52 
A VANISHING YORKSHIRE VILLAGE. 
either at Patrington or the town afterwards called Ravensburg, 
Ravensrode, or Ravenspurne, in the times of the Saxons and 
Danes. The suggested etymology of the name in its various 
renderings is as follows :—■ 
“ The Danes bore in their national standard the figure of a 
Raven, and when in their attacks on the people of Holderness, 
they landed at the first seaport which they found within the 
Humber, they are supposed to have fixed their Standard there, 
and to have called the place Ravensburg. 
The termination Burg, the ancient Saxon name for a city, town 
or fortified place, might be changed to Rod or Rode, a cross, and 
then the name would be Ravensrode. Subsequently, the termina¬ 
tion Spurne, a place from which to explore, might be adopted, 
and the name would be Ravenspurne.” 
“ When the place is called Ravenser or RaVenseret, probably 
the termination is taken from the Saxon word Syret, a place of 
retirement, shelter, or retreat.” 
This important town flourished until the end of the 14th century 
before being finally given over to the inroads of the sea, but as 
early as the year 1347, the men of Ravenspurne complained of the 
influx of the sea, and stated that their town was often inundated. 
It was in all probability one of the most valued and important 
seaport towns on the East Coast of England, and must have been 
a place of very considerable magnitude. 
Here Edward Baliol, King of Scotland, embarked for Scotland 
in 1332, being induced to assert his right to the Scottish Crown. 
It was here that in 1399 the banished Bolingbroke, Duke of 
Lancaster, and afterwards Henry IV., landed as claimant for the 
Crown of England. Hence Shakespeare in his play of Richard 
the Second says :— 
“ The banished Bolingbroke repeals himself, 
And with uplifted arms is safe arrived at RaverLspurg.” 
Here, too, King Edward IY. after his flight from England, 
owing to the machinations of Warwick, landed in the year 1471 
with Lord Hastings and about 500 men, marched to York, and 
there behaved like a beast. After assuring the citizens on oath, 
that he intended nothing prejudicial to King Henr) r , he was 
admitted into the city. In a few days, however, he declared him¬ 
self King Edward the IV. to the “ shame and dolor ” of the 
