Acts Of Expansion
Chester and West Lancashire

The ancient story of Ingimund tells of him leading persistent Wirral Norse attacks on the English held city of Chester in the early part of the 10th century.  The story finishes "it was not long after that they came (back) to wage battle again".

Did they succeed? Presumably the answer was partly yes (but by diplomatic rather than violent means) because by the time of the Norman Conquest (1066AD), approximately a quarter of the population was Scandinavian (based on the proportion of the names of Moneyers with Scandinavian names working in the city and landowners in the area).

Some major Viking finds have been found in Chester. There is also evidence in place names such as Clippe Gate and Wolfeld's Gate (after the Norse man Klyppr and lady Ulfhildr) and the existence of two churches founded by Norsemen who came from Ireland, St Bridget's Church in West Kirby and and St Olave's (just off Lower Bridge Street).

St Bridget is one of the two patron saints of Ireland (the other being St Patrick).  St Olave is the patron saint of Norway.

The Norsemen spread out beyond the original boundary to all over the peninsula and also across the River Dee to the North Wales coast (places like Talacre and the Point of Ayr) and across the River Mersey up the Liverpool coast (places like Aintree, Crosby, Formby, West Derby, Scarisbrick, Skelmersdale, Lathom and Ormskirk).

The Liverpool Norsemen were served by a local or district Thing at another Thingwall near Wavertree.

Norsemen settled all the way up the Lancashire Coast and many settled in Cumbria, we know this again from place name evidence, archaeological finds and impressive stone carvings.

Ingimund's arrival into Wirral however remains the only record from ancient documents recording the mass movement of Norsemen into the North West of England.

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