Anglo-Saxon Foundation: Saxon North | White Wulf of England | saxonnorth.com

The White Wulf of England - a symbol of kinship, strength and loyalty for the Englisc folc.

Of all the animals that have walked on English soil, perhaps the most respected in Anglo-Saxon times was the wolf. A sign of power, loyalty and freedom, the wolf often appeared engraved on helmets, swords and shields.

One of the most notable stories involving a wolf is the story of the Wuffing King St Edmund, the original patron saint of England. St Edmund was beheaded while defending his kingdom from invasion, his head tossed deep in the forest to mock his followers. Witnesses then state that after searching for his severed head for many days, they eventually found it after hearing the cry of a wolf. The wolf, although starving, was guarding St Edmund's head. The wolf then walked back with the followers to ensure Edmund's head was reunited with his body.


The wolf was often an inspiration for names in Anglo-Saxon England. Bardawulf (Bright Wolf), Randwulf (Shield Wolf), Wulfric (Wolf Power/Ruler), Æthelwulf, Wuffa (see below), were all names used in Anglo-Saxon England. The Anglo-Saxons also made famous the name Beowulf when they wrote the epic poem "Beowulf" around the 8th to 11th century.

 

We can also find evidence in place-names throughout England of where wolves used to live. Take the name Woolley for example, which means "clearing where there are wolves". If we look at a map of Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, we can clearly see an area dominated by the name Woolley, suggesting that wolves were often seen in that area.

 

The wolf has strong connections with East Anglia. The East Anglian royal line was known as the Wuffingas (Wulfingas), or "Kin of the wolf". The word Wuffingas is derived from King Wuffa (little wolf), King Wuffa being the grandfather of King Rædwald, whose remains are said to be those found at the Sutton Hoo burial site.

 

Above is an image we have rendered. It is taken from the Sutton Hoo engraving that can originally be found on the helmet which is said to have belonged to the Wuffing King Rædwald.

Wodensdaeg or Wednesday as we now call it is Woden's day. Woden was the Anglo-Saxon God of Wisdom and War. Woden constantly had the protection of Geri and Freki, his loyal Wolves.

 

 

Above is a Saxon North edited (simplified) version of the original Anglo-Saxon jewellery design which was found at the Sutton Hoo burial site. The original design was found on a purse lid and features the Anglo-Saxon god of war, Tiw. On either side of Tiw, stand two animals which have been identified as wolves.

The White Wulfshead is a new design based on Saxon styles of old. For this design we wanted something fresh and symmetrical for use on flags, t-shirts and just about anything else. Again the seven jewels are used to represent the seven kingdoms of England. Also Thunor's hammer and various runes are incorporated into this design to reflect our historical roots.

 

The White Wulf logo is a simple rune type design, and was designed to represent the White Wulf where the Wulf's Head may not be suitable, i.e printed on small items etc. The idea being the design is simple. We wanted it to have an old Anglo-Saxon runic feel to it, so we designed two letters to join onto an existing rune, which in this case is the Odin/Woden rune. The two letters are WW, which stand for White Wolf/Wulf.

 

The White Wulf of England will be available for purchase at a later date, please check back. Remember, Saxon North is the official outlet for White Wulf Merchandise.