Saturday, 16th January, 2010

Grutness

Some say that Grutness is a state of mind, but, as I was recently delighted to read in Tim Dee's excellent book The Running Sky, it is also a place:

Grutness
The hamlet of Grutness, Shetland
Image © Tom Pennington, licensed under Creative Commons Licence

Imagine my even greater delight when I realised that I have actually been within 600 yards of Grutness. In March 1985, some archaeological colleagues and I paid a very wet visit to the nearby ancient settlement of Jarlshof.

Apparently, the name Grutness is from the Old Scandanavian grjót nes, meaning gravel promontory.

So, there you have it: Gruts means gravels.

What does Grutness mean to you chaps?
 

See also: Gruttish

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Comments:
Richard Carter

Jen just now:

Some people are born in Grutness, some achieve Grutness, and some have Grutness thrust upon them.

16-Jan-2010 16:26
Kenny the Counter

I perceive grutness as a welcome periodic tangential distraction - something to be absorbed rather like the process of osmosis. I don't think I would like it thrust on me, but I guess that due to Jen's proximity to the grutmaster it is something that she finds difficult to avoid. I hope that's clear.

16-Jan-2010 22:16
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