Halty is an Irish surname which means ‘fort’. It is probably most known as being a family name, given to members of the clan of Ross of Lochalsh. The meaning of this word was used both as a noun (giving well) and verb (being well). This family was prominent in the history of the Irish Highlands, due to being at the forefront in many battles and taking part in them during the period of King Edward I. It was through this route that Robert Burns moved to Ireland and established his famous poetry and dramatic writings. Some of his best pieces can still be seen at the Old Court of Justice in Edinburgh.
The word has a further form, meaning ‘a well-established estate’. It was recorded in the wills of James I of England, which was a barony on Strathbogie Hill in Strathmore, Perth and Kinross. It is also mentioned in the grant of Sir Walter Ralegh, which was a barony on the south side of Loch Alsh. The last name of its Earls of Strathbogie is Healty.
One of its descendents, John Bannister, was the first Lord of the Isle of Wight and is said to have become the first Marquis of Strathmore. Its patron saint is St Patrick, of whom it is named, and is associated with healing and divine providence. Its patron saint, St Barbara, is also of Irish descent. It is thought to be related to the medieval monastery of Claddagh, which was located on the Menorca Island, off the west coast of Spain. This island was used by the Irish in penning prayers and in conceiving the religion of Padraic O Cuath.
Halty is known to have been involved in the world’s first ever currency, the Pound Sterling. It was the first ever gold sovereign, and later coins were issued under its denomination. Halty also had a system of weights and measures for trade goods, and its system of weights and measures was based on measurement of grain, rather than weight. The Halty coins have the same symbols as that of the British coins: the lion, the crown, the Union Jack, the lion’s head, the double sword, the lion’s tail, and the hour-glass.
Halty was an important trading and farming community in the nineteenth century. With its gold reserves and agricultural produce, it was a major player in the gold market. Much of its produce passed on to London as luxury food.
Halty today, is an independent town, but you can still spend some time wandering around its many attractions, which includes but is not limited to the famous Broads, the Broads Bridge, and Folly Farm, which date back to the eighteenth century. There is also the historic Waterworks, built in eighteen seventies, which is popular for its giant water slide. To know more about this region, you should visit Halty, East Riding of Yorkshire.