Here be Groves’

Introduction

Within the Dane Law ‘Lundr’(Old Norwegian and Old Danish) described a sacred grove. this word existed alongside the old English word 'land'. Over time Lundr lost its meaning and changed into Lunt, Lound or Land. This poem explores those names that can be traced back to the original Anglo-Saxon word for grove. There are far too many such places in England to do little more than just scratch the surface.

Here be Groves

Bright forest clearing, oak tree proudly stands,

Galdor songs are sung, in these ancient lands.

Assembled in groves, in tunic and hood,

Singing gallant songs, to lord of green wood.

Lundr Viking Old Norse, and Danish for grove,

Into sacred wood, with rune swords they strove.

Norse lundr and land, are not the same word,

But thousand years past, their meaning is blurred.

Kirkland Lancashire, hid from the Doomsday,

Does its round churchyard, Druid past betray.

Only one person, from the Black Death died,

The phantom church grove, on the other side.

Lancashire Lunt hid, from Doomsday Book too,

As part of Sefton, it had to make do.

Lund was its title, It was to rename,

Only this was a, ninth century name.

Art many more groves, hid in a place name,

Three Lounds in England, art found to remain.

Many suffixed ‘land’, did see Saxon rites,

Now old churches stand, on these sacred sites.

Copyright Andrew Rea 2012