Mr. Cornwell,
I am a (relative) neighbor of yours, living in Summerville, SC. I have LOVED reading your Saxon series! My ancestors came to America in the 1700’s and my surname is of Scottish origin. Following is a possible lineage.
The progenitor of the Irish family of Fordyce, from which descend all the Fordyce’s of Washington and Greene Co.’s Pa. was one
- Hugh Fordyce b. in Drumasole Co. Antrim, Ireland, in 1527. marrying July 3, 1552, Mary Conyngham, of Kilbirnie, Co. Ayr, Scotland, daughter of Patrick Conyngham, of that ilk and this would tend to indicate that Hugh, himself, or his father, had come from Scotland, presumably from Ayrshire. What his father’s name was we do not know, as yet. (Conyngham Coll. 69) Children: Mary, Sarah, Martin of whom presently, Hugh, John.
Hopefully, you are still reading… because this is where I would like to make a request. There still remains a Fordyce Castle near Aberdeen, not too far from your Bebbanburg. Maybe you can insert a Fordyce into your chronicles (as a hero of course), just sayin’, ha. Maybe Uhtred could have run into some Fordyce’s in his travels around the northern parts of Scotland, what do you think??? I don’t think this would fall into the category of suggesting plotlines or some other irregularity, so think about it a bit…
I hope to start on the Sharpe series soon, as I really enjoy the historical novels and your storytelling is getting to be addictive!!
Happy New Year and best to you,
Christopher Fordyce