Viking Names
Ab Kettleby
Ab Kettleby, in the Framland Hundred of Leicestershire, comes from the Old Danish male personal name Ketil (Old Norse Ketill), originally a byname related to Old Norse ketill ‘a cauldron, a cauldron-shaped helmet’. This personal name was very common in England. It is compounded with Old Norse by ‘a farmstead, a village’. The affix Ab, which distinguishes the township from Eye Kettleby some four miles to the south, comes from the name of an early owner of the estate, a Middle English Abbe (either from the Old English male personal name Abba or the Old Norse male personal name Abbi).
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Viking Designs
Drawing of Copper Alloy Disc Brooch
Drawing of a copper alloy, gilded brooch with a zoomorphic design. Brooches were a typical part of female dress. Scandinavian brooches came in a variety of sizes and shapes which included disc, trefoil, lozenge, equal-armed, and oval shapes. The different brooch types served a variety of functions in Scandinavian female dress with oval brooches typically being used as shoulder clasps for apron-type dresses and the rest being used to secure an outer garment to an inner shift. Anglo-Saxon brooches do not match this diversity of form with large disc brooches being typical of ninth century dress styles with smaller ones becoming more popular in the later ninth and tenth centuries. However, since disc brooches were used by both Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian women they are distinguished by their morphology. Scandinavian brooches were typically domed with a hollow back while Anglo-Saxon brooches were usually flat. Moreover, Anglo-Saxon brooches were worn singly without accompanying accessories.
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Viking Objects
Continental Sceat (LEIC-901FF1)
This silver Continental sceat is possibly part of Seaby 843 Series X which are considered to be associated with the early trading center at Ribe. It is very likely that they made their way to England by means of Vikings.
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Viking Names
Croxton Kerrial
The first element of Croxton Kerrial, in the Framland Hundred of Leicestershire, likely comes from the Old Danish male personal name Krōk (Old Norse Krókr), originally a byname meaning ‘crooked-back’, possibly ‘crooked-dealer’ related to Old Norse krókr ‘hook’. Alternatively the first element could be Old English crōc ‘a crook’, which relates to a location situated in a nook or bend of land. The second element is Old English tun ‘an enclosure; a farmstead; a village; an estate’. The land was granted to granted to Bertramus de Cryoll in 1239 thus the affix Kerrial. This name can be compared to South Croxton also in Leicestershire.
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Viking Names
Osgathorpe
Osgathorpe, in the West Goscote Hundred of Leicestershire, comes from the Old Danish male personal name Asgot (Old Norse Ásgautr) and the Old Norse element þorp ‘outlying farm, settlement’. Some later forms of the name show replacement by the Norman male personal name Angod. In the neighbouring Thringstone in Coalville parish, the field-names Ossegodishaug and Hosgothawe (with Old English haga or Old Norse hagi ‘enclosure’) presumably record the same owner of land.
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Viking Objects
Danish Silver Sceat (LIN-6C0EBC)
This silver sceat is classified as part of the Danish Woden/Monster Series X which date to around 710 – 800. The obverse depicts the head of Woden with crosses to either side of rounded beard and pellet above. The reverse depicts a monster facing left. These coins are considered to be associated with the early trading center at Ribe. It is very likely that they made their way to England by means of Vikings.
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Viking Objects
Danish Silver Sceat (LEIC-5608D1)
This silver sceat is classified as part of the Danish Series X Type 31. The obverse depicts the head of Woden with crosses to either side of a rounded beard and pellet above. The reverse depicts a monster facing left. These coins are considered to be associated with the early trading center at Ribe in Denmark. It is very likely that they made their way to England by means of Vikings.
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Viking Objects
Danish Silver Sceat (NARC-70AFF4)
This silver sceat is classified as part of the Danish Series X Type 31. The obverse depicts the head of Woden with crosses to either side of a rounded beard and pellet above. The reverse depicts a monster facing left. These coins are considered to be associated with the early trading center at Ribe. It is very likely that they made their way to England by means of Vikings.
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Viking Names
Arnesby
The first element of Arnesby, in the Guthlaxton Hundred of Leicestershire, is likely the Old Danish male personal name Iarund (Old Norse Iǫrundr) which might have given a Middle English form Erendes in the genitive. However, it has been argued that the specific element might be the Scandinavian appellative erendi ‘errand, message’ which may be an unrecorded byname. The second element is Old Norse by ‘a farmstead, a village’.
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Viking Names
Freeby
Freeby, in the Framland Hundred of Leicestershire, comes from the Old Danish male personal name Fræði (genitive singular Frætha) combined with the Old Norse element by ‘a farmstead, a village’.
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Viking Objects
Copper-Alloy, Gilded Disc Brooch (LEIC-E7A016)
A copper alloy, gilded brooch with a zoomorphic design in the Borre style. This brooch was probably made in Denmark and brought to England. For more information on Scandinavian jewellery in England check out our blog: Brooches, Pendants and Pins: Scandinavian Dress Accessories in England.