forthcoming publication and presentation of results at the David Lloyd Centre, Knowsley, 27 November 2007, 7pm.

52. DNA’s the hi-tech way of digging up history of Vikings. Years of research about to be unveiled. Formby Times, 1^st November 2007, page 36. Article by Clifford Birchall on the forthcoming publication and presentation of results at the David Lloyd Centre, Knowsley, 27 November 2007, 7pm.

53. Viking artefacts museum soon to open its doors. Daily Post, 13th November 2007. Article about the Charles Dawson Brown Museum at West Kirby.

54. Norse by north west. Liverpool Echo, 24^th November 2007. Article by Martin Rigby on the forthcoming publication and presentation of results at the David Lloyd Centre, Knowsley, 27 November 2007.

55. Modern day Vikings. How experts are tracing descendants. Liverpool Echo, 1^st December 2007. Article by Martin Rigby (follow up of #56) about the publication of the paper in Molecular Biology and Evolution and the presentation at Knowsley.

56. Proof of Liverpool’s Viking past. Guardian, 3^rd December 2007, p4. Article by James Randerson (Science correspondent) about the forthcoming publication of the paper in Molecular Biology and Evolution. Web link and blog.

57. Focus on Link with the Vikings, 30^th January 2008. Article by Sue McCann on the forthcoming St. Bridget’s Centre Appeal Lecture on 5^th February.

58. Morgunbladid, 24th February 2008, pages 20-21. Innlent - greinar UPPRUNI Með víkingablóð í æðum Helmingur karla í Wirral og í Vestur-Lancashire afkomendur víkinganna. Article by Orri Pál Ormarsson about the publication of the paper in Molecular Biology and Evolution.

59. Morgunbladid, 6th June 2008, pages 1, 26 and 27. Víkingaborgin Liverpool. Sðgur, gen og tunumálið. Article by Arnthor Helgason about the Viking links of old Liverpool, Wirral and West Lancashire.

60. Nordmenn skal testes for vikingblod, 28th September 2008. Article by Geir Lillesund (NTB) in Norways most popular paper about the search for volunteers from old families in specific areas of Norway.

61. Bergens Tidende, 28th September 2008. Sjekkes for vikingblod. Article by Geir Lillesund (NTB) (in Norwegian) on the search for volunteers from old families in the Bergen area of Norway.

62. Aftenposten (Norway), 29th September 2008: Article by Geir Lillesund (NTB) about the search for volunteers from old families in specific areas of Norway.

63. Adresseavisen (Norway), 29th September 2008: Søker vikingblod hos nordmenn. Article by Geir Lillesund (NTB) about the search for volunteers from old families in Trondelag.

64. Jyllands Posten (Denmark), 29th September 2008: Article by Geir Lillesund (NTB) about the search for volunteers from old families in the Jutland and Sjaelland areas of Denmark.

65. Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen, 2nd October 2008. Har du vikingblod I årene? De er på jakt etter frivillige i Gudbrandsdalene. Article by Ingunn Aagedal Schinstad on the search for volunteers from old families in the Gudbrandsdalen area of Norway.

66. Liverpool Daily Post, 3rd January 2009. Page 3 article by Mike Chapple on the evenings BBC2 broadcast “History of Scotland” in which presenter Neil Oliver talks about the huge significance for the battle of Brunanburh and the birth of the Norse-Celtic alliance.

67. Yorkshire Post, 30th January 2009. 'Time team' to seek out genetic secrets of Yorkshire's Viking past. Feature by Mark Branagan on the follow up of the Wirral & West Lancashire survey to the rest of northern England.

68. NEW: Wirral News, 25th March 2009, page 5. Unlocking secrets of our Norse code. Feature by Lorna Hughes on the link-up between Thingwall in Wirral and Tingvoll in Norway, focusing on the schools and a visit of a 12-strong delegation from Tingvoll. Read also this report (in Norwegian) by Gunnlaug Ribe from Tingvoll Kommune.

69. NEW: Wirral News, 8th April 2009, page 24. Short Sighted. Letter by David Griffiths, Steve Harding and Rob Philpott protesting about the threatened closure of Wirral Libraries.

70. NEW: Wirral News, 22nd April, 2009. Tranmere must mark Viking name. Letter by Steve Harding about the 125th anniversary of Tranmere Rovers.

71. NEW: Wirral News, 3rd June 2009. Why Wirral is Worthy. Poem by Jenny Holliday.

72. NEW: Wirral News, 3rd June 2009. Cruel Vikings. Letter by Harry Smith (West Kirby).

73. NEW: Wirral News, 10th June 2009. Celebrate our Norse Heritage. Reply to Harry’s letter.

74. NEW: Wirral News, 16th September 2009, page 7. More links to our Viking Past. Article by Lorna Hughes on Stan Royden and Roy Shuttleworth from Meols. Read the paper copy and another link.

EVENTS 2010

1. NEXT: Saturday February 6th: Tranmere Rovers – the only football team in England with a Norwegian Viking name (Trani-melr meaning cranes or herons at a sandbank) play Oldham Athletic, “The Latics” at the Tranmere Stadium, Prenton Park, kick off 3pm (English League 1). See links below for directions etc. and tickets.

2. COMING UP: Saturday July 31st 2010: OLSOK2010: Wirral – Chester VIKING PILGRIMAGE. This year’s Olsok Pilgrimage/ Viking Churches Heritage Walk to commemorate St. Olav Haraldsson, patron saint of Norway and St. Olav’s Day will go from Wirral to St. Olave’s in Chester. Further Details and Contact Information.

3. August 2010 – January 2011. Chester Viking Festival and Exhibition. More details to follow.

4. Saturday 20th November 2010. Chester Viking Conference, Grosvenor Museum, Chester: organizers Elizabeth Royles and Steve Harding.

5. 18^th November –2^nd December 2010. NICE2010 (Nordic Cultural Events Festival in North-west England): organizer Ingi-Thor Jonsson

For details of all these events: Steve.Harding@nottingham.ac.uk
Events Archive 2002-2009: click here

VIKING BLOGS

1. Wirral News Viking Blog (coming soon)

2. The Viking Theatre – Old Wirral Forums

THE GENETIC SURVEY OF WIRRAL AND WEST LANCASHIRE IS NOW COMPLETE

The Wirral and West Lancashire genealogical survey has now been completed. Following the interest created in the 2001 BBC Blood of Vikings series in which evidence for descendants of Norwegian Vikings were found in the Scottish Isles, Isle of Man and the North Lakes, a new survey was launched in 2002 looking for evidence for Norse descendants in Wirral and West Lancashire, since the place name and other evidence suggests this area was once populated by Scandinavian settlers.
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 now 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.
For more details about the background behind the project click here.

St. OLAVE’S WIRRAL-CHESTER “OLSOK” VIKING HERITAGE WALK

A new annual St. Olave’s Wirral-Chester Viking Walk was introduced 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. The walk finishes at St. Olave’s in Chester and is usually scheduled to take place on the nearest weekend to St. Olave’s day (29^th July) and in 2010 will be on Saturday 31^st July. It will herald the start of the Chester Viking Festival (Sept-Nov 2010). If you are interested in participating please visit the St.Olaves Viking Walk 2010 web site.

“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 services at St. Olave's Church in Chester. The 2001 services 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. Olsok Service, August 2001 with Pastor Oddgeir Bolstad (approx 4min) and Olsok 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.

2007: GROUND PENETRATING RADAR STUDY CONFIRMS EXISTENCE OF AN ANCIENT BOAT UNDER A PUB AT MEOLS
Following Ground Penetrating Radar measurements performed in 2007 at the Railway Inn, Meols apparently confirming the presence of an old boat deep under the car park/patio area, there has been a lot of public interest as to what this very old vessel might be. Based on a sketch made by construction worker Mr. John McCrae who discovered it in 1938 – then had to quickly cover it over again - its shape is similar to hollowed out logboats discovered near Warrington which were dated in a publication in 1979 to around the Viking Age. This one is intriguingly clinker built, or extended clinker and is right in the heart of Scandinavian Wirral. There is indeed a possibility it may be Viking Age in Wirral or from the generations following this. There will have been distortion of the boat and Mr. McRae’s son has said that a significant stem of the boat had been broken off. Unfortunately until the vessel has been dated using radiocarbon technology or dendrochronology it will not be possible to be more conclusive: it will also not be possible to produce an academic publication until that information is available. An extensive phase of consultation has been undertaken. Although the public would like to know the nature of the boat, its status/integrity is the overriding priority. Waterlogged blue clay – the environment in which it has been buried for centuries – is an ideal preservative, stopping microorganisms from decaying the wood fibres, because of its “anaerobic” or oxygen free environment: this is called “preservation in situ” and once taken out of that environment the vessel becomes under severe threat. Following discussions with English Heritage and colleagues at Liverpool Museum, since the vessel is under no immediate threat it has been decided that no further action be taken, so for the immediate future the nature remains a mystery. Nonetheless the attached file considers the evidence we have so far and after consultation with maritime archaeologists in Norway offers an hypothesis for the “Meols Pub Boat”. My opinion differs from the opinion of a colleague at Liverpool Museum and is still a matter of interesting and active debate.
See this article in Current Archaeology and if you are a Norwegian speaker the newspaper articles Ligge det et vikingskip under denne puben? (in Dagbladet) and Vikingefunn ved pub? (in Aftenposten). For the latest follow this link to the Meols Boat Project, which provides:

· The background behind the find and an informed hypothesis what the vessel may be

· The team and advisors

· The current situation

WIRRAL AND WEST LANCASHIRE: VIKING PLACE NAMES

West_Lancs_Places

click here for larger map

SCANDINAVIAN CHESTER

Viking_Chester

This is a map of Chester in the 11^th Century - about 25% of the population of this Centre of Finance were Scandinavian and concentrated in the southern part of the city (circled). Two churches founded by the Scandinavian community are indicated: St. Olave’s and St. Bridget’s. The latter was lost in the 19^th century, although another with the same name is at West Kirby.

Some recent findings near Chester

1. Stonework showing horse and rider (possibly Odin and his 8-legged horse Sleipnir) discovered at St. Edith's Church (near Chester) by Dan Robinson, Emeritus Keeper of Archaeology, Grosvenor Museum, and currently under scrutiny by experts. Download this photograph: How many legs can you make out? Please let us know your opinion. See also this sketch taken from Publication #9 above:

Shocklach_horseman

Is that Odin's Raven sitting on the horse’s back? Regardless of leg number, the horse appears to be like others found on stonework in Ramsey and Malew on the Isle of Man, where the legend of Sigurdr the Dragon Slayer is depicted.

2. 20 Norse silver arm bands discovered by metal detector enthusiast at Huxley: The find was made in a farm neighbouring the home of the present Norwegian Consul for Liverpool.

SCHOOLS WEB RESOURCE: VIKINGS IN WIRRAL
A web resource for Wirral Schools is now 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):

1. AD902 Cuerdale Treasure, (3 min)

2. Viking cross at Halton, N.Lancs (2min)

3. Heysham, N. Lancs (4 min)

4. Isle of Man (3 min)

5. AD902 Ingimund’s deal with Queen Aethelflaed (2 min)

6. Hogback monument at West Kirby (3 min)

7. Thingwall (2 min)

8. Brunanburh and genes (4 min)

General Educational TV/Radio Broadcasts on Vikings:

9. Viking Blood, BBC Blood of Vikings (with Julian Richards), December 2001 (3min)

10. Viking Loot, BBC Blood of Vikings, December 2001 (3min)

11. Orkneys and DNA testing, BBC Blood of Vikings, December 2001 (3min)

12. Anglesey murder mystery, BBC Blood of Vikings, December 2001 (3min)

13. The "by" place names and metal detectors , BBC Blood of Vikings, December 2001 (3min)

14. Daneskin, BBC Blood of Vikings, December 2001 (3min)

15. A pagan burial in the Isle of Man , BBC Blood of Vikings, December 2001 (3min)

16. Rollo, BBC Blood of Vikings, December 2001 (3min)

17. The Viking Ship of Hedeby, Denmark, (29min)

18. Melvin Bragg Radio 4 broadcast on Thor and the other Norse gods, March 2004 (40min)

19. 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.

20. 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.

MAGNUS MAGNUSSON DIES
Magnus Magnusson died last year 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 location of the Battle of Brunanburh – between a fresh wave of Viking invaders from Ireland and their Scottish Allies against a combined army of Wessex and Mercian Saxon English has been the subject of debate for over 100 years. There has been considerable research since Magnus’s broadcast in 1980 and most academics favour Bromborough on Wirral – Brunanburh – the contemporary location of the battle is the old name for Bromborough, and Dingesmere – the point of escape – has been explained as the “Things – mere or – marr”, the wetland or marshland associated with the Thing – the Viking parliament, at Thingwall on Wirral.

Recent Academic Papers:

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.

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.

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 – the identification of Dingesmere as the “Things – mere or – marr”, the wetland or marshland associated with the Thing – the Viking parliament, at Thingwall on Wirral.

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.

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

Popular Broadcasts:
Magnus on Brunanburh (1980)

Julian Richards on Brunanburh – Blood of Vikings (2001)

BBC1 Scotland (and BBC2 all UK) – Neil Oliver gives the Scottish perspective and emphasizes its crucial importance for Britain (2008).

Direct link to the BBC1 Scotland piece.

Amateur/Schools:

Bruna's Fortress – one of two suggested sites on Wirral (2005)

Brunaburh (Battle of) – where on Wirral? (2005)

Dingesmere – escape to the Thing’s mere or marr (2005)

Local Magazine article:

Where Wirral's Vikings Fought. Cheshire Life, (2005)

Popular Newspaper Reports:

Wirral News (2004) – Dingesmere solved?

The Times (2004)

The Independent (2004)

Liverpool Daily Post (2009)

Fig11_12b

1732 map showing Brunanburh and Thingwall

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. 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.

labskovs

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. Tranmere Rovers are celebrating their 125th anniversary season, and after a chequered start to the season are now making a real fist of it, making it very exciting for the fans. 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

s45o Photo:Per Anders Todal

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio Lancashire, BBC North West Tonight (particularly Jim Clarke), BBC Inside Out series (Laurence Innwood, producer), 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. Finally I thank our friends and colleagues at the Wirhalh Skip-Felag.

This is an educational non-profit making web site. The site is maintained, and updated weekly by Stephen 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 .

Links
Centre for the Study of the Viking Age, based at the University of Nottingham.

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

Google link of Viking Archaeological & Genetic links

Steve Scaysbrook's fine site.

Tranmere Rovers Supporters Norway

St. Bridget’s Church

ChesterTourist.com site
The Croxteth Vikings project
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 Harding Fiddle (Hardingfele or Hardanger Fiddle) the National Instrument of Norway.