Vikings are known to have frequented much of Merseyside - but one Nordic tale in particular is still being speculated even to this day.
Huyton has a long and rich history, from its mention in the 1086 Domesday survey to its interesting wartime past.
But is the Knowsley town home to what remains of an old Viking long boat?
Different tales have been shared over the years, from spooky ghost stories to older generations expressing their local theories.
But what is the truth behind the myth?
Huyton's Viking heritage
Many Merseyside towns are believed to be of Viking origin, with place names even deriving from historic settlements.
A string of settlements with names suggesting this, such as West Derby and Formby can be found along the banks of the River Alt as well as many Wirral names, such as Tranmere.
The River Alt rises at the Hag Plantation in Huyton and Huyton's neighbouring town of Roby is also believed to be of Norse settlement, with local churches in the area even containing Norman font which can still be seen to this day.
Archway Road
Over time, tales have circulated that when the Archway Road railway bridge was built in 1871, a Viking boat was excavated.
Another theory also put forward is that the supposed boat was found near Blacklow, possibly referencing a burial ground or that the boat was in fact a burial boat.
Tom Slemen wrote a ghost story about the supposed Viking long boat haunting Archway Road, entitled The mystery of the green glowing Viking longboat in Huyton, which featured in the Liverpool Echo back in 2011.
And in Andrew G Colwell’s book, Beautiful Huyton with Roby, the story proposes that a boat may have been a shallow draught vessel.
According to the Archive Resource for Knowsley (ARK), the story is unproven.
Examining the evidence
The local archives team said it is not aware of any verified, contemporary reports or evidence of the vessel actually existing.
There is also thought to have been oral accounts that boat parts were held at Huyton Library - but this isn't true either.
ARK said it has a correspondence between Whiston Historic Society, the Archive and Merseyside Maritime Museum dated November 28, 2000, which confirms that there is no tangible evidence for this or indeed for the actual existence of the boat itself.
But if no evidence of a Viking settlement is thought to be found in the Huyton area, why has the legend lived on?
Have you heard tales of a Huyton Viking ship? Let us know in the comments section.
