SoA Forums

History => Ancient and Medieval History => Topic started by: Duncan Head on October 16, 2017, 09:23:17 AM

Title: The Watford Gap
Post by: Duncan Head on October 16, 2017, 09:23:17 AM
Max Adams has a new book to plug, so we get https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/oct/16/uk-north-south-divide-vikings-watford-gap

As many of the commenters point out there seems to be no new historical information in the article, but the "Viking routes" graphic is an interesting one.
Title: Re: The Watford Gap
Post by: Erpingham on October 16, 2017, 10:00:59 AM
I didn't realise the Watford Gap had only been the limit of civilisation since 1959 though.
Title: Re: The Watford Gap
Post by: Jim Webster on October 16, 2017, 10:48:48 AM
Quote from: Erpingham on October 16, 2017, 10:00:59 AM
I didn't realise the Watford Gap had only been the limit of civilisation since 1959 though.
it's true, we thought of pushing the boundaries of civilisation further south but frankly it never seemed worth the effort
Title: Re: The Watford Gap
Post by: Mark G on October 16, 2017, 10:53:11 AM
Full of orcs that far south, I read somewhere.
Title: Re: The Watford Gap
Post by: Tim on October 16, 2017, 12:47:00 PM
Rumours put about by Southerners in an attempt to keep Norsemen out (one has to do something to keep up standards else who knows what will happen to the neighbourhood and that might impact upon house prices!); I mean, look what occurred last time wild hairy northmen came south of the Watford Gap - Bede wrote whole chapters about it...
Title: Re: The Watford Gap
Post by: Imperial Dave on October 16, 2017, 09:26:07 PM
it'll all end in tears....!