Browse Items (28 total)

St Magnus Street in Lerwick, Shetland

This sign refers to the early twelfth century Earl of Orkney, Magnus Erlendsson, who was martyred in 1115 according to Orkneyinga saga. Many streets…

King Erik Street in Lerwick, Shetland

Many streets in central Lerwick are named after Scandinavian Kings, Queens and Saints, particularly from the medieval period. This sign probably…

Ingólfshvoll sign in Iceland

Many place names in Iceland reference the earliest Norse settlers, such as this example of Ingólfshvoll (Ingólfr's Hill), referring to the first…

Photo of Tait's Closs Sign in Lerwick, Shetland

Tait is a common Scottish surname derived from the Old Norse 'teitr', meaning cheerful. Many surnames and place names in Shetland have a Norse origin.

Photo of Twageos Road Sign in Lerwick, Shetland

Twageos is a place name incorporating the common Norse place name element 'gjá', meaning 'ravine' and rendered in Shetland as 'geo' or 'gjo'. Twageos…

Photo of Copeland Pier Sign in Lerwick, Shetland

Copeland is a common placename and surname deriving from Old Norse kaupa land, meaning 'bought land'. This example is from Lerwick in Shetland.

Photo of Midgarth Crescent Sign in Lerwick, Shetland

Midgarth is a common Norse placename, and Anglicisation of Miðgarðr, meaning in this case 'Middle Enclosure / Farm' . Miðgarðr is also the 'Middle…

Photo of St Olaf's Wynd Street Sign in Orkney

Photo of the street sign 'Olaf's Wynd' in Kirkwall, Orkney. Wynd is a placename element from the Norse verb venda, meaning 'to turn' or 'to wind'. St…