Introduction
Within the Dane Law the Old Norse word ‘skratti’ was used to denote wizard. In
England the word became synonymous with devil or demon ,so it is sometimes
difficult to infer the original intention behind these place names.
Norwegian wizard, Scratti he was
named,
Awd Scrat the Devil, to him
much was blamed.
Devil on the moor, demon in the wood,
On land canst thee see,
where once he had stood.
Haunted Scratta Wood, in
Nottinghamshire,
Forest uprooted, and burned
out of fear?
Revealing Iron Age, dry
stone wall compound,
Wyrd dancing blue lights,
at night can be found
Cartgate in Cumbria, was
known as Scratgate,
Carvings on church stones, did
Vikings create.
Saint Bees Priory owned, Skratti Wizard’s Street
Its monks not demon, did Henry defeat.
Scrathawe, Scarthing Moor, Scratta can be found,
Preserved on England’s, landscapes all around.
Scratters and Scrathowes,
Yorkshire’s Devil mound,
Scratby in Norfolk, his names
still abound.
Long robed sorcerer, his spell now complete,
Blunting his foe’s swords, he did them defeat.
Preserved in the stones, set in circle round,
His magic lives on, his spell is still sound.
Copyright January 2012 Andrew Rea
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