Winter Solstice

[Robban_C]

Martyn, it helped a lot!
And I´m so impressed by your knowledge.

And about the Swedish words in your post (in case anyone wonders):
jul = Christmas
hjul = wheel

[Martyn Henley]

Martyn, it helped a lot!

good,
I have a great number of books on the subject of the Norsemen ... its what helped shape these shores of ours, and most of northern Europe

Martyn

[martyn williams]

Hello Martyn
I am the same as you,interested in how great Britain devoloped.You should be on the tv with Tony Robinson on Time Team.You even look like Phil Harding.This thread is a very interesting read.
I think we should give Maggie Thatcher a viiking funeral even though she is not dead yet
Martyn
Is it true our name means war like?

[Robban_C]

Now i know why I didn´t recognise the word "Norsemen".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norsemen
Quote:

... In the modern Scandinavian languages, no common word for Norsemen exists ...

But I know what you mean by the word "Norsemen".

... I have a great number of books on the subject of the Norsemen ... its what helped shape these shores of ours, and most of northern Europe

Martyn

Believe it or not, but I have actually studied i little old (ancient) English history. From the Battel of Hastings to the medieval time. Including Shakespeare, the Canterbury Tales etc.
Sadly, my only problem is that I have forgotten most of it. That´s the way of life if you have a teflon coated brain, nothing sticks to it.

[Martyn Henley]

Yes Martyn .. It derives from the Latin name Martinus, which is a diminutive form of Mart-, the stem of the word for "war" or Roman God of war mars
The meaning is usually rendered "of war", "warlike", or in reference to the god as "of Mars"

Martyn

[newjcb123uk]

Thought there was a supply problem in Kent? - glad you managed to get some of the good stuff Martyn

(funnily enough someone else I know thought you were the time-team bloke too)

[DozerDave]

Pleasant words Martyn.

Alas, like our disappearing white christmas, those traditions are fading away with our rapid intake of non Christmas believing residents.

Have a happy christmas

[Martyn Henley]

Thank you Dave .. but you are right about the fast disappearing white christmas, but did you know that according to the met office there was only 7 white christmas's between 1900 and 2000, and only 2 christmas's that snow fell on the met office roof, 1938 and 1976

Merry more christmas's to all

Martyn

[Towil]