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Delfín Group: Members Posts: 667 Joined: Nov. 2000 Posted: July 14 2008, 18:23 I wanted to know what is the meaning of Hergest and that's why I thought of asking the meaning of 'Hergest' in this forum to find out what the meaning of 'Hergest' is at once. Thankyou. >>Delfín -------------- The most precious thing I possess, is knowing the answer's yes Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: July 14 2008, 19:24 "Hergest" is a toponym, a place name, and as such it has no meaning. "Hergest Ridge" is a ridge in a place called Hergest. -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: July 15 2008, 08:46 I believe (don't quote me though)Hergest was a cheiftain from ancient history.At the top of the ridge is a place called Hergest court.A lot of English place names derive from such meanings.For example it live in Banbury.Originally it was Bainsbury.Bain was a saxon cheiftain and Bury  is an anglisised version of Berrie meaning settlement or town. -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

Ray Group: Members Posts: 857 Joined: Jan. 2000 Posted: July 24 2008, 14:25 I live in a place called Clashanruich.  That means hollow in the heather. -------------- Looking out over the harbour in Peel....... Back to top

yanouch65 Group: Members Posts: 680 Joined: Feb. 2006 Posted: July 24 2008, 14:57 Quote (Ray @ July 24 2008, 20:25) I live in a place called Clashanruich.  That means hollow in the heather. I confirm....hollow in the heather.... -------------- Ray said : "it is a shame you don't play" manintherain said: "You´d better ask Mr. Y who was first" yanouch65 says: "I am in love with Scotland" Back to top

Ghostmojo Group: Members Posts: 94 Joined: Mar. 2009 Posted: April 02 2009, 18:51 I don't think anybody knows for certain where this name comes from. It does  have that ancient English (or Welsh) sound about it like Hengist. I have explored the internet a bit but never found much apart from the well-known references to The Red Book of Hergest (which was a phrase and reference the great J.R.R. Tolkien borrowed for his own 'Red Book of WestMarch' in TLOTR). In any event, it is a great name and apparently the locals in the immediate area say it is pronounced har-jist rather then her-guest, although Mike says the latter when singing about it during "On Horseback". One thing I will say is, that it is bound to have a meaning since virtually all place names in the U.K. do have. Often geographical or refering to a person of import - it is rare to find a name like this that isn't rich with historic significance. The trouble is nobody seems quite sure what that history is. Of course like most MO fans I went there many years ago and took a cassette (you can see the time period) of H.R. to listen to whilst I was up there. You just have to do these things sometimes... -------------- " ... if you feel a little glum - to Hergest Ridge you should come ... " Back to top

Matt Group: Admins Posts: 1186 Joined: Nov. 2002 Posted: April 03 2009, 04:11 Quote (Ghostmojo @ April 02 2009, 23:51) I don't think anybody knows for certain where this name comes from. It does  have that ancient English (or Welsh) sound about it like Hengist. I have explored the internet a bit but never found much apart from the well-known references to The Red Book of Hergest (which was a phrase and reference the great J.R.R. Tolkien borrowed for his own 'Red Book of WestMarch' in TLOTR). In any event, it is a great name and apparently the locals in the immediate area say it is pronounced har-jist rather then her-guest, although Mike says the latter when singing about it during "On Horseback". Quick net search doesn't seem to turn up much does it! Hergest and Hargest seem to be the same thing originally according to this guy who traced it as far as a reference in the Doomsday book. Wonder if anyone has tried to trace it further? Quote One thing I will say is, that it is bound to have a meaning since virtually all place names in the U.K. do have. Often geographical or refering to a person of import - it is rare to find a name like this that isn't rich with historic significance. The trouble is nobody seems quite sure what that history is. Too right. I've a small canal bridge near me which I know is called "The Miss Margaret Bridge" but no-one seems to know why. Drives me nuts, I'd love to know the story of that one... Welcome to tb.net by the way Ghostmojo! -------------- "I say I say I say I say, what's got three bottles and five eyes and no legs and two wheels" Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: April 03 2009, 07:06 English history is full of this kind of thing.For example i come from Salisbury in Wiltshire.It's the medeival equivalent of Milton Keynes in that it was a planned city in the 13th century built at the same time as the cathedral.The old city was called Sarum which is a few miles outside the town and dates back to pre-Roman times. However Salisbury has been called New Sarum by some people including historians.I've researched this extensively and Salisbury has always been called Salisbury and was never concived as New Sarum.It's also been called New Salisbury which confuses the matter further as the old city was never called Salisbury,it was always Sarum and was called Sarum by the Saxons when they settled there and is now known as Old Sarum.  Even local government gets confused by this.My uncle was the mayor of Salisbury in 2000-2001 and sent the official xmas card to his family and i laughed out loud when i read New Sarum on the inside.Great place but somewhat confused by some as to it's origins and name. -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: April 03 2009, 07:09 BTW i say city as it is a Cathedral city but it really is a tiny place but well worth a visit as is Old Sarum, although all that remains of that  are the castle ruins,the original Sarum cathedral foundations and the massive earthworks and ditches. -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: April 03 2009, 20:17 According to an Italian website about the meaning and history of names, "Hergest" is the Celtic variant of the much more common Germanic name "Ernst", which means "honest". Also, according to the same website, "Hergest"  comes from the German words "Herr" (man) + "Gast" (guest, but also host), meaning a man who welcomes other people, so it's quite similar to the positive connotation of "Ernst". -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

ex member 419 Group: Members Posts: 1177 Joined: April 2008 Posted: April 03 2009, 20:25 i will research and cross reference on this, i love the mysterious air surrounding hr, welcome to tubularnet ghostmojo Back to top

Ghostmojo Group: Members Posts: 94 Joined: Mar. 2009 Posted: April 05 2009, 18:05 Thank you Matt, Ex and everyone for the welcome. It is great to be amongst fellow anoraks, I mean amaroks, I mean ... well, you know what I mean!!! Thanks also for adding to this very interesting subject. Mike's music falls into an almost unique category within my own listening pleasures - that of combining a love of timeless 'pastoral' (somehow relating to the land); 'historical' (in its folky references); 'orchestral' (in as much as I particularly love the long arranged opus's - opii(?)); and ultimately, rocking good music. I suppose the closest other artists to this might be folkies like Fairport and mainstream rockers with some folky roots like Wishbone Ash, Focus, Traffic and Jethro Tull - but in reality - Mike Oldfield stands alone in British contemporary music. If he didn't exist - we'd simply have to invent him!!! -------------- " ... if you feel a little glum - to Hergest Ridge you should come ... " Back to top

Delfín Group: Members Posts: 667 Joined: Nov. 2000 Posted: Sep. 22 2009, 21:28 Quote (Ugo @ April 04 2009, 02:17) According to an Italian website about the meaning and history of names, "Hergest" is the Celtic variant of the much more common Germanic name "Ernst", which means "honest". Also, according to the same website, "Hergest"  comes from the German words "Herr" (man) + "Gast" (guest, but also host), meaning a man who welcomes other people, so it's quite similar to the positive connotation of "Ernst". Wow, years without seing the answers to this post. I consider, with all my full respect and consideration for other sharings, this Ugo's sharing about it the ultimate succesful answer to the question. Even more, i love the meaning of it, and the fact that, as I remotely suspected, German language was involved, which adds more and more magic and, as someone said, mystery, to the whole. OK, so young Mike was on the Hill of the Welcoming Man, even with all his fears and doubts about himself and others. That is great news, a little bit more of this a beautiful and naive and dreamy puzzle of our Old History of the Unique and Timelessly Wonderful Music of Mike Oldfield. -------------- The most precious thing I possess, is knowing the answer's yes Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: Sep. 23 2009, 09:24 You'd be right with the german thing as English has a large amount of Germanic Saxon due to invasion.English is a real mixture of so many influences.Gramatically it's a nightmare and all wrong.I wouldn't know cos i only speak English although i am fairly fluent in Wiltshire which should be classed as a seperate language as far as i'm concerned.  What a wonderful country though.And Herefordshire is stunning.I think i'd even put up with the cold to live on Radnor Hill! -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

Scatterplot Group: Members Posts: 1980 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: Sep. 23 2009, 15:14 My God, this thread has lasted over a year. Hergest means to "be happy". In 1806 a man named James Hergest rode his horse onto that land and declared it beautiful. He was on a quest to find a place to build a home and raise a family(with his wife whom he would meet 2 years later). He noticed a plant with "leaves like a hand" he said. He dried the leaves and smoked them(as he could no longer afford tobacco). Finding the taste and the euphoric feeling of the smoke pleasing, he called this home. He lived off the land and plants and eventually found moderate prosperity selling the "new tobacco" he had found(and learned how to grow). One day, in an arguement over the price of his product, "Big Jim" was killed in a famous knife-fight, copied in many movies. They say his spirit is still there on Hergest Ridge. "Big Jim, he still won't lie down. Some say he rides there, cursing still. Some say they've seen him." Folk speak these words in places of drink and on nights of ghost story telling(on camp-out nights). A chilling tale, but a true one. A fine place for another troubled man almost 200 years later to record a "20th Century classical masterpiece".     Is this thread now answered and done? You're not buying any of this are you? Big Jim -------------- We raise our voices in the night Crying to heaven And will our voices be heard Or will they break Like the wind Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: Sep. 24 2009, 04:45 Errrrr well.......er.......no Jim.You have been on the 'new tobacco' haven't you! -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

Scatterplot Group: Members Posts: 1980 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: Sep. 24 2009, 12:16 It's a thing called "humor" Caveman. A joke. A made up story for amusement. Did you gain amusement? I thought it was funny, especially Ballad of Big Jim(Genesis). The question of the name "hergest" was already answered. I thought it was time to inject some humor into a dull subject, but a place I would love to see. I thought that I was "liked" here because I inject humor into dull or overdone subject matters. I could cease if you wish. The phrase "you're not buying any of this are you?" is telling that I'm jerking with you all. An admission of "comedic intent". Get it? Something we need a little more of in these Strange Times(Moody Blues tie-in). Yes, I partake in the herb once or twice a week, I'm not ashamed to say. I'm an old hippie from the glory days of Incantations. When I see a thread dying of frustrated, already answered queries, I inject it with humor. Who knows? I might be right. What if Banks/Rutherford/Collins had a unique insight and were inspired by MO's HR? You're not buying any of this are you? Big Jim -------------- We raise our voices in the night Crying to heaven And will our voices be heard Or will they break Like the wind Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: Sep. 24 2009, 12:30 Dude i was being sarcastic myself.Of course i got the joke man.And yes as you know i partake.I would like to imbibe the herb on top of the ridge.Hey there must be a song there.A sort of Peter Gabriel type thing. -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

Scatterplot Group: Members Posts: 1980 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: Sep. 24 2009, 13:53 I knew that, I knew that.....just jackin' 'round. -------------- We raise our voices in the night Crying to heaven And will our voices be heard Or will they break Like the wind Back to top

Scatterplot Group: Members Posts: 1980 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: Sep. 24 2009, 14:04 I'll be on the ridge at 10PM CDT. Bring Zig Zag #225 papers. I'll be sitting in a fanny magnet. Yes I've studied the London slang site and will be back with lot's more. Count on it! Jimbo -------------- We raise our voices in the night Crying to heaven And will our voices be heard Or will they break Like the wind Back to top

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