'Kirk' is the Norse word for Church, it come from the Viking invasions and from when the Vikings settled in the north of England and Scotland. A good example is 'Ormskirk', near Liverpool, it's origin is from the Viking called 'Orme' who built a church (Kirk) there.
Thanks luckyeight and welcome to A2K.
I have some good friends named Orme. Perhaps they're of Viking ancestry!
In the so-called Dark Ages, there were few roads or indeed landmarks of any kind in the forests which covered the land. People who lived in this area of modern-day West Lancs decided to build a big tower which they could see, or "keek", as they came back home, or "orm", from days out in ancient Liverpool.
The tower became accepted as the icon or symbol of the fledgling town, and over the years, the name of the orm-keek tower evolved into the present-day name, Ormskirk.
Not a lot of people know that.
