Viking houses have been discovered at Irby and at Lingham (both Viking names, by the way!); and a mini-Viking hogback tombstone appeared in someone’s back garden in . We don’t know what will pop up next! And with all the Viking DNA which seems to be in people from old Wirral families, they are still here with us in many ways.

How did the Vikings end up on the Wirral Steve with Tranmere scarf by his Thingwall sign “My Auntie peninsula? How long did they remain in the area, Millie would be proud!” and why did they eventually leave? Cherchez la femme: it goes back to a woman, of course – and, believe it or not, a Harding woman! Can you tell us a little bit Tranmere Rovers fan since the age of five, this In the 9th century, Norway consisted of a lot of about your background, was red rag to a bull, and I have been fascinated smaller ‘mini-kingdoms’. A young king of one and how you became involved by Wirral and the North West’s Viking history such mini-kingdom took a fancy to a young in researching Wirral’s Viking history? ever since. woman in another, who said that only a king of I was born and brought up in Wirral, and come Although my subsequent career has been in all of Norway would be fit enough to marry her. from two old Wirral families: the Hardings and Science (Physics, Biochemistry and Genetics), This was Gyda, a “Harding” (from the Hardanger Whartons. My Mum’s side, from Moreton, research into Vikings has now become very area of Norway). and , go right back to the Stanleys of the interdisciplinary, although Archaeology and The young king was Harald Hårfagre (meaning 14th century – Master Foresters/Knights of the History are still the lead disciplines. Scientists literally “hair-beautiful”) who rose to the Garter, of Hall. like me can now make an important contribution challenge, united Norway and gave everyone In the 1960s, I went to school at Overchurch, (radar, isotope analysis, polymer science, a choice to join him or clear off. It seems and Grammar - but we learnt DNA, etc.), so it’s great to have been able many chose the latter, and this became nothing about the Vikings other than that they to be involved. My main research at one of the main drivers behind the were “baddies” who Alfred the Great rescued us the moment is the Saving Oseberg great migrations from Norway. from! I had an aunt who lived in one of those big project, working with conservators The Scandinavian Sagas tell us houses near the Bassett Hound pub at Thingwall, and fellow scientists at the Viking of how a great many peoples came Auntie Millie, who was also Grandmother to well- Ship Museum in replacing heavily across to the Scottish Isles (settling known local author Kevin Sampson. Even then, disintegrated and decayed wood with in the Orkneys, Shetlands and Hebrides), when we used to visit as youngsters, there was specially tailored natural polymers. And I then down the – settling in the a special feel about the place – confirmed much am about to take up a joint appointment Isle of Man and then establishing Dublin as Forty generations ago, Wirral later when I learnt about the Viking connection. with the University of Oslo. their main base in the Irish Sea region. Then ancient Irish Chronicles tell us of was home to a thriving Viking I was lucky enough to get a place at Oxford to study Physics. One day, I was in my college Why should the people of Wirral be how in the year AD902 there was a huge population, with its own language library (this was way back in 1976 when I was 20) excited by the area’s links to the Vikings? battle between the Irish and the Norsemen, and customs, parliament, and revising for final exams, but desperate for some Liverpool has The Beatles, Chester has and how the Vikings were then driven from the Romans… but we have the Vikings, Ireland. Led by their leader, Ingimund, they even its own seaport. Today, relief from all these equations (this was pre-Brian Cox: Physics then was pretty tough going…), and and in a big way! Two decades ago few tried to settle in Anglesey but got driven as the only place on mainland I spotted a new book, Scandinavian by people on Wirral knew out of there too. And then, after Britain with documented evidence F.T. Wainwright, on a nearby shelf. Randomly, about our great Viking some deal with the heritage, in terms of Norwegian Viking settlers, I looked at it, and was astonished to find that Queen of the Mercian nearly half the book seemed to be about Wirral of the historical English, Aethelflaed Wirral has a unique heritage to be and the escapades of a Norse leader, Ingimund, records, place names, (daughter of Alfred the proud of, as Wirral-born expert who settled there. And it gave a long list of all archaeology, and even our Great), these Vikings were Professor Stephen Harding the place names in Wirral with Scandinavian language. Nowadays, most allowed to settle in Wirral. people are at least partially We are not sure why. Maybe explained to Waiting. roots – loads of them, including Thingwall (which means “Assembly field”, the place of Assembly aware, and indeed it’s something some money/treasure changed we can be really proud of. And hands; maybe there was even some See page 37 for our special pull-out or Parliament) and Tranmere, which means the remnants and reminders from this romance involved; we don’t know. But featuring Stephen’s Viking Trail. sandbank (melr) with the cranes - not the sort found at Cammel Lairds, but the birds - or herons great age are popping up all the time. the deal was they settled peacefully (trani, or plural trana). As I have been a huge Recently, the foundations of two and did not attack Chester. >

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They settled, then, in the Why do you think there is such interest in the northern end of the peninsula, UK generally concerning the Vikings compared with their southern boundary to other historical peoples? And given Wirral’s being marked by Raby (a Viking significance, do you think enough is being done name meaning “boundary to promote this history locally? settlement”) and Thingwall at the The Victorians – those great Romantics - were the centre; Meols (yet another Viking name, meaning ones who got us all interested in the Vikings. And “sandbanks”) was their main seaport. The area Wirral was no exception, with the legend of Thor’s became an autonomous, Viking mini-state with stone at (Thurstaston is a Viking its own language, Assembly and leader. name but nothing to do with Thor by the way! ). From the genetic evidence (which points to up And there was even a ”Canute chair” constructed to 50% of the DNA of the old Wirral population in the early 19th century at Castle to being Scandinavian in origin), it appeared the commemorate the famous - and unsuccessful - Vikings stayed put, although any autonomy they event where the King commanded the sea back. QUALITY APPRENTICESHIPS IN WIRRAL had would have been removed by the time of the (My Mum was brought up next to Moreton Shore Norman conquest in 1066 - and the re-allocation and, like all the other places there, it used to Apprenticeships not only allow you to be able of land ownership to Norman barons. flood regularly, so you can see how the legend on to work for an employer earning a salary but Their influence remained strong through the Wirral could have spread.) also gain a quali cation in an area that you are centuries that followed, particularly from the Today, everyone is impressed with the Viking’s interested in. Anyone living in England, over the dialect. For instance, there’s the persistence of great skills as craftspeople, boatbuilders and age of 16 and not in full-time education, may certain words in local field and place names, like seafarers, but it is their spirit of bravado and be eligible to become an apprentice. carr (marsh), holm (dry area in a marsh), rake adventure which has really captured people’s (lane), slack (cut-through), breck (slope on a imagination. In terms of promoting this locally, An Apprenticeship through Progress to Excellence hillside), intake (enclosure for animals), arrowe things take time to sink in, but I think, at last, could also open up whole new work opportunities (pastureland away from the farmhouse), heskeths the Council is promoting things locally. They for you, from permanent job roles or more senior positions, to pursuing further study as your career (race track for horses), and skerry (rocks). have worked with us, for example, with the four progresses. There’s also rental records showing people with Thingwall “dual-language” signposts and the surnames such as Hondesson, Hondesdoghter Viking information boards at the Bassett Hound If you have any questions on what steps you want and Raynaldesdoghter – meaning the “son” and in Thingwall (and that wonderful mural inside the to take next, speak to your employer or “daughter of Hondes, Raynald” etc. (which is the pub) - and another Viking board at Meols Park. alternatively contact a member of our team for more advice, on 0151 650 6933 or email Viking way of naming women, as still used in But, yes, there is a lot more to be done, although [email protected]. For more modern Iceland). we respect the fact that public money is not so information about us, and the services we offer, Call us today on 0151 650 6933 Also we can look to literature, like the famous readily available to fund projects - that’s why visit www.ptoetraining.co.uk, or join us on 14th century poem ‘Sir Gawain and the Green we were so delighted that United Utilities agreed Facebook and Twitter. or visit www.ptoetraining.co.uk Knight’, where much of the action takes place to pay for all the Thingwall signs. We are also in Wirral. In fact this is a poem which is strongly working with Tranmere Rovers in the Community associated with Knight of the Garter, Sir John to help promote our great Viking Heritage, so, yes, Stanley of Storeton Hall (Storeton - “the large things are starting to move now. And now, with farmstead”), who is believed to have been the Waiting Magazine, the Viking Trail! patron of the unknown poet (or even have been Read Part Two of Stephen’s interview in our next the poet himself!). What is amazing about this issue. The Viking Trail can be found over the page. poem is it contains a large number of dialect words of Scandinavian origin and reflects what G8, Paci c Road, , Wirral, CH41 1LJ sort of language would have been spoken in the To read more of Stephen’s research, and to purchase one of his many books, visit area even 300-400 years after the Viking Age had www.waitingmagazine.co.uk/vikings. finished. So, yes, they haven’t really gone away.

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