The name ‘Point of Ayr’ has a Viking origin - the Dee Estuary area has a rich Viking heritage that has not been explored greatly on the Welsh side of the river. Over the river on The Wirral, the Viking heritage is seen much stronger in the town names... names ending with 'by' are known Viking settlements, thus we have, Irby, Greasby, Raby, Pensby, West Kirby, etc,. The Wirral has one of the highest densities of 'by' place names in the UK 'By' settlement endings are the names of places where the Vikings settled first - coming from Old Norse 'býr' meaning town or village.
Viking raids began towards the end of the ninth century and the Norsemen began to settle along the banks of the River Dee and the coast of the Irish Sea. The Norse word ‘Eyrr’ means a gravelly beach or sandbank. There is also a Point of Ayre on the Isle of Man and by coincidence, the most Northerly point of the island. This place also has a famous lighthouse too! What a great place.
When we think of the fantastic county of Flintshire, many associate the iconic Talacre beach as the place to go in the county but the county is such a rich and diverse place with many more hidden secrets. In the past few years the new coastal path along the Dee Estuary was opened and you can almost ride your bike or walk unheeded from Chester to Talacre and beyond, taking in a wealth of landscapes and history.
Definitely a great place to take a walk with your dogs and definitely your camera with you.
#talacre #flintshire #history #localhistory #pointofayr #wirral
The Blenheim Boys
‘The devotion and gallantry… are beyond all praise. The Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava is eclipsed in brightness by these almost daily deeds of fame.’
Winston Churchill on the Blenheim Crews - Prime Minister’s Personal Minute, M.852/1, 30 August 1941
