Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Rygge farm, since the first church was built there. The Old Norse form of the name is not known (the oldest manuscripts from 1353-1528 use the form "Ryg(g)jof"). A possible (but uncertain) reconstruction is Rýgjuhof. The first element would then be the genitive case of rýgja, a sideform of rýgr which means "lady". (Like ylgja to ylgr, both forms with the meaning 'she-wolf'.) The last element is probably hof meaning "temple". If this is correct, then the word rýgja most probably is referring to the goddess Freyja, since the meaning of the word freyja also is 'lady'.

An alternative explanation is that the word is derived from "rygg", which means "ridge", and related to place names like "Ryen" further east. The "ridge" in question would be the end moraine that runs across the landscape here, from the other side of the fjord and stretching east through Sweden and into the Baltic region. In Østfold, this moraine is referred to as the "Raet".

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times. It was granted on 30 November 1984. The arms show a golden spur on a red background. A spur like this was found in the area that dated back to the Viking Age. It is one of the largest golden items that was ever found in Norway and was thus chosen as a symbol on the arms.^[5]

Rygge Church

Rygge Church

Rygge church (Rygge kirke) is a medieval era church located in the village of Kirkegrenda. The church belongs to Vestre Borgesyssel deanery in Diocese of Borg. Rygge church is one of the county's better preserved medieval stone churches. It is built around the year 1170. Rygge church was originally a chapter church, which had income from a larger area than a parish and contained several villages. The building is characterized by the use of large stones, partly of granite, but parts of the facade is carved of stone cultivar, including large parts of the north portal. It has long nave and lower and narrower choir. The church was restored in 1967. ^[6]