about > why 'athelnet'?

Why 'Athelnet'?

thelnet is the inevitable result of combining web development with medieval studies (always a dangerous combination). The name comes from combining the ubiquitous 'net' suffix so beloved of all technology companies with the Old English prefix 'æþel-', meaning 'noble'

he name defined the site's design. All of the text images, the company logo and the dragon sketches that you will see scattered around the site are based on medieval exemplars and were prepared by a calligrapher. It seems fitting that a medium of the modern age should draw inspiration from that of an earlier time, and often medieval models prove to be far ahead of modern graphic design.

he calligraphy for athelnet.co.uk is by Annette Padfield, an up-and-coming runologist and keen medieval re-enactor who is currently working on her M.A. at the University of Nottingham.