Th e D a n es i n La nc as hi re a nd Yorks hi re N GTO N S . W . PARTI n ILLUSTRATED SHERRATT HUGHES n n : Soh o u a Lo do 3 3 Sq re, W. M a n chester : 34 Cros s Street I 909 P R E FACE . ‘ ’ ' THE s tory of th e childhood of our race who inh a bited th e counties of L a nca shire a n d Yorkshire before th e a t a n a m a a to th e Norm n Conques , is l ost bl nk p ge a a to-da a a popul r re der of y . The l st inv ders of our a a s h e a a n d shores , whom we design te t D nes Norsemen , not a n were the le st importa t of our a ncestors . The t t a a a t a n d u t H is ory of heir d ring dventures , cr f s c s oms , s a n d a a t th e t a belief ch r cter , wi h surviving r ces in our a a a n d a th e t t . l ngu ge l ws , form subjec of his book the a nd e From evidence of relics , of xisting customs a n d t a t t ac a n d a s r di ions , we r e their thought ction , their t a n d a a t a n d th e m firs steps in speech h ndicr f , develop ent e at o a of their religious conc ptions . Our educ i n uthorities ” h a ve rea lized th e fa ct th a t Loca l N a mes conta in a fu n d of history a nd mea ni n g wh ich a ppea ls to th e young a s well a s to th e a dults ; a n d the county commi ttees h a ve been well a dvised to recommend the tea ching of H istory a nd Geogra phy from loca l fea tures a n d events . a i tt a t . t . Some rt cles wri en by the l e M r John Jus , M A , B r a a a n d t a a of u y , on our e rly r ces , elemen s of our l ngu ge a nd a c t to th e t to t u di lect , formed the in en ive wri er con in e th e story Of our D a nish a ncestors . To th e following wri ters we a re indebted for ma ny a t a n d ta t : . o a . f c s quo ions H C lley M rch , Esq , M D . a a a a n . W G . Collingwood , Sc ndin vi n B rit i W S a t s e a n d o C lverley , S one Cro s s M numents of West ”79 69 3 4 P vi . RE FACE ’ a n d a . a a morl a nd Cumberl nd Dr W . W gner s T les a n d a t n t t Tr di io s of our Nor hern Ances ors M r . B oyle , i n a a t e . D nes the E s R iding of Yorkshir Mr . J . W B a B . A . the a t e taff r dley , , of S l Mus um , S ord , Runic a a a nd - a a H . a a C lend rs Clog Alm n cs Rev J y Collig n , o . a n Liverp ol ; Professor W A Herdm , Liverpool ; “ ” a s a u s of B a tt e a Mr. J . T . M rq i , the l of B run nburh ; ” Worsaac a n i n n a . Dr . , D es E gl nd t K a a Ma Messrs . Ti us Wilson Son , end l , Pl tes , p R a oes etc a Co . of , . ; Sw n , Sonnenschein , London ; a a t Co . Willi ms , Norg e , London a tt n . n a To Ch rles W . Su o , Esq , Free Refere ce Libr ry , a n t a a a a n d a ta a t M ches er , for v lu ble dvice ssis nce gr eful t a a r h nks e now tendered . R . S . W . PA TI N GTON B Y to e 4 1909 UR , Oc b r , . CO N TE N TS . Invasion and Conquest Settlements Pla ce - N a me s Patronymics Physica l Types still existing Politica l Freemen Husba ndry Stone Crosses Runes Memorial s Litera ture Mythology Supe rstitions Agricul ture LI ST O F I L L U ST RAT I O N S . ' ' Canute Fron tzspzece PAG E Viking Settlements 1 3 Extwistle H a ll 3 4 Brunanburh Map 3 6 ’ Old Da ne s House 40 Ancient Danish Loom 8 0 H eysha m Hogba ck 1 2 0 a a a - on - D nish Orn ments , Cl ughton brock H a lton Cross Ormside Cup Clog Alm a na c Symbols Runic Calend a r a C rved Wood , with Runes B ra ctaetes H al ton Cup Ca lders tones . , N o I Calders tones . , N o I I Invasion an d Conquest CH APTE R I . AN D INVASION CONQ UEST . A VIC TORIOU S people have always a wide - spreading influence over the people subdued by them . An inferior race never withstood a superior one . The very fact that the D a nes gained not only an ascendancy in many parts of England during the - Anglo Saxon dynasties , but even the government a of them all , is proof that they were at that period a race of individuals superior to the natives of the land . The indigenous Britons felt the ameliorating influence of the Roman superiority and the civilisa tion which formed an element of the Roman sway . The Danes exercised and maintained an influence equal to the extent of their amalgamation for the a gener l good of the country . The Romans were as much superior to the aborigina l Britons as the English of the present day are to the Africans and a Sikhs . The Saxons were an adv nce on the Romanised Celt , while on the Saxons again , the Danes or Northmen were an advance in superiority a and great element of improvement . Leaving the D a nes to tell their own tale and write their own histories in favour of their own fatherland , we undertake to sketch out their connection with our of own county Lancaster , with the permanent , and 4 TH E DAN ES I N LANCAS H I R E of . still existing , effects that connection Hitherto history has unfolded nothing as to the date when the ” Vikings first visited the Lancashire coast , a n d plundering the county , slaughtering the inha bitants . The Danes first visited the eastern a A D 8 coasts about the ye r . 7 7, as narrated in the 8 of S axon Chronicle . In the year 94 the city a Chester fell into their h nds , under the redoubtable H astings . This celebrated place the Danes fortified , and henceforward , along with the other of a a cities Derby , across the isl nd , held at interv ls until their power waned by the amalga m ation which n eventually constituted o e people . Local names are the beacon lights of primev a l history . The of names places , even at this remote period of time , suff ice to prove th at the Danes left an impression of superiority by their invasion . At this time the a a Danes inv ded the coast of L ncashire , and formed settlements therein . Cumberland a n d Westmorl and were under the dominion of Cumbrian Britons . At this early period the Danes h ave so intermingled - to with the Anglo Saxons , as influence the names of - the hundreds into which the shire was sub divided . N o chronicle may register this fact , but the words do a n d do s o , will , long as they constitute the signs a n d symbols of ide a s a n d things . The northern of a a n d hundred the shire was named Lonsd le , not of Lunes dal e b ut extended only over the district , also included the territory north of the sands . The second hundred into which the shire was divided IN VAS ION AN D CONQ U EST 5 s was Amoun derness . I f we allow nes to be of OI‘ l l I‘l strictly Scandinavian g , then this hundred has a “ ” Amoun der strictly Danish or Norse name , being the first Viking who settled in the Fyl de country . “ ” Bl ak eb urn B lackburn , pronounced , is the third name of a hundred which lies more inland , but h av mg little or no coast line within the shire . Inland the Scandinavian influence diminished . Hence the genuine Anglo - Saxon name of this div ision ; in the “ ” early times Bl agb urn shi re . The fourth hundred is a s that of S lford , also inland , hence under no Dani h e e - influence . The name is g nul n Anglo Saxon and perhaps this hundred includes natives less mixed with Scandinavian population than any other in the - north of England .