The Annals report Vikings returning to Ireland from about 914. They returned to the vicinity of some of the longphorts, choosing elevated sites above the confluence of rivers close to estuaries. Sites include Waterford, Wexford, Cork and Limerick and the best-known archaeologically - Dublin.
A settlement was founded by the Norse at Dublin on a ridge above the river Liffey, close to its junction with the Poddle, at the mouth of which was the black pool which gives dubh linn its name, some time between 920 - 925. The Vikings referred to it as Dyflin. The attraction of a wide navigable river, close to the sea, with a rich farming hinterland must have been irresistible. There was probably already a small Irish settlement or settlements there since it is referred to in the annals as Ath Cliath - the ford of hurdles - possibly a reference to a crossing of the Poddle or of both rivers. A number of overland routes appear to have met here. Recently evidence of later ninth century occupation has been unearthed close to the junction of the Liffey and the Poddle, in the north-east corner of medieval Dublin and this may be the site of a Dublin longphort. This work is not as yet published, but if this interpretation proves correct then the tenth century settlement may yet prove to be an extension of the longphort occupation. It is worth bearing in mind that the Liffey marked the boundary between two important regional kingdoms - of Leinster to the south and Brega to the north and this may be a factor in the success of the settlement too. Settlements tend to flourish when they are on boundaries, that is a sort of no man's land freely accessible to all in the vicinity.
A series of nine clay banks have been uncovered on the waterfront, at least two of which have the appearance of flood banks. These earliest banks, of early to mid 10th century date were very low, no more than 1m vertical height, with no apparent palisading and there is no evidence that they encircled the entire settlement. However, later 10th century earth ramparts were much more substantial, with an outer ditch around part of the circuit. At the end of the 11th century the settlement was surrounded by a stone wall. In comparison Waterford had earthwork defences by c. 1070/90 and Limerick was walled by the 12th.
The natural contours of the Dublin site were used to lay out gravelled streets, pathways, and tenement plots aligned to them, with house platforms.The growth appears, however, to have been organic, in that the earliest layout appears to be to the east, and from this core the settlment spread gradually along the High Street, spinal street, westwards. Excavations in Fishamble Street and more recently in the adjacent Essex Street show that the earliest buildings were built c. 920 and that there were thirteen phases of superimposed timber-framed buildings to c.1100, allowing roughly 20 years for the life of each building.
Once laid out the tenements appear to have retained their boundaries, some of which continued on the same lines to the 18th century. Unfortunately both ends of a plot have only been recovered from one site - this was 34m long, but we cannot use this as a standard, the nature of the ground suggests there was perhaps no standard length.
Well over 200 buildings are now known from Viking Age Dublin. 75% are Patrick Wallace’s Type 1, which was rectangular with rounded corners averaging 8m x 5m, of wattle/ hurdle construction on light stakes, with roofs of turf or thatch, supported by 4 internal posts, probably with tie beams holding them together, the frame supporting the roof weight, the roof lined with hurdling. Entrances were in the short sides. The interior had a central raised hearth with raised platforms either side, lined with wattle and corner areas for a barrel. Wood shavings, wattle, earth or gravel were typical floor coverings. The roof was probably hipped, and the walls low. Type 2 was similar, though more rounded, but certainly a derivative of Type one. Paths through the plots and cess pits and rubbish pits were also lined with hurdling. There was no evidence of daub sealing the wattling, though textile or leather hangings were possibly in use and exteriors were probably lined with animal manure.
Type One is being seen as the standard type of house in these settlements, as they are now known from Waterford and Wexford, though not yet as early as in Dublin. Type Two is also known from Waterford, where so far they have only been found in association with Type One ’s. In Dublin these can be independent houses, but here perhaps they accommodated expanding families or acted as private quarters.
Sunken featured buildings, with superstructure built over a rectangular pit or cellar, have also been encountered, though in very small numbers, some flimsy, others more sturdily built. Sunken featured buildings were were known in a general Germanic context in north Germany and Denmark, as well as in Anglo-Saxon England. In addition a number of ancillary buildings, latrines, animal shelters, sheds are known. And from the 11th century a different type of construction was used with the buildings constructed of upright planks.
The clearest parallel to the Dublin settlement was York, which was in Viking hands discontinuously from AD866 - 954. Here the streets were laid along the contours and timber framed houses of stake and wattle were built. However, the main difference is that the York houses did not have internal posts, the full weight of the roof rested on the more substantial stakes in the walls. Towards the end of the tenth century York houses were being replaced by structures built of oak planks with cellars partly below ground level. There are no exact parallels to the Dublin layout and buildings. It is likely that ideas were taken from the homelands, from western Europe including England and from Ireland itself and that the plan and structures were amalgams of ideas picked up by the Hiberno-Norse.
Questions for you to think about
- How would you define a ‘longphort’?
- What clues are there to the site of the Dublin longphort?
- What were the main elements of urban planning in 10th century Hiberno-Norse Dublin?
Quiz
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