WIRRAL-CHESTER VIKING OLSOK - University of Nottingham

							 WIRRAL-CHESTER VIKING OLSOK
         (St. Olave's Fest)
                                  27/28th July &
                                   10th August
                                 In conjunction with: Wirral Borough Council,
                                Chester City Council, the Grosvenor Museum
                                  Chester, Wirral Skip-Felag, and the Royal
     Wirral 902-2002AD                Norwegian Consulate in Liverpool          St. Olave's Chester, c.1030
                                  http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~sczsteve


……Re-introducing St. Olave's Festival to the Wirral, Chester and Merseyside area after a
gap of only 945 years, in conjunction with Trondheim Kommune
…. as part of the anniversary celebrations in 2002: 1100 years since the first settlements of the
area by Vikings expelled from Ireland, and led by the Norse Chief Ingimund

St. Olave: Patron saint of Norway, responsible for bringing the Christian Faith to Norway and who
died in battle July 29th, 1030 AD.
Although St. Olave's day is traditionally 29th July his Festival is celebrated well into August. This
years activities are in parallel with - and follow directly on from - those at Trondheim, Norway
(26July-3 August): http://www.olavsfestdagene.no/english/

                    *******Provisional Programme of events*******
Sat/Sun July 27/28th Arrowe Country Park, Wirral (11am - 5pm)
Organisers: Hrolf Douglasson, Wirral Skip-Felag & Regia Anglorum (Hrolf@btinternet.com) and
Paul Greenslade, Wirral Ranger Service: 0151 (0044-151) 648 4371/3884
FREE ADMISSION, DONATIONS WELCOME
Programme: Dateline 902AD - straight off the boat with Ingimund: Viking Age craft displays
(Cookery, Fabric handling - dying, weaving, spinning. Weaponry and chain mail making, Warrior
training). Battle re-enactment: Whilst Ingimund is away negotiating with the Queen of the English
saxon warriors from Chester confront the battle-weary Norwegian refugees expelled from Dublin...

Saturday August 10th, St. Olave's Church & Grosvenor Museum Chester
(10.30am-4.30pm)
Organisers:    Steve     Harding,    University    of     Nottingham:    0115    951     6148;
steve.harding@nottingham.ac.uk and Dan Robinson, Grosvenor Museum, Chester (01244
402008)
Programme: 10.45am. Introduction to the Viking Age: Presentation at the Grosvenor Museum
Lecture Theatre by Dan Robinson, Keeper of Archaeology. 11.00am: Viking Wirral, Chester and
W. Lancashire – the historical, place name and genetic legacy of our Viking Age ancestors:
Presentation by Professor Stephen Harding, University of Nottingham. 11.45 short break (arrival
of the Lord Mayor of Chester). 12:00. St. Olav and his Festival – in Scandinavia and now
Chester. Presentation by Kjell Skartseterhagen, Olavspilgrimprest (the St. Olav Pilgrim Master,
Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim). 12.30: Procession, led by the Olavspilgrimprest, the Lord Mayor of
Chester and Mayors of Wirral and E. Port & Neston, accompanied by a Viking “Varangian” guard of
honour to St. Olave’s Church. 1.00pm-1.30pm: Service (in English and Norwegian) at St. Olave's,
Chester, led by Kjell Skartseterhagen, Olavspilgrimprest.     2pm-4.30pm: Viking re-enactment
displays in the Grosvenor Museum.
                 FREE ADMISSION, DONATIONS TO THE CHURCH/ MUSEUM WELCOME.
Special thanks to the Cheshire Revival Church for permission to use their premises