Flookersbrook: Difference between revisions

Fluke is Old English ‘flocere’, Medieval English ‘flokere’ and also, perhaps for reasons which will become clear, Old Norse ‘flokari’. The earliest known owner of land at Flookersbrook was Arni of Neston (see: [https://opendomesday.org/name/arni-of-neston/ "Open Doomesday"]) - and his lands passed to [https://opendomesday.org/place/SJ4168/newton-by-chester/ William son of Nigel], or fitz Nigel. Arni is possibly a Viking name, and it has been suggested, in "Viking Wirral" that his burial place is at "Arnehow" at [https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=gjwkEfX64MQC&pg=PA63 Oxton] - now a park known as "The Arno". Thus "Flookersbrook" can claim to have a Viking connection. William FitzNigel is probaly the same who succeeded his father Nigel as baron of Halton and Constable of Chester. His gift to St Werburgh’s of "Neutona" (Newton by Chester, a manor of 1 hide) with the service of Hugh fitz Udard, was included in the forged confirmation of Earl Richard dated 1119 (Barraclough, Charters of the Earls of Chester, 14–16, no. 8). A (possibly also) forged confirmation in the name of Earl Ranulf II adds the information that his deed was witnessed by Ralph the steward, who was in the habit of donating his master's property to the church while Ranulf was held by enemies.