A Brief History of Gnomes

From earth spirits to garden characters, the little fellows have travelled quite a way…

It started with the earth

The word gnome is generally traced back to the writings of Paracelsus, a 16th-century Swiss physician and thinker.
Paracelsus described a group of elemental beings associated with the natural world. Gnomes were connected with the earth, alongside other beings associated with water, air and fire.
These weren't quite the cheerful garden companions we might recognise today.
They belonged to a world where people were trying to understand nature, the elements and the unseen forces they believed might inhabit the world around them.
Even the origin of the word itself isn't completely settled, so there is a little mystery right from the beginning.
Which seems rather appropriate.

The little folk begin to take shape

Over the centuries, ideas about small supernatural beings appeared in many different European traditions.
There were dwarfs, goblins, fairies and other forms of little folk, with stories varying enormously from one place to another.
The boundaries between these characters were never particularly neat.
Stories changed. Writers borrowed ideas. Artists gave imagined creatures physical form. Folklore travelled from one generation to the next.
And gradually, the gnome began to acquire some of the features we recognise today.
Small stature.
A fondness for the earth.
A rather distinctive hat.
And, eventually, a beard.
The modern gnome wasn't created in one particular moment. He was shaped over time.

Then came the gardens

The garden gnome as we know it today has strong connections with 19th-century Germany, where small figures were being made commercially in terracotta.
By the middle of the 19th century, these little characters had begun appearing in the gardens of wealthy European households.
And this is where the story takes an especially interesting turn.
In Britain, one of the most famous early chapters happened at Lamport Hall in Northamptonshire.
Sir Charles Isham, who owned Lamport Hall from 1846, created an elaborate rockery in the garden beginning in 1847. He brought 21 German terracotta gnome figures to the estate and placed them amongst the rocks, where they were intended to look as though they were working in little caves and crevices.
Historic England describes this as being thought to be the first appearance of the garden gnome in England.
The Garden Museum tells much the same story, noting that Isham's 21 German figures helped start the fashion for garden gnomes in Britain.
And remarkably, one of those original gnomes is still known today.
His name is Lampy.

From garden ornament to familiar character

Once gnomes had found their way into gardens, their personalities began to broaden.
Some carried spades.
Some fished.
Some appeared to be gardening.
Others simply stood around looking as though they knew something the rest of us didn't.
Gnomes became associated with gardens, nature, protection and good fortune. Their connection with rural life became particularly strong, which helps explain why so many traditional garden gnomes are shown with the tools of gardening or outdoor work.
And as the years passed, the gnome became less tied to any one story.
He could be a gardener.
A traveller.
A fisherman.
A guardian.
A mischief-maker.
Or simply the little chap at the bottom of the garden.

The gnome goes travelling

Eventually, gnomes escaped the garden.
They appeared in books, illustrations, advertisements, films, souvenirs and popular culture.
Their appearance changed too.
Some became brightly coloured. Some became wonderfully eccentric. Some became decidedly cheeky.
But the basic idea remained remarkably resilient:
A small character with a big personality, usually connected in some way with nature, the earth or the world just beyond the ordinary.
Perhaps that is part of the reason the gnome has lasted.
There is plenty of room inside a little fellow for a great deal of imagination.

From history into the Northern Nomes Kingdom

Our gnomes are not ancient Scottish creatures discovered hiding beneath a Highland stone.
Although, given the opportunity, we're fairly sure some of them would claim otherwise.
Northern Nomes are original handmade characters, inspired by Scotland's landscapes, history, heritage, traditions and folklore — with a healthy helping of imagination along the way.
Some belong to the Northern Clans.
Others inhabit the Wee Folk realm.
And each has their own personality, name and little piece of the Kingdom to call home.
So the history of the gnome may have begun a very long way from Scotland.
But the story doesn't have to end there.

A little fellow with a long journey

From elemental earth spirit to German garden figure, from country-house rockeries to gardens and homes around the world, the gnome has changed considerably along the way.
And perhaps that's the secret of his staying power.
He can be reimagined.
He can belong to different places.
He can carry new stories without losing the familiar charm that made people smile in the first place.
Which brings us rather neatly to Northern Nomes.
Because we're not trying to recreate an ancient gnome.
We're giving him a new adventure.
And every adventure needs somewhere to begin.

So Where Do Northern Nomes Fit?

Somewhere between history and imagination. Northern Nomes aren't traditional Scottish folklore creatures. They're original handmade characters, inspired by Scotland's landscapes, history, heritage, traditions and folklore. We take inspiration from the real world and give it a little Northern Nomes twist. A Highland character might become a Chieftain. A traveller might wander one of the Kingdom's paths. A woodland character might find a home among the Wee Folk. And before you know it, a little fellow has acquired a name, a personality and a story of his own.

Continue exploring

Sometimes it's obvious. Sometimes it isn't. And sometimes the better question isn't: What category does he belong to? It's: What story does he have to tell? Because that is where the fun begins. And that's where Northern Nomes comes in.

Keep Exploring

What Is a Gnome? — Meet the little fellow behind the beard, hat and rather surprising history.

Gnomes, Elves & Fairies — What's the Difference? — Because not every little magical being is a gnome. And yes, there is a difference.

Explore the Realms — Step beyond the ordinary world and discover the two realms of Northern Nomes.