Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 435: Volume 17, New Series, May 1, 1852Various
History
Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 435: Volume 17, New Series, May 1, 1852
Various
Periodicals
Mr Worsaae found many memorials of the Northmen in London: for
example, the church of St Clement's Danes, where this people had their
burial-place; the name _Southwark_, which is 'unmistakably of Danish
or Norwegian origin;' St Olave's Church there, and even Tooley Street,
which is a corruption of the name of that celebrated Norsk saint; but,
above all, in the fact that 'the highest tribunal in the city has
retained in our day its pure old northern name "Husting."' The fact
is, that about the time of Canute, the Danes predominated over the
rest of the population of London. Mr Worsaae was not able to trace the
Danish face or form as a distinct element in the modern population. In
going northward, however, he soon began to find that the prevailing
physiognomy was of a northern character: 'The form of the face is
broader, the cheek-bones project a little, the nose is somewhat
flatter, and at times turned a little upwards; the eyes and hair are
of a lighter colour, and even deep-red hair is far from being
uncommon. The people are not very tall in stature, but usually more
compact and strongly built than their countrymen towards the south.
The Englishman himself seems to acknowledge that a difference is to be
found in the appearance of the inhabitants of the northern and
southern counties; at least, one constantly hears in England, when
red-haired, compact-built men with broad faces are spoken of: "They
must certainly be from Yorkshire;" a sort of admission that light
hair, and the broad peculiar form of the face, belong mostly to the
north of England people.... In the midland, and especially in the
northern part of England, I saw every moment, and particularly in the
rural districts, faces exactly resembling those at home. Had I met the
same persons in Denmark or Norway, it would never have entered my mind
that they were foreigners. Now and then I also met with some whose
taller growth and sharper features reminded me of the inhabitants of
South Jutland, or Sleswick, and particularly of Angeln; districts of
Denmark which first sent colonists to England. It is not easy to
describe peculiarities which can be appreciated in all their details
only by the eye; nor dare I implicitly conclude that in the
above-named cases I have really met with persons descended in a
direct line from the old Northmen. I adduce it only as a striking
fact, which will not escape the attention of at least any observant
Scandinavian traveller, that the inhabitants of the north of England
bear, on the whole, more than those of any other part of that country,
an unmistakable personal resemblance to the Danes and Norwegians.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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