Sidney Oldall Addy

“ THE NAME HATHERSAGE.
On p. 260 I have said that Stanage may be Stein-eg, stone-way, paved way, and it will be seen that the Roman road between Stanage Pole and Hathersage is known as Giant's Causey. Now if that were so, it may be that the termination eg occurs also in Hathersage, anciently Hathersegg, which we may divide as Hathers-egg, meaning Hather's way. The O. N. Höðr, genitive Haðr, was a mythical being of tremendous power, who seems to be identical with the Hotherus of Saxo, and with reference to him Grimm asks us to consider such place-names as Hadersleben and Hothers-nes. ”

“ Hather, then, seems to be the name of a mythical being or giant who, according to the old legends or popular tales of the neighbourhood, made the great causey or paved way. Little John, the mythical companion of the mythical Robin Hood, is said to have been buried at Hathersage, and the exact place of his burial is still pointed out in the churchyard. ”

“ The Roman road above Moorseats in Hathersage is known as The Ridgeway.
WAS THE LAY OF RICH WRITTEN OR SUNG IN HALLAMSHIRE ?
The old Northern poem called the Lay of Righ (Corpus Poeticum Boreale, i., 234) attributed to the eleventh century, describes the characteristics of the three orders of men, viz., thralls, yeomen, and gentlemen. The Earl, according to the poem, lived in a hall facing the south. He began to be a warrior, and
Vig nam at vekja, völl nam at rioða,
val nam at fella; vá til landa. ”