Christian Vikings

It is possible the Vikings were, to some extent, already Christian by the time they settled in Wirral.  We know this from place names like West Kirby and Kirkby (the old name of Wallasey Village) from the Old Norse for church ( kirk or kirkja) There are also several ancient road and field names bearing this name.

The Viking church in West Kirby is St Bridget’s (the patron saint of Ireland) and the present building is on the site of the old Viking building.  

Inside the church you will find, near the altar, the beautifully restored hogback tombstone of a once prominent Wirral Norse resident. Christian crosses from the Viking period can also be found in the Charles Dawson Brown museum at the side of the church, by St Bridget’s School and at Bromborough (Church of St. Barnabas).

In the Parish church in Neston there are some carvings that are also Norwegian (that appear to tell events from the life of a Viking man and his wife).

Another St Bridget’s church from the Viking period used to be at Chester. Although this Church is no longer there, another Viking church remains which is also home to St Olave's church.  St Olave was King Olav Haraldsson of Norway who died in battle in 1030 A.D. He is buried at the Nidaros cathedral in Norway and ever since Viking times pilgrims have flocked to the cathedral.  

A special festival is held every year, known as St Olav's (St.Olave’s) Festival or Olsok and starts on July 29th (St Olav's day) and runs through in to August.  After a gap of about 1000 years Wirral and Chester have now restored their own Olsok celebrations with events in both Wirral and Chester.
Watch videos taken at Olsok; 2001 and 2002.

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