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A RICH HISTORY The Viking Arrival For the Vikings
who lived by raiding and trading, sturdy ships were a necessity.
The ship pictured on the right has been modelled on an 11th century
Viking ship found at Roskilde, Denmark, which was built in Ireland
around 1060 AD. |
From Norway, the Vikings had come to Ireland at the end of the 8th
century, first for plunder, but later for trade and commerce. Soon
they began to stay in Ireland during the winter. This meant setting
up some sort of fortification to protect themselves and their ships.
The settlement would have been surrounded by a wall and ditch. These
gradually grew into bigger establishments, where trade was carried
on. Slaves, wine, delicacies like figs and olives, and other luxury
goods changed hands in return for the cowhides and products of Irish
agriculture. In this way the first Irish towns, including Wexford,
Waterford, Dublin and Limerick were established. The Norman Period
The
Normans arrived in Ireland in 1169 at the invitation of Dermot MacMurrough,
deposed king of Leinster. They quickly established themselves as overlords
in Eastern Ireland. For these Early Normans, a castle was a status symbol
as well as being a military strong point - it was built to be seen from
afar. Gleaming white, and built on a hill, the whitewashed residence of
the feudal lord stood out in the landscape, emphasizing his dominance
of the social and military scene. Lime-wash had been used in Ireland from
at least the 8th century. An imposing gatehouse, reflecting the lord's
importance and personality, gave entry to the bailey. The principal buildings
within were the hall where the lord ate in public, held council, or delivered
justice, the chamber block where the lord resided, the granary and the
chapel. From the Bailey a wooden footbridge led into the tower, the last
line of defence. In the event of an attack the footbridge would be destroyed
to prevent enemy access.
MacKenzie Design About us.
