Wirral’s Irish Settlement // Irby Heath camp

Apr 2023. I spent the day exploring Irby Village and Irby Quarry. And I spent the night sleeping in the woods on Irby Heath. All within the boundaries of the Old Norse settlement of Írabýr. Respect the land, leave no trace, all fully adhered to. Recorded with a Samsung Galaxy S20.
Managed to get rain in my phone's charging port late at night, thought I'd killed my phone, but it pulled through. Also, apologies to the fella who phoned the police because I was filming in a farm field. Still bemused/amused by the amount of distress I caused ya.
Music:
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Ivan Duch (ivanduch.com/)
Born to Darkness
• Born to Darkness | Dar...
The Druid Giant
• The Druid Giant | Celt...
Fairies
• Faeries | Celtic, Fae...
The Old Ways
• The Old Ways | Royalty...
Small Town Feeling
• Small Town Feeling - ...
Spirit’s Refuge
• Spirit's Refuge | Peac...
A Storm is Coming
• A Storm is Coming | Ro...
Tuatha'an
• Tuatha'an | Wheel of T...
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Kevin McLeod (incompetech.com/)
Gregorian Chant
• ✝️ Christian Music (No...
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Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)
Any alterations to musical pieces carried out
by Will McCool, to fit within video parameters.
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[@PaulG-gy3we]

Superb these keep them coming … good evening viewing …

[@WirralWill]

Cheers Paul, will get them out as I can. Already working on next one, gonna try an east coast location, on the Mersey for a change 😉

[@barryadams5345]

Loved video, Very well put together and of great interest. Thank you.

[@WirralWill]

Hi Barry, and thanks for the kind words. More vids to come in the future. Storeton, Greasby, Eastham, Bromborough, Moreton, Overchurch, Thingwall on the to-do list, just to name a few! Will

[@MICHAEL-wg2lh]

Boss this 👍🙏

[@anthonytaylor6972]

Superb

[@WirralWill]

Thanks for taking the time! 🙏

[@markkinnish1196]

I’ve just subscribed to your channel so into Wirral history like this. Great update look forward to more.

[@WirralWill]

Hello Mark me new pal, thanks for the sub and the kind words. I'll be getting a new vid out this week all going well! 🙏

[@becmoorby6732]

Fantastic video will! Full of history beautifully shot as always loved watching 😁 xx

[@WirralWill]

Many more to come! 🐿 xx

[@laaamby]

Hi I stumbled across your video and was gobsmacked at what you said about the old man in the woods !! I’ve seen him!! I was fairly young at the time about 15 years old I was coming back on my own after playing golf at arrowe park i was walking through the woods back to my home in irby and felt someone was watching me turned around twice and no one was there , when I turned back for the third time there he was stood there clear as day by the lake in arrowe park /irby woods he had a long overcoat on and a grey beard and hair old fashioned looking . Just stood glaring at me , I ran the whole of the way home and didn’t stop once to catch my breath . The only ghost/ spirit I have ever seen in my life. I’ve tried searching online for history or reports and could never find any and thought it was just me ! That’s shocked me that you mentioned that . I reckon it was around 2007-08 I saw him. And I will never forget it . Great vids .

[@laaamby]

So yes hes not a myth HE VERY MUCH EXISTS!!!!!!

[@laaamby]

In fact I only live in irby I could take you to the EXACT SPOT he was stood. I will never forget it as long as I live .

[@WirralWill]

Hello George mate, sorry for the late response. This is a very interesting story you tell! What interests me the most is the fact there are many differing accounts stretching across the Wirral. They seem to cross from Eastham way, across Bebington and Storeton, through Arrowe Park and Thingwall, over to Irby and the West coast. There are also many different reported ghosts and apparitions, i.e. "the Lantern Man of Storeton Woods", and I wonder if they are all the same entity. I will continue discussing and seeking out these entities in future videos. Thanks for the kind words! Will

[@Traveler13]

Entertaining video, nice one👍

[@WirralWill]

👍 Thank you for tuning in!

[@p__k]

Thank you for the local history. Looking forward to more!

[@WirralWill]

Thanks for taking the time PK! It is a lot of fun making these vids, many more to come 👍

[@eamonnclabby7067]

Excellent, best wishes from deepest Prenton...😊...E...

[@WirralWill]

Hi Eamonn, and thanks for taking the time! Greetings from over in Tranmere 🙏

[@eamonnclabby7067]

@@WirralWill maybe join Halyle and Kyle on YT ...they specialise on the Peak district but are interested in doing a vlog for Wirral...E...😊

[@WirralWill]

@@eamonnclabby7067 I'll check their channel out 👍

[@Lovedayperiwinkle]

Thank you thank you thank you Will for a wonderful video. As always your information and research is brilliant. What a lovely tribute to the amazing Frank Lester, he must never be forgotten. Can’t wait for your next adventure 🙏from Greasbyr. Ps think I read once that Hesketh field is around where Irby cricket club is now??

[@WirralWill]

And thank you me dear Periwinkle for taking the time to watch and continue supporting the endeavour! Frank Lester, what a man... just working on a script for next one, thinking somewhere on the East coast for a change? That would be a cool location, on the same road as the Heath. I think the field was marked on maps as recently as the 80-90s, not sure. There are said to be 5-6 'Hesketh's Fields' around West and Central Wirral though! Thanks again 🙏💚

[@stonehengeminstrel]

A great video, interesting information and well presented ✌

[@WirralWill]

Thanks for the kind words me dear Minstrel, glad you enjoyed 🙏

[@BarryCampbell6822]

Excellently researched and presented local documentary Billy lad. Beautifully filmed. The last time I was in Irby Village, I was a passenger in a car and unknowingly passed you while you were filming this video. Time before that, I was laying a cable close by. As you said, the Old Man is mostly seen by kids (particularly when they've had acid.) On a serious note, it's a real shame that a lot more people aren't seeing these mini documentaries, they're outstanding. You neglected to mention the other local legend, of The Irby Gorgon. Truly horrifying. Its a bit odd, now, seeing you art and abart on your own, like; has Betty been burned at the stake, or...?

[@WirralWill]

A passenger in a car... with one side up in the air? I've started posting the vids on FB groups as well so. See what happens. It's more a labour of love really. I learn a lot just researching these vids. And I wouldn't want to risk the Gorgon of Dingesmere's wrath, by waffling shite in the Wirral woods, like! Rebecca is still here, she will be making more appearances in time lol 👍

[@eamonnclabby7067]

@@WirralWill sounds like a Tom Sleman story....

[@RobboAndTheculv]

Love the video!

[@bella_Areghostsreal]

Amazing video. Loved the history. Really well done.

[@WirralWill]

Thank you Corinne! Will catch up on some of your ghostly goings-on when time allows 🙏

[@shamvles3426]

Does anyone know if Irby Quarry has flint? i know of some quarries in England that allow you to take flint from there for free

[@WirralWill]

No idea sorry! Don't know much about the place at all. Going to be looking into it more though

[@markhand4530]

any information on what happened to these irish vikings settlers who arrived in 902ad after the bromburgh battle? i assume they fought the saxons and would have been either killed or enslaved? also were the vikings in other parts of liverpool?

[@WirralWill]

Hi Mark, as far as I'm aware they were still here in the main, long after the battle. Going off the poem, I think those in the know have traced the path of retreat across the Wirral from the battlefield, either out to an area between Meols and Moreton or there are others who say it was Thurstaston way. 'Dingesmere'. It appears that a lot of the Norse on the Wirral either stayed neutral or must have shown favour to Aethelstan because there was no great retribution reeked on the Wirral Norse. Like the battlefield was decided upon diplomatically, it wasn't like Aethelstan came to attack the inhabitants, just the three armies who happened to be here. I am currently losing myself down a rabbit hole researching the Norman's influence on the Wirral. It is a period and topic I don't know much about, but I think it may answer the question of what happened to the Wirral Norse. If you look, by the 1100s, the Normans of Cheshire and the North West began aggressively rebuilding older Saxon churches and holy sites. All over the Wirral, it happened too, places like Thurstaston there was a Norman church, Woodchurch too, and many others I can't remember right now. There was also the Priory built at that time. I wonder if the Norse never left the Wirral, but after William the Conqueror arrived, there was a Christian revival and it appears to have been enforced across the land... Many questions we can only guess the answers to! Will

[@WirralWill]

As far as Liverpool goes, you only have to look at the names of places. Kirby was Kirkjubyr (village with a church), a mixture of old English and old Norse. Of course, there was Kirkjubyr/Kirkby and Vestri Kirkjubyr/West Kirby. Kirkby was settled by the Irish in the early 900s. There's also Crosby/Krossbyr, 'the village with the cross'. Formby/Fornebei, 'the village belonging to Forni'. Worth noting, there's also places like Aintree/Eintree, which is said to be a Saxon settlement. Speke comes from the old English 'Spec', meaning 'woodpecker'. It was held by a Saxon named Uctred. You just have to look at the old places names really.