Simonside 2
Image by bobpc
Simonside

The Duergar?

fitzcoraldo F
fitzcoraldo Apr 16, 2007 17:26:59
Replying to Dvergish_King

"What’s in a Name??
As early as 1279, we have a documentary reference to ‘Simundessete’; by 1580 this had become ‘Simontside’, and it is thought by many that this is a corruption of ‘Sigemund’s - (ge)set, seat or settlement’. W.W. Tomlinson, writing in his ‘Comprehensive Guide to Northumberland’ in 1916 mentions ‘Simon’s sete or settlement’ and goes on to say the “Simon of mythology was, it seems a domestic brewer to King Arthur, identical with the German Sigmund, and very fond of killing dragoons.” Unfortunately there appears to be no Sir Simon in Arthurian legend and it might be that this is a very late association made by the Victorians. It has also been suggested that the name may come from ‘seaman’s sight’ - the fact that the hills can be seen by mariners at sea!"

http://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/understanding/historyarchaeology/simonsidesacredmountain.htm

H Hob
Hob Apr 16, 2007 18:22:49
Replying to fitzcoraldo

Some dude in the national park wrote:
It has also been suggested that the name may come from ‘seaman’s sight’ - the fact that the hills can be seen by mariners at sea!"
Now theres a one I'd not heard before. I like it. Fits in with a half baked theory of mine about the Morwick carvings.

Isn't etymology great?

Personally, I shall bet half a winegum* that Simon the Druid and Sigmund are both late IA continuations/characterisations of a mesolitic dreamtime archetype and that is serves as evidence of early encounters between the groups migrating up the atlantic seaboard to the Baltic, even as evidence that the inhabitants of Doggerland may have originated from the same stock as those who went on the do all the crazy Iberian stuff.

*One that's been in my pocket for a while, and may be a bit covered in fluff. (Well, it's hardly a good theory is it, so I'm not going to bet the whole of a proper winegum)

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