25.11.2009
On Marches and Martins
The name Martin is traced back to the Roman god Mars. It occurs in diverse European cultures, also with variations e.g. Maarten, Morton, Martinus, Martinelli, Martineau, Martina.
Historically, "march" refers either to the land near a border, or to the border itself. "The Marches" has been used to indicate the border territories between England and Wales, or England and Scotland.
March is also:
an even, firm walk
a steady progress
a piece of music
the third month of the modern calendar
There are a number of saints named Martin. The one after which this group is named is Martin of Tours, who lived between 316 and 397 A.D. Martinmas, or the Feast of St. Martin, is celebrated on November 11. He is often depicted in art as a soldier or nobleman giving half of his cloak to a beggar, this act the basis of his invocation against poverty.
A province of Italy on the Adriatic coast is called Le Marche
Saint Martin, or Sint Maarten on the Dutch side, is an island in the West Indes, a popular vacation destination.
St. Martin is a patron of soldiers (having been one), horses and riders, geese (perhaps a seasonal/migratory thing), and wine growers.
A warm spell around the middle of November is sometimes called "St. Martin's Summer"
Barbara Ninde Byfield, author of The Book of Weird, offers us the following definition:
Marks and Marches: Border areas between kingdoms, dukedoms, baronies, and
counties. They are the scenes of night ridings, alarums, invasions, and uprisings. There
are found here outlying posts, beacons, fens, and crags on which burn flares. Rebellion
and treason are hatched here, not by the population, which is tough, hardy, slightly
brutal, and clad in skins if not indeed in woad, but by the Lords sent in by the King to
govern these desperate regions.
A search of the SCA Armorial produces approximately 120 registered Martins. About 190 names have martin in them.
A search of the Armorial for "March of" produces approximately 65 results.
Google produces about 10 000 000 hits for Martin.
The heraldry of the March of St. Martin is: Argent, a bridge of one span within a laurel wreath azure and in base a ford proper.
Several varieties of swallows are referred to as martins.
And mammals too.
The church of St. Martin-in-the-fields, London, UK, and it's famous Academy
On Usage: The proper name of the Sarnia/Lambton SCA group is "The March of St. Martin" Sometimes this is shortened to "St. Martin" or reversed to "St. Martin's" with the "March" implied, but the possessive form should not be combined in the extended name, unless it is in fact a possessive modifier for something else. At no time should "St. Martins" be used, nor the plural "Sts. Martin" for that matter. Thank you.
Take a peek at the March of St. Martin
Another view of the March
And in colour
Der Dom zu Mainz (and also home to Johannes Gutenberg)
Martinez, California claims as part of its history the creation of the Martini.
Mary, Ricky, Dean