Cumbrian Vikings – places mentioned in Shieldmaiden.

A friend asked about my use of modern English names for places mentioned in Shieldmaiden and to be honest it wasn’t something I had though about. Below is some information I have, very belatedly, dug out from Robert Ferguson, The Northmen in Cumberland and Westmoreland, (1856), a leaflet: Place Names in the Lake District from The National Park Information Service and Wikipedia.

Buttermere. I love the area around Buttermere. The legend about how the Vikings from Manx, on the run from the wrath of Harald Finehair, settled in Buttermere was my inspiration for Shieldmaiden. There are two conflicting explanations for this name.

It could mean "the lake by the dairy pastures".

It could also be "Buthar's mere" and this agrees with the local tradition about the Norse chieftain Jarl Buthar or Boethar who in late 11^th and early 12^th centuries conducted a campaign of running resistance against the Norman invaders. Jarl Buthar is a semi-mythological figure. He is apparently mentioned in 12th century Norman documents, but much of his story appears to be based on local legend and archaeology. Nicholas Size's "The Secret Valley " tells of Jarl Buthar's campaign. For almost half a century it's claimed that the Cumbrians fought a guerrilla war against the Normans, attacking supply wagons, ambushing patrols and inflicting great losses until, in a final battle at Rannerdale ("Ragnar's dale"), the Anglo-Scandinavian Cumbrians were defeated by the Normans.

Legend it may be but it is very attractive except that it creates a problem for me as Shieldmaiden is set in the middle of the 10^th Century, 100 years or more before Jarl Boethar.  So maybe I’ll have to stick to the dairy-pastures as the origin of the name Buttermere while hanging my head in shame at not having checked up on this before. Or could Jarl Boethar have taken his name from where he lived? It happened.

Becklund is a made up name for the farm by Loweswater where Sigrid grew up. There is a Becklund in Sweden and I spent my childhood’s summers there. Beck means stream and a lund is a grove, possibly a holy place for worship and sacrifice. It’s a perfectly respectable name for a farm.

Loweswater ‘Laufsasaervatn’ means leafy lake.

Honister comes from Hogni, a man’s name and ter from tadir meaning place. It doesn’t necessarily mean that Hogni lived there, he may have been buried there as the Vikings liked to be buried, or at least have their stones and/or mounds, in prominent places where they could be seen by lots of people who would then remember them and their great deeds ( or villainous exploits, depending on your point of view).

Honister Hause. Hause, from ‘hals’ meaning neck and its derivative haw means a low area between hills ie a pass.

Swanhill. I have to apologise for this one, not only is it made up but it isn’t even a Viking place-name. It should have been Heltrehaugr from heltre, swan, and haugr, one of several words for hill. My imaginary Swanhill is near the end of the footpath from Crummockwater to Ennerdale Water.

Ennerdale, early  spelling Ananderdale from the personal name Anund and dale which means valley.

Floutern Tarn. There’s more than one of these in the Lake District but the one I have in mind lies between Crummockwater and Ennerdale. The footpath passes quite close to it.

Crummockwater. Crooked lake or could be Cromboc or Crumbeck from the man’s name Krumr and beck. It was connected to Buttermere until a narrow stretch silted up and divided them.

Keswick in the Dark Ages and the early medieval period was part of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. The Vikings arrived in the 10th century and are thought to have come as invited settlers rather than as invaders, perhaps for economic reasons or possibly to bolster Strathclyde’s southern border against incursion by the Northumbrians. The Norsemen were great traders and farmers, and are thought to have introduced the Herdwik sheep whose ancestors doubtless provided milk for the industry that gave Keswick its name: it means ‘cheese town’ from Cese and wic.

Keskadale, I have not been able to find a translation for but it is in the Newlands valley which until 13^th century was known as Rogersat or Rogersyde which was derived from “Roger-Saetr”, which translates as Summer pasture belonging to Roger. My own thought on Keskadale is that it could be to do with cese, cheese, same as Keswick.

Jorvik/York. I never even considered using the modern name, thinking Jorvik is familiar to most people. When describing Sigrid and Ansgar’s visit I made good use of ‘Jorvik a Viking City’ from York Archaeological Trust.

Scarborough, Skarthi’s fort, an indulgence on my part as it is another place I like to visit and the legend of Skarthi building the settlement on the slope of the old Roman fort is well established. Skarthi was a nick-name for someone with a hare-lip.

Blog entry by Emma Keir from the Grassroutes Project about the launch of Shieldmaiden.

Picture by Rod Duncan

Book Launch: Shieldmaiden by Marianne Whiting

            On Thursday 6^th December Marianne Whiting, poet, novelist and member of Leicester writer's club released her novel Shieldmaiden. The evening, at Leicester Adult Eduction College, consisted of Marianne's witty introduction to her novel, readings from the manuscript and an intriguing historical background into its context.

            Marianne begins her talk by telling the audience about her Scandinavian heritage. The author grew up on historical fiction, yet she felt frustrated that most roles allocated to women were limited. The exception seemed to be the Viking era. She tells us her usual responses to her Scandinavian heritage: a joke about Vikings, “either a leer or sneer but always the same words: Vikings, oh yes, rape and pillage”.

            Marianne had always intended to write a book about Vikings, and Shieldmaiden has taken years in the making. She tells the room “when I first began writing Shieldmaiden I was very arrogant thinking that being Scandinavian and a student of history I wouldn't really need to do much research”. Yet as the evening goes on, her dedication to her formed research is clear for all to see.

            The gap in her knowledge, she tells us, turned out to be about Viking settlers in Cumbria. The novelist continues to give us an interesting background into British history. Marianne explains she was a historian before becoming a novelist, but she was, as she puts it: “a lousy historian because I had so much imagination”. However, she has evidently maintained an impressive vat of historical knowledge, which keeps everyone in the room fascinated. Even after her launch, the room is buzzing with excited listeners sharing their appreciation of the novel and its author.

            I too, became a new fan of Marianne and couldn't wait to get my hands on a signed copy of Shieldmaiden. I explained to her I was from Grassroutes writing team and she helpfully offered me her transcript from the evening. I gratefully accepted it and eagerly took my seat with my new novel. Within ten minutes, I had already read two chapters and I can tell you now, I cannot wait to read twenty eight more.

By Emma Keir

(Member of Grassroutes writing team and proud owner of Shieldmaiden by Marianne Whiting)

Shieldmaiden is available as e-book and paperback from www.troubador.co.uk/matadorand www.amazon.co.uk ,as e-book from WH Smith and the paperback can be ordered from major book stores if it's not on their shelves.

Cumbrian Vikings, sources and research.

Cumbrian Vikings.

 When I first began writing Shieldmaiden I was very arrogant thinking that being Scandinavian, growing up with legends and sagas and being a student of History I wouldn’t really need to do much research. Please insert hollow laughter here!

The first enormous gap in my knowledge was of course about the Viking settlers in Cumbria. While staying at the Bridge Hotel in Buttermere I came across the tale of the Vikings from the Isle of Man who got a bit uppety and refused to pay tribute to Harald Finehair of Norway. Well, that must be one of the worst miscalculations ever. Harald Finehair’s punishment expeditions were legendary and, when they heard that he’d set sail and was on his way, the Manx Vikings left in a hurry taking their families, animals and all they could carry on their ships. Some of them ended up in Buttermere and Rannerdale.

Jarl Sweyn and his family are based on this tale but here I have exercised the novelist’s prerogative and shaped the events to suit me. Otherwise I have made every effort to stay true to actual events.

The Vikings left practically no written records. The Anglo Saxon Chronicle was written by monks who weren’t over-fond of Vikings and anyway don’t deal with everyday life. So I have used what sources I found, the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, Icelandic Sagas, reports from archaeological digs and secondary sources such as the writing of W.G. Colloingwood and Nicholas Size.

They were both scholars, specialists on the Viking settlers in Cumbria. Collingwood wrote Thorstein of the Mere, a Saga of the Northmen in Lakeland. This saga fills in the gaps that the Historian has to leave alone due to lack of unambiguous evidence or simply lack of any evidence at all. Nicholas Size writes about his novel The Secret Valley, the Real Romance of Unconquered Lakeland : “There are details to imagine and suggestions to make in order to cover points which have not been recorded; and as life is too short for most of us, it seems best to put the facts into the form of a readable story appreciated by the many, instead of into a dry handbook appreciated by the very few.” I couldn’t agree more.

The novelist can continue where the historian must stop and admit that we don’t know.  But to use conjecture and create fiction carries responsibility and, like Collingwood and Size, although I am no longer an academic, I do take that seriously. More about sources and inspiration in my next blog.

Shieldmaiden Interview and Review

The Bookish Dame has inviewed me and reviewed Shieldmaiden on her blog:

http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com/2012/12/shieldmaiden-by-marianne.html

 

"Shieldmaiden" by Marianne Whiting~Absorbing Story!

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SUMMARY:  Sigrid is the daughter of a runaway Norwegian princess and a warrior who was once Harald Finehair’s housekarl. She grows up on a farm by Loweswater but her childhood comes to an abrupt end when her father is outlawed and killed, her home is burnt and the rest of her family disappears...

In the year 934 Cumbria is in turmoil. The English fight Vikings for political supremacy in the North, whilst the traditional Viking way of life is threatened as Christianity advances against the worship of Norse gods. Against this background, Sigrid embarks on a quest for justice and security for herself and her children. Her only option is to appeal to the King of Norway to reverse his judgement on her father and allow her to inherit the family farm, but Norway is far away and Sigrid is a daughter of an outlaw with only her wits and her sword skills to help her cause. Recruiting a small but gallant force of allies, she sets out to regain her birth-right. During her quest, she encounters kings, warriors and villains. While her fighting skills earn her admiration and rewards, she also begins to understand about duty, honour and loyalty, changing from a headstrong teenager into a respected warrior woman. Shieldmaiden is a well-researched and realistic tale that will appeal to fans of historical fiction, as well as young adult readers. Marianne has been inspired by Nordic sagas and legends and the Icelandic sagas, as well as Frans G. Bengtsson’s The Long Ships, Robert Low’s The Oathsworn series and Manda Scott’s Boudica novels.
PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :
Published by:  Troubador Publishing Inc./Matador
Pages:  264
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Purchase:  Barnes & Noble   Amazon

AN INTERVIEW WITH MARIANNE WHITING :

Welcome to A Bookish Libraria, Marianne.  I'm anxious to hear your answers to some of my questions!

1) First of all, please tell us a special something about what makes you “tick.”  When you aren’t writing, what are you doing?

 Reading, unless my husband drags me, kicking and screaming, out for a walk or bike ride which I then enjoy very much.

2) We’re always curious about where a writer chooses to write.  Could you tell us about your favorite place to write?  Describe it in detail…what’s on your desk, what do you see from the window if any…do you have a favorite lucky charm?

 This is one of my big problems. I have a very small, crowded room where I do my writing, keep track of my finances (it can be seriously scary to find an unpaid bill between chapter one and two), keep the accounts for Leicester Writers’ Club and any correspondence. A shared filing-cabinet and a chest of drawers ensure regular interruptions. This is why I’m often found in our lovely little conservatory; it’s bright and with a view of the garden but cold in winter and boiling hot in summer. I may also claim space in our living room or on the dining table. Need I say, how grateful I am to whoever invented the laptop! My desk is a mess – you really don’t want to know!

Every now and then I excavate my desk and then I find my lucky charm. It is a small stuffed dog, about two inches long, with a funny smile on its face. He’s very cute and I’m always very pleased to see him. I make a great deal of fuss of him until he’s again buried under the debris.

3) Bronte or Austen?  Hemingway or Hawthorne?  Why?

  My dad introduced me to historical fiction. He took me to see The Three Musketeers with Errol Flynn and when we got home he let me borrow his copy of the book. I never looked back! I devoured historical adventure and novels about war and, yes, I read Hemingway and Steinbeck too. Never a fan of romantic fiction, I do however also have a complaint about adventure stories; the men and the boys always seem to have all the fun and excitement. We have tough female detectives, why not a warrior woman? Sigrid, the Viking shieldmaiden, demanded that her story be told.

 4) In your opinion, what makes a book a great one?

One that stays with you; one that makes you think and feel; one that challenges you and shows you something new. I like to find out facts and ideas from my fiction.

 5) Which author(s) most influenced your love of books? 

 This could easily be a long list and it would probably change quite often but Villhelm Moberg and Sven-Edvin Salje, two historical novelists from Sweden have had a lasting influence because they manage to combine historical accuracy with realistic characters facing challenging situations and moral dilemmas which feel relevant to the modern reader.

Going back to my childhood, I’ve already mentioned Alexandre Dumas but there is of course also Astrid Lindgren whose Pippi Longstocking influenced not just my love of books but probably my attitude to life as well.

6) Read any good books in the past 6 months?

 You want the whole list?! I belong to a book club which makes me read things I wouldn’t otherwise choose. This year I discovered David Mitchell’s Ghostwritten, Rose Tremain’s Restoration, Georgina Harding’s Painter of Silence and Fawsia Koofi’s autobiography The Favoured Daughter. Outside the club I have enjoyed Robert Low’s Oathsworn, a series of Viking adventures. At the moment I’m re-reading Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children.

7) Choose 4 guests from any era for dinner.  Who would they be and what would you choose for a topic of conversation?

Theodora Byzantine Empress, Queen Margareta of Sweden, Denmark and Norway 1389-1412, Elizabeth I of England and Catherine the Great of Russia. I think they would find a discussion about the challenges women face when ruling empires.

8) There’s a song that goes along with your book, what is it?

 Clannad, Boadicea. It is a celtic tune but I don’t think there are any surviving examples of Viking music.

9) If you could cast your book for a movie, who would you choose for your 2 main characters?

Jennifer Lawrence as Sigrid and Viggo Mortensen (20 years ago) as Ragnar.

10) Worst habit you have while writing books?

Answering questions that I then have no recollection of. This is particularly embarrassing if I have promised to do something.

 11) How much research did you do before and during writing?

 In my arrogance I thought that being Swedish I knew enough about Vikings so I did nothing before starting. I have since done lots of reading, searching on the internet, looking up websites of re-enactment societies and visiting museums, Viking Centres and places I mention in the book.

12) Psychologists tell us the thing we think we’d most like to grow up to be when we’re ten years old is our avocation.  What did you want to be?

Honestly, I wanted to be a novelist. It just took me half a century to get started!

 THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :

 I read and thoroughly enjoyed "Shieldmaiden: You are your Father's Daughter..." this week.  It wasn't at all what I expected.  Frankly I thought I would be bogged down in Viking names and history and would have to plough my way through them to find a story to enjoy.  Quite the contrary. 

We are very soon introduced to the strong-willed and beautiful Sigrid, who is the shieldmaiden, and her soon-to-be-lover, Ragnar.  Both of these young warriors are beautifully rendered, exciting, and not at all boring or bogged down!  Through them and their personal struggles around a great battle, we become familiar with the times and the peoples of the year 934.

Mythologically, Norse gods and Christianity wrestle for foundations amongst the English and the Vikings in Ms Whiting's novel.  I loved the contrasts shown in the warriors and peoples.  I saw Norway as I'd never experienced it before.

This is a historical novel that's a surprise.  It's well-written and wonderfully told.  I enjoyed the love story and the strength of character of the warrior woman, Sigrid.  I would recommend it for those who like to take a risk on unusual historical fiction with a wonderful love story.

4 stars                Deborah/TheBookishDame

Posted by Deb

Review of Shieldmaiden by Joyce Wilson in the Keswick Reminder:

"The story of Cumbria has been fundamentally shaped by the Viking occupation; we know that from our place names, words in our dialect and even our DNA. Marianne Whiting is a Swedish-born, Leicestershire-based writer with a deep love of the Lake District and the Cumbrian mountains. Her tale is born in the Loweawater/Buttermere valleys, but also includes a visit by the heroine 'Sigrid Kveldulfsdaughter' to her mother's homeland; to visit her grandfather the King of Norway.
             For those who know these two valleys well this tale tells a colourful story of what it might be like to have lived there in the tenth Century. After reading this novel any future visit we make will sharply recall the fictional story of Sigrid, which is likely to be close to that lived by real people, those who lived, loved and died amid these towering fells. It's tale of murder, the merciless slaughter of war, love, hatred, binding honour, also marking the change from the old Norse gods, Odin and Thor to a slow and often unwilling acceptance of the new Christianity forced upon them by a succession of converted kings.
              Sigrid is an unusual female child; she learns how to use a sword and to fight in the tradition of the ancient Viking warriors who had accepted maiden warriors into their ranks in earlier times. Her bravery and skill leads her into battles which are brutal, bloody and very graphically described by a writer who has meticulously and lovingly researched her source materials.
              The storyline is captivating and doesn't allow the reader to 'escape'. It's a novel that cannot be put down until the very last sentence! I sat up to finish it! This compelling saga would be a lovely Christmas present for anyone who enjoys a good adventure story with a unique local historical input."

this business about blogging....

I'm not sure I'm cut out for this! So far I have tried not to blame blogspot (poor craftsperson blaming tools or whatever) but OMG this is so much harder than they made it sound. Why did my picture in the first post change to a black space with a 'no entry' sign?  I'll give it one more go.

Shieldmaiden has arrived!

Welcome to my blog about Vikings, historical fiction and my life as a writer.

When I first arrived in the UK and mentioned Vikings I was met with two responses. They could be described as 'a leer' and 'a sneer' but they were both accompanied by the same comment: 'Vikings, oh yes, rape and pillage.' I've known for a long time time that my mission in life would be to provide a counterbalance to the bad press the Vikings have received in this country.

Shieldmaiden is the first step in this campain but that's all I want to say about her. If you want to know more you'll have to check out my website mariannewhiting.com . My blog will be about other things.