WOODSTOWN VIKING SITE A Conservation Management Plan with Research and Interpretation Strategies for a National Monument in County Waterford.
Neil Jackman Foreword
The origins of Waterford owe much to Viking influence. The Vikings first settled in Ireland in the ninth century when they sailed their longships to the coast and upstream on the major rivers of Ireland, including the River Suir, settling at Woodstown which is believed to predate the development of Waterford City. These sites provided optimum conditions for the berthing of long ships and bridging point of rivers. Waterford is proud of, and celebrates, its Viking heritage. Reginald’s Tower exhibits artefacts discovered from the Woodstown excavations in 2003, the King of the Vikings Virtual Reality Experience opened in 2017 and an international Viking visitor attraction is planned to open in the city centre in 2023.
The significance of the Woodstown site is clear by virtue of the number of artefacts that were discovered when just 5% of the site was excavated. These artefacts included a richly decorated warrior grave and coins linked to Samarkand in Uzbekistan and Wāsit in southern Iraq. The geographical extent of Viking trading is reflected in these finds and indicates the potential for further exciting discoveries.
The publication of a Conservation Management Plan for the Woodstown Viking Site is timely and very welcome. This is a comprehensive, informative and ambitious plan that sets out the significance of the site, with a considered approach for further research, animation, interpretation and pragmatic management of the site. The location of the site along the Waterford Greenway presents an opportunity to provide access to, and participation in, public archaeology in tandem with an excavations and experimental archaeology programme. There is great potential for heritage tourism and expansion of living history events at the site as demonstrated by Déise Medieval during the Woodstown Viking Festival in Heritage Week.
I wish to commend Neil Jackman and his team at Abarta Heritage for producing an excellent plan that is well researched and with great vision. The plan was prepared under the guidance of the Woodstown Steering Committee involving expertise from Transport Infrastructure Ireland, National Monuments Service, National Museum of Ireland, University College Cork, the Norwegian Embassy, Heritage Council, National Biodiversity Data Centre and Waterford Treasures, and facilitated by Heritage Officer, Bernadette Guest. Their expertise and input to the process has provided consensus on the future direction for the Woodstown Viking Site. Waterford City and County Council look forward to continuing to collaborate with national and international partners to achieve the potential outlined in this plan, and to conserve and promote Woodstown’s internationally significant Viking archaeological heritage.
Cllr. Damien Geoghegan, Mayor, Waterford City & County Council 2020–2021
2 How this Report Works
This report details a plan for the Conservation Management, Research Strategy and Interpretation of Woodstown Viking Site. Abarta Heritage were commissioned to carry out this work by Waterford City & County Council in 2019. The plan has been funded through the Heritage Council’s Heritage Plan Fund 2019 & 2020.
By bringing together the conservation management, research and interpretation into one document, it is hoped that this plan will achieve a balance between protection, understanding and public awareness. The plan is split into key parts. The first section (Chapters 1, 2 and 3) deal with aspects such as the methodology of this report, the current context of the site (both physically and in terms of tourism and public attitudes towards the Vikings and archaeology in general) and the significance of Viking Woodstown. A proposed research strategy is offered in Chapter 4, and that naturally leads on to Chapter 5 that suggests how we tell the story discovered during the research. A practical conservation management strategy is discussed in Chapter 6 with factors such as access and how to protect the monument addressed, while Chapter 7 illustrates how the development of Viking Woodstown can benefit Waterford. A series of policies and objectives are detailed in Chapter 8, and the required actions are listed in Chapter 9. To make it easier to navigate, the different chapters are all colour coded. The colours are based on a National Museum of Denmark study of Viking-Age pigments.1 This plan is a foundation, but it should be considered to be a ‘living document’, that can be updated and expanded as the need arises.
Acknowledgements The National Monument at Woodstown is one of the most important archaeological sites yet discovered in Ireland. However, despite its significance the monument is completely invisible, and appears as relatively flat pastureland on the banks of the River Suir. This Conservation Management Plan is an attempt to make the intangible, tangible.
The plan is a continuation of the work of the Woodstown Working Group and Woodstown Viking Site Steering Committee. Throughout the process, the committee members were generous with their time, insights and expertise. I wish to thank all of them, and their colleagues who contributed to the report including – Bernadette Guest and John Brunnock (Waterford City & County Council), Ian Doyle (The Heritage Council), Ambassador Else Berit Eikeland and Counsellor Arne Follerås (Norwegian Embassy to Ireland), Eamonn McEneaney (Waterford Treasures), Maeve O’Callagan (National Monuments Service), Maeve Sikora (National Museum of Ireland), James Eogan (Transport Infrastructure Ireland), Órla Scully, Gerry Halley, Dr. Liam Lysaght & Dr Úna FitzPatrick (National Biodiversity Data Centre), John Sheehan and Nick Hogan (Department of Archaeology, University College Cork), and Ian Russell and ACSU for providing information about the artefactual assemblage. I also sincerely wish to thank the members of Déise Medieval, not only for their contribution to this report, but for their ongoing efforts to help people to understand and enjoy the story of our past.
This report was written by Neil Jackman with the design and layout by Sara Nylund. Thanks are also due to Róisín Burke, Damian Shiels, Geni Murphy and Conor Ryan for their help and support. A number of the images in this report are from the original publication and we wish to thank Ian Russell (ACSU) and James Eogan (TII) for making them available for use here. All other images and figures in this report are by Abarta Heritage, unless otherwise credited. This publication was funded through the Heritage Council's Heritage Plan Fund 2019 and 2020.
1 https://natmus.dk/fileadmin/user_upload/Editor/natmus/historisk-viden/Viking/Vikingernes_farvepalet/Vikingetidens_ farvepalet_Rapport.pdf 3 Summary
The discovery of the previously unknown site at of the city would help to firmly establish Waterford as a Woodstown in 2003, has had profound implications cultural capital of Ireland. Its location on the Waterford on our understanding of the earliest phases of Viking Greenway creates a signature landmark for the route, interaction with Ireland. This Conservation Management and this initiative perfectly complements the wonderful Plan is informed by consultation and best practice museums in the city along with adding another powerful and the previous work, reports and guidance of the asset to local heritage tourism assets like Mount Woodstown Viking Site Steering Committee. The Congreve Gardens and the Suir Valley Railway. Along plan details the significance of Woodstown, and it with the planned Viking village at the National Heritage offers a research strategy that will form a pathway Park in Wexford, the excavations and reconstructions at to a better understanding of the site and its context. Woodstown will establish a compelling Viking ‘product’ The plan offers interpretative and communications for the Ireland’s Ancient East brand that is developing strategies that will ensure that the story is engaging and under the remit of Fáilte Ireland. accessible to a variety of audiences, and it will identify potential funding sources that could help to achieve Woodstown should not become a Viking Disneyland, the strategies outlined in the plan. The plan considers designed only for the benefit and enjoyment of overseas biodiversity and natural heritage, and also assesses visitors. Nor should it become a place set apart for practical considerations such as land ownership, academic enquiry and archaeological research. Instead boundaries, protection of the archaeological remains it should become a place where academia, visitors and and public access. importantly, the local community, come together. A place where they can all derive benefit, understanding This plan is designed to consider the needs of the and enjoyment. This plan details an inclusive and archaeological monument and its natural environment participatory approach that will help to establish as well as the needs of visitors, and to find a balance a high degree of awareness within the region. Its between creating a place of education and research as implementation will help to develop important skills well as tourism and public engagement, a place that is and opportunities for the broader community, ensuring economically viable and a place of social inclusion. It that the Woodstown national monument is highly emphasises the importance of collaborative approaches valued locally – a factor of vital importance for the long and the opportunity afforded by the site’s connections term protection of the monument. with Norway and other Scandinavian countries. If approached correctly, this site also offers the This document sets out a series of actions to deliver a opportunity to foster the next generation of Viking-Age vision that considers the conservation and presentation experts and it can help to demonstrate the importance of this important monument. The overall ambition of conservation and scientific techniques in developing to create a sustainable educational and research our understanding of the past. This vision aims to programme at Woodstown will require time, the make the process of discovery and reconstruction as comparative projects that inspire some of the ideas interesting to visitors as the story of the monument for Woodstown (detailed in Section 5) took more than itself. Having excavations and experimental archaeology twenty years to develop, and it will require a similar accessible, or at least viewable, offers a unique long term commitment to achieve the full potential of opportunity for the public to see and experience Woodstown. However, there are certainly many actions how the process of archaeology helps to develop our that can be carried out in the immediate future, that will understanding of the past. The participatory focus help to protect the monument and present its story. provides opportunities for visitors and the public to create their own stories through hands-on experiential In summary, Woodstown has the potential to learning, allowing Woodstown to become a meaningful become a world-leading exemplar of Viking studies, place to connect with their friends and families by archaeology, experimental archaeology, natural heritage sharing experiences together. management, participatory education and sustainable tourism. This Conservation Management Plan suggests The potential development of such an important some ways in which that potential can be fulfilled. archaeological monument into a world-class educational heritage tourism resource on the doorstep
4 What a visitor to Woodstown may experience by 2025 A family cycling along the Waterford Greenway notice that the surface is marked with a painted timeline, that informs them of key events and figures of Irish history. The further they go, the further back in time it leads, all the way back to the ninth century. The route passes underneath an enormous arch, crowned with beast-heads that are unmistakably Viking in style. They climb up to a small viewing area, where they can see a number of panels that detail the story of the remarkable Viking settlement that once stood here. In the field they can see a small excavation being carried out, and note that there are scheduled times for tours and talks by the archaeologists. On their way back, they stop off at the Viking-themed children’s playground, where they can create their own Viking adventure.
5 What a visitor to Woodstown may experience by 2030 Excitement builds as one of Europe’s biggest Viking Festivals is set to begin, with over 1,000 living history re- enactors from Ireland, Scandinavia, the UK and elsewhere host a three day programme of battles, demonstrations and living history. Visitors can barter and trade with Vikings for crafts and Viking food, and hear authentic Viking music and tales from the sagas and Irish Annals. Archaeologists will give talks and tours to tell the audience of the remarkable discoveries at Woodstown, and living history practitioners demonstrate Viking crafts and art. There are ecology talks and tours about how the landscape is being restored back to aspects of how it was in the ninth century, and how that has affected biodiversity. In the weeks that follow the festival, the research excavations resume. The dig is accessible so visitors can see history being revealed in front of them, as they ask questions and gain insights into the techniques and practice of archaeology as well as gaining new insights into Viking-Age Ireland. By this time, Woodstown has become established as a key centre of Viking research, and Waterford hosts regular conferences and seminars on the Viking Age in collaboration with partner institutions in Scandinavia and the UK.
VI What a visitor to Woodstown may experience by 2040 A visitor can take a replica Viking ship from the Quays of Waterford City and travel up the River Suir, following in the wake of the original Viking ships that made the same journey over a thousand years before. As the boat draws closer to the site, the nature of the landscape changes. Stands of birch, ash and oak mark the transition back to a ninth century landscape. The warm colour of thatch is glimpsed through the trees, along with the smoke from small fires. Suddenly, the longhouse is presented through a gap in the trees and the excitement is palpable as the boat docks. After passing through the wooden palisade and crossing the ditch into the settlement, the group is welcomed by a guide in full Viking dress, who leads them around the settlement, introducing the group to other Vikings who demonstrate the traditional skills, crafts and trades of the period. The group even tries their hand at archery, carpentry and bead-making, before watching a re-enactment of a Viking battle. School groups pass by on their way to watch the archaeological dig in action, while others taste traditional Viking food, with ingredients sourced from the replica Viking farm that surrounds Woodstown. With all of this, the visitors enjoy an experience that engages all of their senses with the story of Viking Ireland. Following the visit, the group takes the Suir Valley Railway back into the city to see the artefacts that were uncovered during the dig in the dedicated gallery at the Waterford Treasures.
VII Contents
Foreword ii How this Report Works iii Acknowledgments iii Summary iv What a visitor to Woodstown may experience by 2025 v What a visitor to Woodstown may experience by 2030 vi What a visitor to Woodstown may experience by 2040 vii
1. Introduction 1 1.1 Project Background 4 1.2 Scope of this Conservation Management Plan 6 1.3 Methodology 7 1.4 Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment Screening 7 1.4.1 Strategic Environmental Assessment 7 1.5 Consultation 8 1.5.1 Stakeholder Consultation 8 1.5.2 Consultation with the General Public 8 1.6 Site Inspection 9
2. Site Description & Current Context 11 2.1 Physical Environment 12 2.1.2 Underlying Geology 12 2.1.3 Vegetation History 12 2.2 Previous Excavations, Studies & Publication 14 2.3 Understanding Viking Woodstown – A Site Summary Based on Previous Study 15 2.4 Legacy from Previous Investigations 17 2.5 Current Site Status and Protection 18 2.6 Current Site Ownership 18 2.7 Access and Boundaries 21 2.8 Site Security and Threats to Long Term Preservation of Monument 21 2.9 The Tourism and Cultural Context 25 2.9.1 Tourism to Ireland 25 2.9.2 Tourism to Waterford City and County 25
VII 2.9.3 The Waterford Greenway 26 2.9.4 Waterford & Suir Valley Railway 27 2.9.5 Ireland’s Ancient East 27 2.9.6 Public Attitudes Towards Archaeology & Heritage 28 2.9.7 Public Attitudes Towards the Vikings 28
3. Significance of Viking Woodstown 31 3.1 Statement of Significance 32 3.2 Statement of Significance from the Final Report of the Woodstown Working Group, 2008 35 3.3 The Experts View of Viking Woodstown 36 3.4 Summary of the Aspects of Significance of the Woodstown Viking Site 38
4. Understanding Viking Woodstown – A Proposed Research Strategy 39 4.1 Key Research Aims and Policies 40 4.2 Suggestions for Archaeological & Historical Research 40 4.3 Research Opportunities for Biodiversity & the Natural Heritage 47 4.4 Suggested Experimental Archaeology & Reconstruction Projects 48 4.5 Excavation and Post-Excavation Policy Objectives 52 4.6 Field Schools 52 4.7 Post Excavation Considerations 53
5. Telling the Story of Viking Woodstown An Animation & Interpretation Strategy with Suggestions for Marketing 55 5.1 General Philosophies for the On-Site Visitor Experience 56 5.2 On-Site Interpretation 56 5.2.1 Initial Interpretation 57 5.2.2 Long Term Interpretation Strategies 60 5.3 Woodstown as an Accessible Attraction 64 5.4 Festivals, Events & Living History 65 5.4.1 Déise Medieval 65 5.4.2 Viking Festivals 67 5.5 Off-Site Interpretation 69 5.5.1 Woodstown on the Web 69 5.5.2 Written Woodstown Technical / Academic Publication Ideas 69 IX 5.5.3 Content for Younger Audiences 70 5.5.4 Heritage in Schools Scheme 70 5.6 Long-term Marketing Concepts - Interpretation and Tourism Strategy 73
6. Conservation Management of Viking Woodstown 75 6.1 A Do-Nothing Approach 76 6.2 Conservation Management Policies 76 6.3 Management Structures 78 6.4 Strategic Alliances & Collaborative Approaches 80 6.5 Managing the Landscape & Biodiversity Strategy 81 6.6 Long Term Maintenance 81 6.7 Potential Sources of Funding 81
7. Supporting the City 83 7.1 The Social Value of Viking Woodstown 84
8. Policy & Objectives for the Woodstown Viking Site 87 8.1 Site Management Policy 88 8.2 Research Policy 88 8.3 Excavations Policy 89 8.4 Experimental/Reconstructions Policy 89 8.5 Post-Excavation Policy 89 8.6 Interpretation Policy 89
9. Actions 91 9.1 Actions for Site Management 92 9.2 Actions for Understanding the Site 93 9.3 Actions for Interpretation & Tourism Development 94
10. Appendices 95 10.1 Appendix 1: Policy & Planning Objectives Relevant to Viking Woodstown 96 10.2 Appendix 2: Results of Public Consultation 100
X XI 1. Introduction Waterford Plan complement the range of cultural offerings in The ideasoutlinedinthis Conservation Management a world-class educationalheritage tourismasset. the VikingsinIreland andhas thepotential to become engage andexcite thegeneral public with thestory of Waterford Greenway, offers a wonderful opportunity to and publicaccess. boundaries, protection of thearchaeological remains practical considerations suchasland ownership, biodiversity andnatural heritage, andalsoassesses ambitions outlinedintheplan. The document considers funding sources thatcould helptoachievethe to avariety of audiences, andit will identify potential will ensure thatthestory isengagingandaccessible interpretative andcommunications understanding of thesiteanditscontext. Itoffers research strategy that will form apathway toabetter plan detailsthesignificance of Woodstown, it offers a of the Woodstown Viking Site Steering Committee. The practice andtheprevious work, reports andguidance Management Plan isinformed by consultation, best of VikingsettlementinIreland. This Conservation that havegivenusnew insightsintotheearliestphases Woodstown hasproduced information andartefacts only approximately 5%of thesitehasbeenexcavated, archaeological discoveries ever madeinIreland. Though in 2003isundoubtedly oneof themostsignificant settlement onthesouthernbankof theRiver Suir The discovery of apreviously unknown Viking history, biodiversity, landmanagement andsustainabletourism. to create new expertsinconservation, artefact analysis, experimentalarchaeology, living help toestablishnot only thenextgeneration of Viking-Age scholars, butoffers thepotential understanding of Vikingactivity inninthandearly tenthcentury Ireland. As such,itcould Woodstown VikingSitehasthepotential tohaveatransformative effect onour 1. Introduction 2 Realising our Rural Potential: An Action Plan for Rural Development, Rural for Plan Action An Potential: Rural our Realising The location of thesite,adjacent tothepopular City. If implemented,this plan will allo plan will strategies that w Viking Action No. 201 (Department of Rural and Community Development, 2018). Development, Community and Rural of 201 (Department No. Action and adapted asthesiteand stakeholders require. one thatshouldberegularly reviewed, amended,updated heritage, cultural andecclesiastical networks’. more internationals visitors aspartof pan-European internationally tokey monasticandhistoricsitestodraw our Rural Potential 201 from thegovernment strategy document experiences. Suchanapproach would reflect Action No. knowledge andsustainableeducationaltourism and partnership inthedevelopmentof archaeological Scandinavia, leadingtoshared learnings,expertise become atangibleconnection between Ireland and is avitalpartof acompelling shared story anditcan Scandinavia. The Vikingsettlementat Woodstown reflects Ireland’s past,butthat of Norway and wider Importantly, Woodstown isasitethatnot only excavation, reconstruction andactivities onsite. to participateandget involved with aspectsof the ‘tourism asset’, butthatthey havetheopportunity economic potential for theestablishmentof anew the peopleof Waterford will not only enjoy increased participatory focus of thisplanisdriventoensure that community isakey stakeholder for thefuture. The Conservation Management Plan ensure thatthelocal Greenway, andahubof vibrant festivals andevents. Woodstown tobecome aniconic feature of the Waterford This planshouldbe considered asa‘living’document, The strategies andobjectivessetoutinthis , that wishes to‘seek toforge links Realising 2
2 INTRODUCTION 3 INTRODUCTION Fig 1.1Location of theWoodstown VikingSite Research Project.’ to investigationstitled amended toprotect thearchaeological remains. route of theproposed N25 Waterford City Bypass was ordered thepreservation insituof thesiteand the sitetobeanationalmonument(WA09-019) and Environment, Heritage andLocal Governmentdeclared the plannedroad. InMay 2005,thethenMinister of the have asignificantimpactonthedelivery andbudget of that full-excavation of thearchaeological site would archaeology andthevolumeof artefacts, it was decided international importance. From thenature of the it becameclear thatthesite was of potential Scandinavian activity. Following theinitialinvestigations Woodstown thatdatetotheninthcentury andrelate to but clearly significantarchaeological remains at in 2003,archaeologists identifiedpreviously unknown of theconstruction of theN25 Waterford City Bypass programme of archaeological test-trenching inadvance at co-ordinates (NGR 254986E,111109N). Duringa Waterford, approximately 9kmfrom thecity centre on thesouthernbanksof theRiver Suir inCounty The townland of Woodstown islocatedinpastureland, 1.1 Project Background UAU survey concluded thatalthough noevidence of Unit (UAU) of theNationalMonumentsService. The intertidal anddivesurvey by theUnderwater Archaeology geophysical survey. This was complemented by an potential archaeological features revealed during of the archaeological remains andtoinvestigate in 2007by ACS Ltd. inorder toestablishtheextents preservation and archaeological investigation of the national monument site at Woodstown, Co. Waterford. January 2008. January Waterford. Co. Woodstown, at site monument national the of investigation archaeological and fut the on preservation Government Local and Heritage Environment, the for Minister the to Group Working Woodstown the of Report Final 5 Government. Local and Heritage Department Environment, the for Report Unpublished Project. Research 6Supplementary 2007. Woodstown al. et S. Harrison, I., Russell, 4 Press. Courts Four Dublin: Waterford. Co. in Settlement AViking-Age (eds) 2014.Woodstown: S. Harrison, and I., 3 Russell, In 2006and2007, further geophysical surveys led 4 The excavations were carriedout ‘Woodstown 6Supplementary 3 detailed inthisreport ispresented below: Woodstown. investigation of thenationalmonumentsiteat on thefuture preservation andarchaeological a final report in2008that contained recommendations site. In2006 WWG issuedaninterimreport, followed by committee toconsider thefuture of thearchaeological Heritage andLocal Government,asanadvisory established by thethenMinister for Environment, by theditches. material appears tobefocused within thearea enclosed identified duringthe2007excavations, archaeological of small-scale industrialactivity, mostof which were Figure 1.1). With theexception of somepotential areas 22 [southern field] andField23 [northern field] (see ditches. These enclosures lie withintheso-calledFields enclosures both of which are defined by two concentric the siteappears tobe within two contiguous D-shaped in 2003,suggested thatthemajor andcentral partof investigations, along with theinitialdiscoveries made shoreline at Woodstown servedasaharbour. These river currents suggested it was highly unlikely thatthe the UAU theriver dynamics,strong tidalflows and along theriver course there. However, intheview of retention of buriedarchaeology intheforeshore silts Woodstown there remained ahighpotential for the exposed archaeological remains was encountered at The Woodstown Group (WWG)Working was Fig 1.2 Aerial view of Woodstown VikingSitefacing east 5 A tablesummarisingtherecommendations fte the of r ure
4 INTRODUCTION 5 INTRODUCTION Monuments toafforditbasiclegalprotectionundertheNational should arrange for the erection of officialnoticesaroundthesite should arrange fortheerectionof involve expertsinthe and Viking and relatedperiodsworldwide and theSouth EastRegion andIrelandgenerally. e conference national monumentsitebedeveloped andpursued, informed by site’s finds, itsrelevance andsignificance. econference would e Woodstown Historic siteshouldbeplacedontheRegister of has sincechanged toHousing, LocalGovernment andHeritage). Environment, Heritage andLocalGovernment (thisdepartment in Waterford City with the agreement of theprivatein Waterford landowner. Citywiththeagreementof inspected regularly by National Monuments Service staff based inspected regularly by National Monuments Servicestaff launch publication of the results of theresearchdone todateat theresults of launch publicationof stating thatitisanationalmonumentandsubject toprotection vulnerable areas and to address the practicalities of adequately vulnerable areasandtoaddressthepracticalitiesof this endwillbepursued bi-laterally between thatMuseum and Relevant artefacts from theWoodstownRelevant from artefacts sitebedisplayed inthe Waterford shouldhostaninternationalconference toformally the results of currentresearch. eagenda couldbedeveloped the results of would showcase the Viking heritage of Woodstown,would showcase the Viking heritage of Waterford would alsoprovide theopportunity for expertsinvolved inthe the private owner, asappropriate. To thisendthesitecouldbe the Woodstown nationalmonumentsiteandhighlightingthe South-East Region atlarge. andthecountry Arrangements to Government (now Housing, LocalGovernment andHeritage) e landassociatedwiththeWoodstown sitethatisprivately in partnershipbetweenWaterford CityandCountyCouncils, be monitoredonaregularbasisby, orwiththeagreementof, Government, Ireland,Heritage Council, National Museum of investigation thesitetodategive andexcavation public of to undertake an immediate survey of thesitetoidentifyanyto undertake animmediatesurvey of Royal Irish Academy, Technology Waterford and Instituteof Waterford Treasures for the benefit of the population of the Waterford thepopulationof Treasures for thebenefitof e ongoing physical security of thesiteshouldcontinueto e ongoing physical securityof of eithertherelevant localauthorityortheMinisterfor the of Table 1:2008 Recommendations Report the Actions. andtheCurrent of Status Government, uponagreementwiththeprivate landowner, owned shouldbeacquiredortaken intotheguardianship A multi-disciplinary researchagendaA multi-disciplinary fortheWoodstown e Department of theEnvironment, Heritage andLocal e Departmentof the Department of theEnvironment, Heritage andLocal the Departmentof e Office of PublicWorks e Officeof shouldberequestedby the Department of theEnvironment, Heritage andLocal Department of under theNational Monuments Acts 1930to2014. the National Museum of Ireland,asappropriate. the National Museum of information talks ontheirfindings. other thirdlevel establishments. Monuments Acts 1930to2014. eomnainCurrentStatus Recommendation fencing such areas. Waterford Treasures Museums organisedaninternational on display inReginald’s tower. As workatWoodstown A number of artefacts from Woodstown from artefacts are currently A numberof is report addresses the multi-disciplinary research is reportaddressesthemulti-disciplinary is pendingdiscussionswithWaterford Treasures and carried out in 2018. e results of thissurvey shallbe carried outin2018. eresults of made available tothesteeringcommitteeandprivate should beconsideredintheMedieval Museum. is the National Museum of Ireland.See Section 5.2.2.the National Museum of e Woodstown siteisnow a nationalmonument. A geophysical theWoodstown survey of sitewas progresses inthefuture, adedicatedexhibition At presentnosuch noticesareonsite, further recommendations areofferedinSection 5.2.1. Viking conference inWaterford Cityin2010. Site securityisdiscussedinSection 2.8. is recommendationistobedecided. agenda seeSection 4formoredetail. landowner. following members: guidance of aSteering Committee thatfeatured the The framework for thisplan was developedunder the Sara NylundandGeniMurphy of Abarta Heritage. with additionalsupportof Tara Clarke, Róisín Burke, tender process. Neil Jackman istheprincipalauthor, were appointedtocarry outthe work following apublic and isfundedby theHeritage Council. Abarta Heritage an actionof the Waterford Heritage Plan 2017–2022, by Waterford City andC became thepermanentexhibitioninReginald’s Tower. and exhibitionof the Woodstown objects which later Treasures Museumsmountedaneducationprogramme Viking Woodstown. SeeSection2.2.In2006 Waterford audiobook by Abarta Heritage thattellsthe story of by further dissemination with theproduction of an (Russell andHurley eds.2014). This was supported Woodstown: A Viking-Age SettlementinCo. Waterford analysis formed thebasisof the TII publication and subsequenthistoricalresearch andartefactual • James Eogan, Archaeologist, Transport • Counsellor Arne Ambassador Else BeritEikeland,Follerås Norwegian • IanDoyle, Head of Conservation, The Heritage • BernadetteGuest,Heritage Officer, Waterford City • Museum of Ireland,theHeritage Councilandrelevant members Museum of between theWoodstown discoveries site, itsartefactual andany The results of thearchaeological excavations, surveys This Conservation Management Plan was commissioned recommended researchagenda forthesite, andtheprogression appropriate, may wishtoexplorethescopefor furtherlinkages at thelocalauthoritiesinconsultation withFáilte Ireland,as “Archaeology intheClassroom” programmeandthesupport of Explore the potential educational avenues of theWoodstownExplore thepotentialeducationalavenues of Government andHeritage) inconsultation withtheNational programmes such asthe“Heritage inSchools” scheme, the monument siteshouldbeproducedby Waterford Cityand Infrastructure Ireland. Ireland. Embassy, Ireland. Council. & County Council. County Council and the Department of theEnvironment, County CouncilandtheDepartmentof A publicinformation bookletontheWoodstown national site. Tailored projectsorprogrammesshoulddraw, as Heritage andLocalGovernment (now Housing, Local appropriate, onexistingordeveloping schemesand of theWoodstownof Working Group, asappropriate. the localauthorityHeritage Officersnetwork. of Waterford CityCouncil’sof Project2014. eomnainCurrentStatus Recommendation ounty Council in
Norwegian Embassy, August 2019 as 2019 August presentation of thisnationalmonument. the nextstepinongoing care, conservation and Woodstown VikingSiteSteering Committee, andforms of the work of the Woodstown Working Group and The key roles of this Conservation Management Plan are to: Management Plan thisConservation of Scope 1.2 • Orla Terje Gansum,Vestfold Fylkeskommune, Norway.Scully, • Archaeologist. John Sheehan,Departmentof Archaeology, • Dr. LiamLysaght, Director, NationalBiodiversity • MaeveSikora, Keeper of Irish Antiquities, National • MaeveO’Callagan, Archaeologist, National • EamonnMcEneaney, Director, Waterford Treasures. • Identify potential sources of fundingfor research • Develop aPragmatic Management Plan for thesite. • Collate an Animation andHeritage Interpretation • Collate aResearch Strategy. • Prepare aStatement of Significance asinformed by • This Conservation Management Plan isa continuation ese recommendationsarediscussedinSection 5.8.4. as wellaplaceforresearchisdiscussedinSection 5. University College Cork. Data Centre. Museum of Ireland. Monuments Service. and interpretation. Strategy. the current understanding of thesite. e development of Woodstown e development of asaplace for visitors audiobook that tells the story of thesite. At presenta of audiobook thattellsthestory ere isatechnicalpublicationontheexcavations at public information brochurehasnotbeenproduced. Woodstown andtherearefurtherpublicationsthat feature Woodstown, seeSection 2.2,alongwithan
6 INTRODUCTION 7 INTRODUCTION conservation management andinterpretation policies the research strategy, archaeological investigation, references are provided asfootnotes where appropriate. propose the archaeological research strategy, specific as partof theassessmentof significance andinorder to of other archaeological publications were alsoconsulted datasets prepared by UCC, 2019. d) Technical DataSynthesis Report and standardised Environment, Heritage andLocal Government. Project. UnpublishedReport for theDepartmentof the Hare. 2007. Woodstown 6,Supplementary Research Jonathan Kinsella,SiobhanMcNamara &Máebh c) Ian Russell, Stephen Harrison,John Nichols, Woodstown, Co. Waterford, 2008. investigation of Government onthefuture preservation andarchaeological to theMinister for theEnvironment, Heritage andLocal b) The Final Report of the Woodstown Working Group Dublin; Four Courts Press. Woodstown: A a)Ian Russell andMaurice F. Hurley (eds). 2014. the significance of thesite. Theseincluded: key sources were reviewed aspartof theassessmentof references asfootnotes where appropriate. A number of authority studies. Eachsection will contain specific the Ireland’s Ancient Eastprogramme) andlocal provided by information from Fáilte Ireland (particularly and more. The nationaland regional tourism context is 2025, theEU’s Ruritage Programme, Europa Nostra Heart 2018-2022, theRoyal Irish Academy’s Archaeology 2040, theHeritage Council Strategy: Heritage atthe Strategy for theSouthernRegion 2020, Project Ireland Plan 2015-2020 (LECP), theRegional Spatial&Economic Waterford: Waterford Local Economic andCommunity Development Plan, Waterford Heritage Plan, One level. These include Waterford City & County Council’s local, regional, national,European andinternational are supportedby, many official policiesandplansat Conservation andManagement Plan complement, and place of socialinclusion. engagement, aplace thatiseconomically viableanda education andresearch as well astourismandpublic visitors, andtobalance between creating aplace of archaeological monumentas well astheneedsof This planisdesignedto consider theneeds of the 1.3 Methodology 6 European Directive 2001/42/EC Directive 6 European A number of key guidelinedocumentsalsoinform Along with thesepublicationsanddocuments,anumber The proposals setout for Woodstown inthis Viking-Age Settlement inCo. Waterford. the national monument site at national monumentsiteat for thesite. These include: wider Natura 2000Network. It was determinedthata on theconservation objectives of theRiver Suir SAC and Conservation Management Plan toposesignificanteffects of thepotential of the Woodstown VikingSite conservation objectives. proceeding with theplanor project inview of thesite’s projects. The assessmentexaminestheimplications of individually or incombination with other plansor but likely tohave asignificanteffect thereon, either necessary tothemanagement of aNatura 2000site of any planor project not directly connected with or Council, to undertake an Appropriate Assessment (AA) authorities, inthiscase Waterford City &County and flora (the HabitatsDirective) requires competent the conservation of natural habitats andof wild fauna Article 6(3) of European Council Directive 92/43/EEC on 1.4.2 Appropriate ScreeningAssessment Conservation Management Plan. was not required for the Woodstown VikingSite 2001/42/EC, thataStrategic Environmental Assessment DoEHLG SEA Guidelinesand Annex 2of Directive Programmes Regulations 2004(as amended),the Environmental Assessment of Certain Plans and using thescreening criteriasetoutinSchedule2 Stage II Appropriate Assessment was not required. promoting sustainabledevelopment.’ the preparation of plansandprogrammes with aview to to theintegration of environmental considerations into level of protection of theenvironment andtocontribute plan or programme. The purposeisto ‘provide for ahigh programme before thedecisionismadetoadopt the environmental effects of implementingaplanor formal, systematic evaluationof thelikely significant Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) isthe 1.4.1 Strategic Environmental Assessment ScreeningAssessment and Assessment Appropriate 1.4 Strategic Environmental European Association of Archaeologists Code of • • Faro Convention. Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter, 2013(referred • TheNationalMonuments Acts 1930to2014. • An AppropriateScreeningundertakenwas Assessment Waterford City andCounty Council determined, Practice for Fieldwork Training. throughout thistextastheBurra Charter). 6 Transport Infrastructure Ireland heldaVikingHeritage support of Waterford City andCounty Council and During Heritage Week 2019, DéiseMedieval with the withConsultation theGeneral Public 1.5.2 consulted isasfollows: future stakeholders intheproject. The fulllist of people Steering Committee andother stakeholders or potential through aprocess of consultation with members of the This Conservation Management Plan isinformed 1.5.1 Stakeholder Consultation 1.5 Consultation 1 Fig 1.3 Abarta Heritage conducting consultation with thepublicatVikingHeritage DayatWoodstown 2019 Private landowner/s inthevicinity of the • • Déise Medieval. Prof. Graeme Warren andProf. Aidan O’Sullivan • Sarah Fitzpatrick(Fáilte Ireland). • Dr. LiamLysaght andDr. ÚnaFitzPatrick (Director • ArneFollerås (Counsellor andDeputy Head of • John SheehanandNickHogan (Department of • MaeveSikora (Keeper of Antiquities, National • MaeveO’Callaghan (Archaeologist, National • IanDoyle (Head of Conservation, Heritage Council) • JamesEogan (Senior Archaeologist, Transport • EamonnMcEneaney (Director, Waterford Treasures) • John Brunnock(Trails Officer, Waterford City and • BernadetteGuest(Heritage Officer, Waterford City • . 5 monument. (School of Archaeology, University College Dublin) Biodiversity DataCentre). and Senior Ecologist respectively, National Mission, Norwegian Embassy). Archaeology, University College Cork). Museum of Ireland). Monuments Service). Infrastructure Ireland). County Council). and County Council). C onsu l t a t i on with the site. with thesite. establish anunderstanding of how familiar people were the event. The aim for thefirst three questionsto was the Waterford Greenway andhadnoprior knowledge of responses camefrom foreign visitors who were utilising travelled toattend responses camefrom localpeople who specifically single response tothequestions. The majority of as inmany casesfamilies or groups offered aunited though alarger number of peopleactually tookpart were atotal of 108responses totheconsultation, carried outpublicconsultation with visitors. There around 900people.Duringtheday Abarta Heritage displays andbattlere-enactments andattracted event tookplace from 10am– 4pm, with livinghistory Day at Woodstown onthe Waterford Greenway. This Da Viking Heritage DayatWoodstown 2019 Fig 1.4Results of consultation with the publicatthe y at W oo ds to wn the o n th event, thoughasmallnumber of e Wa te rf or d Gr ee nw ay . Thi s
8 INTRODUCTIONN 9 INTRODUCTION results canbeseenina WordCloud: represented creatively by artworks or sculpture. The others suggested they would like toseethemonument like toseeaVisitor Centre or Museumonsite, while number of respondents suggested that they would of thepastthatpeoplederive from suchshows. A also testamenttotheenjoyment andtangiblesense attending are-enactment by DéiseMedieval,butitis be accounted tothefact thattherespondents were re-enactments featured very strongly, thatcanpartly to access thesite.Reconstruction, livinghistory and requesting interpretation panelsandimproved signage about thesite, with thehighestamountof responses majority of respondents would like more information Viking sitefor thefuture.The results indicatethatthe of what people would like toseeatthe Woodstown TOTAL RESPONSES:108. NO: 43. YES: 65. exhibition of Vikingartefacts that were found here? 3. Have you ever visitedReginald’s Tower toseethe TOTAL RESPONSES:108. NO: 39. YES: 69. before coming here today? 2. Had you heard aboutthe Woodstown VikingSite TOTAL RESPONSES:108. NO: 39. YES: 69. archaeological site? 1. Were you aware thatthisisanimportant A further question was asked togainanunderstanding can alsobeviewed asa WordCloud: associate theVikings with Waterford. This information into account. It was alsoclear thatmany localpeople very informative livinghistory day shouldbetaken fact thatthissurvey was conducted aspeoplelefta a very good understanding of theVikings,though the Vikingsthemselves. The responses demonstrated was toascertain anideaof thepublicperception of to mind when they thoughtof theVikings. This question of thelandscapeof themonument. images were taken usingadrone tocapture anoverview boundaries were photographed, andanumber of aerial with potential solutionsdiscussed. All suchfeatures and heaps leftfrom theoriginalexcavations, were identified and potential issues,suchasgorse growth or thespoil lands. Potential access points were discussedonsite, boundary fences, the monumentandthesurrounding structure Ireland), toinspectthecondition of the James Eogan (Senior Archaeologist, Transport Infra- 18th October 2019. The author was accompanied by A siteinspectiontookplace ontheafternoon of Friday 1.6 Site Inspection The finalquestionasked people what one word came 10 INTRODUCTION 2. Site Description & Current Context corner of thetownland. a tidalinlet where itmeetstheSuir atthenorth-west is alsoboundedby theKilloteran Stream, which forms direction alongastretch known astheLong Reach. it runsparallel tothesite,itflows inanorth-easterly The Suir measures approximately 310m wide where the Suir Valley Railway, with theRiver Suir beyond that. Waterford Greenway and theninturnby thetracks of relatively flatpastureland, flanked tothenorth by the landscape intheimmediatearea of thesiteappears as historical landmarkof Waterford City. Today the approximately 9kmfrom Reginald’s Tower, theiconic adjacent tothesouthernbankof theRiver Suir, 2.1 Physical Environment Greenway (see Figure 2.1). mature hedges with fencing beyond thatdelineatingthe mesh fencing, while thenorthernboundary consists of consists of a wooden post-and-rail with diamond-wire southern boundary of thelocalauthority owned lands owned portionof thesitefrom McGuire’s Avenue. The site. An access road leadsdown tothelocalauthority new M25motorway now runstothesouth-eastof the planned road was movedtoprotect themonument. The national monument(WA09-019) in2005andthe investigations in2003,thesite was designateda Context &Current Site Description 2. 10 12 11 report for the National Roads Authority. Roads National the for report 21. 2014, Hurley, and Russell in Hegarty 2014. &Hurley, Russell 9 2014. &Hurley, Russell 168. Power, 1908, 8 7 Along with theRiver Suir, thetownland of Woodstown The archaeological siteat Woodstown issituated ibid. Farrell, A and Coxon, P. Coxon, Aand 2004. Farrell, ibid. 8 Following thearchaeological Sedimentological and Palaeoenvironmental Investigation of Wetland Area adjacent to Woodstown 7 identified by the geophysical surveys of thesite. meltwater channels,forming gravel ridges that were and sediment. This tillhadbeenfurther impacted by that was comprised of crushedupDevonian sandstone years ago. The landscape was later covered inglacialtill in theOrdovician Period, approximately 500million graywackes with acidictuffs. These rocks were formed the Ross formation iscomposed of shalesandthin Ross member of theCampileFormation. Lithologically, Woodstown isunderlainby thevolcanicrocks of the 2.1.2 Underlying Geology like sedge, alder, willow andsallow. may havesupportedacarr-type woodland with species Neolithic andBronze Age period.Itissuggested thatthis boundary of thesite was formed during thelater The wetland fen area that forms thesouth-western with large oakforests covering muchof thelandscape. during theNeolithic period,approximately 5,000 years ago, hazel. As thesoilsbuiltup, vegetation reached itsapogee by dwarf willow anddock,followed by juniper, birch and The post-glacialvegetation inthearea was characterised 2.1.3 Vegetation History crop cultivated tomake cloth andrope. (presumably hemp) cultivation,perhapssuggestive of a onwards. The openareas included cereal andcannabis clear, with somehazel andalder scrubfrom 3,500BP suggest thatthesurrounding landscape was relatively time of theVikingsettlement. assessment of what thelandscape was like duringthe and assuchitistoobroad aspantoenableconfident uppermost layers of thecores cover avasttimeperiod 11 The results further 12 However these . Unpublished 9
10
12 SITE DESCRIPTION Fig 2.1 Aerial view of Woodstown Viking Site facing west
Woodstown 3 N
Woodstown 4
SITE DESCRIPTION SITE Carriganore 13 Co. Kilkenny Woodstown 5 W.I.T. West Campus
23 River Suir 29 22
21
Railway Line 20 19
Woodstown 10 Woodstown 6
Woodstown 9
Waterford Woodstown 8 Manor Hotel Woodstown 7
Killoteran Stream
Killoteran Church
Killoteran 3
Butlerstown North 2 Fig 2.2 Location of the Viking site at 0 250 m Woodstown (labelled Woodstown 6) in Townland name N25 Waterford City Bypass relation to the N25 Waterford City Bypass. Boundary of lands acquired under Excavated areas The locations of other relevant sites original CPO for N25 Waterford City Bypass 19-23, 29 Field numbers Location of other excavated sites and Area 2 excavated in advance of construction of find spots on the N25 the bypass are indicated (TII) Dynasty of Ívarr to A.D. 1014 Downham, C.2007. including: andpublications, articles other of Woodstown alsofeatures prominently inanumber Age SettlementinCo. Waterford Russell, I.&Hurley, M. (eds) 2014. Waterford CityBypass Lower Suir Valley: Archaeological Excavations ontheN25 tSiúire –Nine Thousand Years of Human Activity inthe Waterford’. inEogan, J.andSee Twohig, E.(eds) Russell, I.,andHarrison,S.2011.‘Woodstown 6,Co. Woodstown 6,Co. Waterford’. Retrieval Strategy of theHiberno-Scandinavian siteof Report onthe Archaeological Excavation andFinds O’Brien, R.,Quinney, P. &Russell, I.2005.‘Preliminary National Roads Authority. Discoveries onNational Roads Schemes2004 O’Sullivan, J.andStanley, M.(eds), Scandinavian siteof Woodstown 6,Co. Waterford’. in. O’Brien, R.,&Russell, I.2005.‘TheHiberno- on Publications Woodstown: Fylkeskommune. and theNorwegian Embassy inIreland with Vestfold Monuments Service, Waterford City andCounty Council and investigation were sponsored by theNational Waterford City Bypass.Further assessment,surveys investigations were predicated by theplannedN25 archaeological investigationsat Woodstown. The initial To datethere havebeenfivedistinctphases of Previous Excavations, &Publications Studies 2.2 A detailedGPRSurvey, May 2018by Vestfold • TheSupplementary Research Project by • Geophysical Survey by Target Archaeological • Further archaeological test-excavations and • Geophysical Survey by Earthsound Archaeological • Archaeological test-trenching andexcavations by • AnEnvironmental Impact Assessment by Sheila • under thedirection of Dr. Petra Schneidhofer. Archaeological Prospection andVirtual Archaeology Fylkeskommune & LudwigBoltzmenInstitutefor Archaeological Consultancy Services in2007. Geophysics in2007. Archaeological Consultancy Services in2004. the anticipatedimpactof two culvertsby archaeological investigationstomitigate Geophysics in2004. Archaeological Consultancy Services in2003. Lane and Associates in2001. Viking Kingsof BritainandIreland: The . Dublin:NationalRoads Authority. . Edinburgh: Dunedin. . Dublin:Four Courts Press. Decies, Woodstown: aViking- Recent Archaeological Vol.61. . Dublin: Cois
main podcastoutletstoensure accessibility. tii.ie along with iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloudandallthe has beenmadeavailabledigitally onabartaheritage.ie, Woodstown Warrior and The End of theSettlement.It Commerce, Craft and Industry, Life Deathandthe that focused onparticular themes,suchas Trade and may havebeenlike. The audiobook contained chapters site, and what thelivedexperience of life at Woodstown the general publictounderstand thesignificance of the identified the key themesandstoriesthat could help contained within thepublicationandreports, and audiobook tookthetechnicalarchaeological information behalf of Transport Infrastructure Ireland in2017. The County Waterford An audiobook Excavations Wallace, P. 2016. Vol. 4(2010). Journal of the American Societyof IrishMedieval Studies Interpretations, ModelsandQuestions’. in. Wall, R.2010. Woodstown andUrbanization: Academia.edu Swift, C.2012. Exported Princesses’. Swift, C.2004. Courts Press. Ireland inHonour of DonnchadhÓCorráin J. (eds). Sea’, in:Purcell E.,MacCotter P., Nyhan,J.,and Sheehan, Skre, D. 2015.‘From Kaupangand Avaldsnes totheIrish Clontarf Vikings inIreland andBeyond: before andafter theBattle of assemblage, inH.B.Clarke andR.Johnson (eds), Sheehan, J.Fighting with silver:the Woodstown Archaeologica Sheehan, J.“ThelongphortinViking Age Ireland,” Means of Exchange: Kaupang Excavation Project: 2. Pedersen, U. 2008. Weights andBalances. InD. Skre (ed) Archaeological Excavations Early Medieval Ireland AD 400–1100. The Evidence from O’Sullivan, A., McCormick, F., Kerr, T.R. &Harney, L.2013. the Battleof Clontarf. R. (eds) the Archaeological Evidence’. in.Clarke, H.B.,&Johnson, Kelly, E.P. 2015.‘The Longphort inViking-Age Ireland: Journal. The Antiquaries of theVikingGreat Army AD. 872-3, Torksey, Lincolnshire’. Hadley, D.M, andRichards, J.D. 2016.‘The Winter Camp Clerics, KingsandVikings:EssaysonMedieval , Dublin,2015,pp161-76. The VikingsinIreland andBeyond: Before and After . Kildare: Irish Academic Press. 79(2008) Woodstown: A Viking Age Settlementin Viking settlementinSouth-East Ireland. ‘Woodstown: VikingChiefs,IrishKingsand was produced by Abarta Heritage on Viking Dublin: The Wood Quay Academia.edu. Dublin:Four Courts Press. Vol. 96.University of York. . Dublin:Royal Irish Academy. . Dublin:Four Eolas: The Oslo The Acta ,
14 SITE DESCRIPTION 15 SITE DESCRIPTION spreads of redeposited soilsandafew hearthsites. the ground planof ahouse.Other features included evidence anumber of structures were identified like post-holes,stake-holes andslot trenches. From this were recorded –representing pits,structural evidence into thesubsoilsurvived. Approximately 757features through ploughing,andonly features that were cut contexts of theoccupation levelshadbeentruncated During theexcavations it was found thattheuppermost and lessthanhalf of thisopenedarea was fully excavated. enclosures was openedfor archaeological excavation, c. Age settlementsite with afocus of activity datingto evaluations at Woodstown haverevealed aViking- The excavations andsubsequentinvestigations on Previous Study Woodstown – A Based Site Summary 2.3 Understanding Viking the Vikingsoccupied apre-existing site. was not present. There isnodemonstrable evidence that substantial evidence of settlementfrom thoseperiods Neolithic andlateNeolithic/early Bronze Age periods, Woodstown, inparticular from thelateMesolithic/early evidence of prehistoric activity was discovered around Viking graves discovered inIreland. Though some copper-alloy mounts,oneof themostrichly furnished spearhead, axe, knife, honestone,aringed-pin andtwo were buried with did. These consisted of a sword, shield, the grave didnot survive,therichgrave goods thatthey soils was found northof theenclosure. Though theacidic pair of associatedD-shapedenclosures. A Vikinggrave The majority of the features were surrounded by a Significant areas of craft andindustry were also found. 13 15 (eds) M. &Hurley, I. Russell, In. Conclusions. and 2014. Discussion M. Hurley, Excavations Press. Courts Four Dublin: 14 AD 850–950. Less than10%of thearea within the O’Sullivan, A., McCormick, F., Kerr, T.R. & Harney, L. 2013. 2013. F., L. Kerr, T.R. &Harney, McCormick, A., O’Sullivan, meant thattheremains of theperson buriedin Hurley, M. 2014. Discussion and Conclusions. In. Russell, I. & Hurley, M. (eds) M. &Hurley, I. Russell, In. Conclusions. and 2014. Discussion M. Hurley, Dublin: Press. Four Courts . Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. Academy. Irish Royal . Dublin: 14 including Fig 2.3 Aerial view of backfilled trenches excavated in2003 (Studiolab) 13
Early Medieval Ireland AD 400–1100. The Evidence from Archaeological Archaeological from Evidence The 400–1100. AD Ireland Medieval Early weaving andpotentially, glass-working. including metal working, boatrepair, spinningor also evidence of craft production andindustrialactivity, hack silver andalarge number of weights. There was exchange by which they were traded intheform of present at Woodstown, as well asthemeansof A variety of importssuchasamber andlignite were emphasise economic relationships andproduction. stones. Instead,theartefactual evidence appears to and evidence for iron-working androtary sharpening suggestion of raids beyond weapon-related artefacts it beingapurely military base,there isrelatively little a wide range of activity at Woodstown. Rather than The excavations andsurveys produced evidence of longphort was." to enhance our understandingof what a evidenced atWoodstown have served variety andcomplexity of theactivities confluence of ariver anditstributary. close tonavigable water, preferably atthe in aprominent, defensible place, situated a fortified base of Vikinginfluence, located archaeology, thetermlongphortrefers to important example of alongphort.InIrish the site,Woodstown isbelieved tobean "Based onthemorphological nature of Woodstown: a Viking-Age Settlement in Co.Waterford in Settlement aViking-Age Woodstown: odtw:aVkn-g eteeti o aefr. Co.Waterford. in Settlement aViking-Age Woodstown: 15 The . Fig 2.5 Archaeologist recording astructure revealed duringSupplementaryResearch Project in2007(ACS) Survey by Earthsound Fig 2.4 Area of 2004Geophysical River Suir 3 4 0 5 Field 22 6 2 11 Field 23 100 m 1 2 7 N25 WaterfordCityBypass under originalCPOfor Boundary oflandsacquired Trenches Areas 8 12 9 N 10
16 SITE DESCRIPTION 17 SITE DESCRIPTION of further studiessuchasthespatialanalysis of the of excavation becarriedouttounlockthepotential that afullinventory of material from both campaigns material (from ACSU) hasbeen deposited with NMI Treasures. Itisrecommended thatafter the remaining during theprevious excavations isonloanto Waterford assemblage would provide clarity onthis issue. A conservation needsassessmentfor theartefactual in accordance with Museum standards andpolicies. deposition andallneedtobelabelledregistered of theseartefacts stillrequire conservation prior totheir deposit them with theNationalMuseumof Ireland. Some of artefacts instorage at their offices andhave yetto the excavations at Woodstown stillhavealarge number The archaeological consultancy ACSU whocarriedout archaeological materialstobestillpresent. significance, sothere isthepotential for artefacts or heaps are from areas of extremely higharchaeological in advance of beingspread over thesitearea. The spoil though thespoilshouldbemetaldetectedandsieved overgrown with vegetation. These shouldbe removed, in total) are stillinplace onthesite,andhavebecome legacy, anumber of large spoilheaps(approximately 8 discovered duringthedigs.Intermsof theon-site site itself andintheassemblage of artefacts that were research project havealegacy inboth thephysical The originalexcavations in2003andthesupplementary Investigations from2.4 Legacy Previous Some of thearchaeological materialdiscovered further discussedinSection5. the Woodstown nationalmonument with thecity. This is proximity tothesite,this would further helptoconnect may bethemostappropriate place, giventherelative most appropriate location. The Waterford Treasures how besttoexhibittheartefacts and where may the provide theopportunity toreassess theoptions for artefactual assemblage from Woodstown would also objects already discovered. Suchareview of thefull Key Issues – Resolution of Legacy Legacy Key of –Resolution Issues Aninventory of allartefacts from the • Thearchaeological consultancy ACSU need • Thespoilheaps remaining onsitefrom the • Fig 2.7Overgrown spoilheap atWoodstown institutions andcompanies. record which artefacts are stored by different Woodstown siteshouldbecreated toclearly needs assessmentisrequired. to NMI. To begintheprocess, aconservation them are processed andready for submission (NMI) toensure thatthefindscurrently held by to liaise with theNationalMuseumof Ireland 1930 (as amended). Section 14of theNationalMonuments Act material (with MinisterialConsent under of any survivingarchaeological artefacts and exercise toensure theretrieval andrecording examined andremoved asanarchaeological previous excavations shouldbethoroughly Flykeskommune andLudwigBoltzmen Institute Fig 2.6 Area of 2018GPRSurvey by Vestfold Protection any ground disturbance of theprivately owned area). it (accordingly, Ministerialconsent isalsoneededfor disturbance atthatportionor around or inproximity to the localauthority isowner or guardian andany ground alteration of or interference with theportionof which consent under Section14of the1930 Act relates toany any further portion). The requirement for Ministerial is owner (or guardian, if it were tobecome guardian of the nationalmonumentof which thelocalauthority Monuments Acts toprovide access totheportionof site. Furthermore, under Section16of theNational 12 of theNationalMonuments Acts tomaintainthe duty onthepartof theLocal Authority under Section the NationalMonuments Acts 1930to2014. There isa be anationalmonument(WA09-019) asdefinedunder the Environment, Heritage andLocal Governmentto the 2007assessment,isconsidered by theMinister for areas which lieoutsidethecore area asidentifiedin The Woodstown siteinitsentirety, includingtargeted preservation and archaeological investigation of the national monument site at Woodstown, Co. Waterford, January 2008. January Waterford, Co. Woodstown, at site monument national the of investigation archaeological and preservation futur the on Government Local and Heritage Environment, the for Minister the to Group Working Woodstown the of Report Final Government. Local and Heritage Environment, of Department the 17 for Report Unpublished Project. Research 6Supplementary 2007. Woodstown al. et S. Harrison, I., Russell, 16 . Current and Site Status 2.5 boundary (National MonumentsService) Fig 2.8Woodstown National Monument erhsn édohrhíNáisiúnta Séadcomharthaí na Seirbhís iigstlmn onaymap boundary settlement Viking odtw,C.Waterford: Co. Woodstown, ainlMnmnsService Monuments National Monument
National
ae iigsettlement Viking Name: ony Waterford County: onad Woodstown Townland: m "set WA009 sheet: 6" 200m 0 be representative of small-scale industrialactivity. this material was interpreted by theexcavators to exposed particularly outsidetheField22enclosure, Figure 2.9). Although somearchaeological material was enclosures bordered tothenorthby theRiver Suir (see at the Woodstown sitetookplace within thetwo the view thatthemainbody of occupation andactivity project andtheresults of geophysical surveys support The originalexcavations, supplementary research 2.6 Current Site Ownership monetary and/or imprisonment penalties. Heritage. Conviction of suchanoffence carriessignificant consent of theMinister for Housing, Local Governmentand monument thesubjectof apreservation order without the possession of adetectiondevice inor atthesiteof anational National Monuments(Amendment) Act 1987touseor bein penalties. Itisalsoanoffence under Section2 of the carries significantmonetary and/or imprisonment Ministerial consent andconviction of suchanoffence in theprevious 2003–2005 investigations. confirmed essentially asthatdiscovered anddelineated The core of the Woodstown nationalmonument is It isanoffence tocarry out works withoutthe relevant WA017 cl:1:5,000 Scale: ainlGi:250E 111000N 255000E, Grid: National rdrfrnerfr otecentral the to refers reference Grid on ftemonument. the of point ieo 2 e route new N25 of Line
m 17 te the ¯ e 16
2 Realignment N25 boundary Site
18 SITE DESCRIPTION N 34 Trenches Extent of wetland area 19 20
21 18a 0 100 m 18b 22 23 18c LWM 18d 24 25
18e HWM 18f ENCLOSURE 1 River Suir 27 26 18g 38 18h 29 28 Line of enclosure Railway 18i 39 2 1a 35 Field 23 3 4 1b 47 1c
SITE DESCRIPTION SITE 1e 5 6 1d 19 7 1f 41 8 1g 46 1h 9 13a 1i ENCLOSURE 2 10 42 13b 14a 13c 1j 11 Line of enclosure 14b 43 17 12 36 31 14c 1k 48a Field 22 1l 48e 48b 30 15 1m 44 48c 16 32 48d 50 33 49 45
Killoteran Stream
Fig 2.9 Trench layout showing the large enclosures (ACS) 1.4 Carriganoragagaan N Woodstown National Monument
WD21900F Landowners Private Landowners Waterford City Bypass WD20693F Waterford City & County Council WIT Waterford Greenway River Suir (SAC Boundary)
WD29007F
WD7405F CoCo.o.o KKilkenny
Riverr SSuir
Co. Waterforderffford
WD36943F
N25 Waterford City Bypass
WD36272F SITE DESCRIPTION SITE
WD6189F 20
Waterford Greenway Woodstown National Fig 2.10 Land Ownership in the Vicinity 300m00 Monument boundary of Woodstown
The local authority acquired 6ha of land by Compulsory Purchase Order for the purpose of constructing the Key Issues- Site Ownership bypass. Since the decision to move the road, the local • Waterford City and County Council should authority had no predetermined plans for the acquired endeavour to gain ownership of the CIE land land in the vicinity of the monument. The land is adjacent to the site to simplify and co-ordinate currently leased out for the grazing of horses. The area the landholding of the monument. designated as the Woodstown national monument • The land ownership of the strip of land to the north is in the ownership of three parties: Waterford City of the CIE owned land should also be clarified. If and County Council (WCCC), one private landowner it is not already in local authority ownership, then it is strongly recommended that the council gains and Córas Iompair Éireann (CIE) who own the former ownership at the earliest opportunity. There is railway which is now occupied by the Greenway and significant potential for archaeological remains to the Waterford Suir Valley Railway. The ownership of be present along the foreshore. a narrow strip of land between the railway and the • The Steering Committee and Council should foreshore is currently uncertain (see Figure 2.10). The discuss the potential for a non-statutory local authority are in discussion with CIE to transfer arrangement with the private owner to ensure ownership of the former railway land to WCCC, though access and protection for the monument. With a timescale on this transfer is not currently known. the consent of the private landowner, the local While much of the national monument is owned by the authority should seek to examine the potential for acquiring or leasing the entire landholding local authority, any plans for public access, works or of the national monument should a suitable archaeological excavation in the privately owned parts opportunity arise in the future and subject to of the national monument should not be made without agreement of the landowners. the agreement of the private land owner. 2.7 Access and Boundaries survey of the site to identify any vulnerable areas and to address the practicalities of The main access to the site at present is along an access adequately fencing such areas.18 road that leads from McGuire’s Avenue down to the southern • The gate providing access from McGuire’s boundary of the site. A large steel locked gate secures the Avenue to the local authority owned lands route down this access road. The gate is still in relatively good should be replaced. order (see Figure 2.12). The access road terminates to the east of the main zone of archaeological interest. • An access plan for the archaeological monument as well as the living history and reconstruction The current boundaries of the site consist of wooden zones needs to be formulated. The access plan should look at different modes of arrival and post and chainlink fencing. Parts of the southern consider: service vehicles, pedestrian access, boundary are still relatively stable, but some areas have bicycle access and access for prams or those become extremely dilapidated. An area of particular with mobility issues. If this access plan was concern is the southern boundary at the end of the completed it would conform with Action 3.2.2 access road that leads down from McGuire’s Avenue (see of the Waterford Heritage Plan: Enhance and Figure 2.13). The fence is in a very poor condition and the promote increased access to heritage sites and 19 gate needs to be replaced. It is also important to note monuments. that the southern boundary reflects the line of the CPO • Access for service vehicles for the Heritage land, not the extent of the archaeology. Week event and festivals should be via McGuire’s Avenue. This also applies for any The northern boundary is comprised of a hedgerow, service vehicles for any archaeological works or some of which is now encroaching upon the site, with reconstruction. SITE DESCRIPTION SITE a post and wire fence beyond that separating the • All visitors to the site should access it via the 21 hedge from the Greenway. An unofficial access point, Greenway (walking or cycling) or via the Suir presumably used by locals accessing the Greenway via Valley Railway, or in the long term, by replica McGuire’s Avenue, has been created in this northern Viking ship (which will also need a safe docking point near the site). boundary. No fence is apparent at this point, though an old wrought-iron gate in the hedge suggests that this • The overgrown access between the WIT lands may once have been an access point to the railway. and the local authority owned lands should be reopened to facilitate future Woodstown A second access point for the site may be considered Heritage Day events. directly from the Greenway across the lands owned • An accessible platform should be created at by Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), where the Woodstown for those arriving on the Suir Valley Heritage Week Event takes place annually. This could Railway. be a more convenient access point for the potential • Any activity that will require groundworks (such living history and reconstruction area of the site (see as the removal or insertion of boundary fences, Fig. 2.16). To make this more accessible, the entrance creation of a platform etc.) may be subject to through the overgrown hedge that separates this field Ministerial Consent under Section 14 of the from the Council owned property should be reopened up National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014. In some instances such works may be determined to (with the permission of, and in partnership with, WIT). require archaeological mitigation.
Key Issues -Site Boundaries and Access • The boundaries and access routes should be clearly marked and maintained as part of the 2.8 Site Security and Threats to Long active management of the site. The post-and- Term Preservation of Monument rail fence with chainlink wire on the boundary between the local authority owned lands and the reats from Natural Causes or Agricultural private landowner’s property is in need of repair. Land Use • The 2008 report suggests that the Office of The grass in the area of the monument was cut in order Public Works should be requested by the to facilitate the GPR survey in 2018. However, upon a Department of the Environment, Heritage and site visit in October 2019, it was noted that the grass Local Government, upon agreement with the private landowner, to undertake an immediate and vegetation was high and overgrown. It was also evident that a number of hedgerow species have begun
18 Final Report of the Woodstown Working Group. 2008. p. 26. 19 Waterford Heritage Plan 2011-2017, 3.2.2. p.13. 300m
Fig 2.11 Access road to the site from McGuire’s Avenue
Fig 2.16 Current blocked access between the Council owned property and the land owned by WIT
Fig 2.13 The gate into the fields of the site from the end of McGuires Avenue SITE DESCRIPTION SITE N25 Waterford22 City Bypass
River Suir Fig 2.15 An old wrought iron gate in the boundary between the council owned lands on the Greenway
Fig 2.12 Large gates on McGuire’s Avenue
Fig 2.14 The southern boundary 23 SITE DESCRIPTION heavy livestock movement of heavy agricultural vehiclesor footfall of area of archaeological interest. This suggests thatthe in places, thoughitbecamefirmer intheimmediate the land was relatively waterlogged andsoft underfoot the River Suir andthelow-lying aspectof thefields. may alsoposeapotential threat giventheproximity to Climate change intheform of increased riskof flooding has thepotential todamage thearchaeological remains. Gorse burning(whether intentionalor unintentional) also and leadtosomeareas of thesitebecoming inaccessible. damage tosub-surface remains through root growth the growth of vigorous species suchasgorse could cause concern, gorse hadbeguntospread. If leftunchecked, to colonise thesite,andperhapsof more immediate and/or imprisonmentpenalties. Conviction of suchoffences carries significantmonetary under theNational Monuments Acts 1930to2014. monuments without therelevant Ministerialconsent the Minister. Itisalsoanoffence tointerfere withsuch Register of HistoricMonuments, without theconsent of of amonument which standsregistered onthestatutory which apreservation order isinplace, or inor atthesite Government andHeritage, or alocalauthority, or on or guardianship of theMinister for Housing, Local of, inter alia,anationalmonumentintheownership be inpossessionof adetectiondevice inor atthesite National Monuments(Amendment) Act 1987touseor be noted thatitisanoffence under Section2 of the from thethreat of illegalmetaldetecting.Itshould apparent. However, atpresent thesiteisvulnerable No immediatethreat tothenationalmonumentis reats fromHuman Acts proximity tothesurface. to theuppermostarchaeological contexts giventheir 0 For please details see: https://www.museum.ie/The-Collections/Metal-Detecting-in-Ireland-The-Law. 20 During thesitevisitinOctober 2019, it was noted that
(cattle or horses) may poseathreat 20
Fig 2.17 Annotated Aerial view of WIT owned property ateastof Woodstown site archaeological excavation, isitself, adestructiveact. than asecurity company. recording, if thefeed isdirectly toanindividualrather based onmotion detectionsuchasthoseusedin wildlife it may bemore practical toconsider security cameras costly as well asimpractical. However, atanearly stage on along-term basisthisislikely tobeconsiderably potential looting of thesiteby ‘treasure hunters’ but CCTV surveillance andsecurity patrols toguard against information panels at Woodstown. metal detectingcould beinsertedontheinterpretative/ a standardised template with concise information regarding Alternatively, insteadof separate panelsthedevelopmentof where thesiteismostvisiblefrom the Waterford Greenway. should report suchacts,shouldbepositionedatthepoint that itcauses with recommendations onhow thepublic illegality of metaldetecting without alicence andthedamage not aguaranteed protection. Clear signage thatdetailsthe public scrutiny, which shouldactasadeterrent thoughitis passive surveillance approach affords thesitesignificant also lessenopportunitiesfor illegalmetaldetecting. This leading tothesitebecoming more visitedandactive will Waterford Greenway. Research andreconstruction The visibility of thesiteisalsoincreased through the houses andof the Waterford Instituteof Technology owned anditisalsointhevicinity of anumber of dwelling an elementof protection – portions of thesiteare privately would be largely more accessiblesite anderecting large fences or gates put inplace. The Waterford Greenway has alsomadethe trespasser without extreme security measures being it would bealmostimpossibletodeter adetermined site, particularly onthesideboundedby theRiver Suir, Given therural nature andrelative openaspectof the It shouldalsobenoted thattheprocess of It would bepossibletoinstall,for example,fencing, impracticable. However thesitedoeshave campus.
the shipsadjacent tothecurrent museum. the Norwegian government toconstruct anew homefor preserved ships,leadingtoa$200minvestmentfrom vibrations andtemperature thatthreatens thedelicately 500,000. This overcapacity hascausedissues withdust, 40,000 visitors annually, butitnow receives over in Oslo. The museum was designedtoaccommodate caused significantissues for theVikingShipMuseum this. Intermsof Vikingheritage, over-tourism has measures havebeentaken tomanage andmitigate the BrúnaBóinneUNESCO World Heritage Site where iconic siteslike theCliffs of Moher, Glendaloughandin across the world. InIreland itcanbeseenatmany of our Over-tourism isagrowing problem atheritage sites reats fromOver-Tourism artefacts or materials. upon thepreservation of other sub-surface remains, soil conditions. This may inturnhaveanadverse impact example, excavation may affect thelocal hydrology or any features thatare not plannedtobeexcavated. For a targeted way thatseekstominimisetheimpacton out with clear andsustainableresearch goals andin Any archaeological excavation shouldonly becarried access andvisitor flow management. policy from theoutset,complemented by suitable be mitigatedby havingarobust sustainabletourism heritage becoming compromised or damaged. This may lead toarchaeological features or thesite’s natural and greater demandsfor tourisminfrastructure may awareness of itssignificance grows. Increased footfall hazard for thenationalmonumentat Woodstown as future over-tourism may poseapotentially significant developments. Though itisnot currently anissue,inthe management strategy inadvance of any tourismrelated approach mustbetaken with theproduction of avisitor 22 24 Final Report of the Woodstown Working Group. 2008. pp. 25-26. 25-26. pp. 2008. Group. Working Woodstown the of Report Final p.26. 2008. Group. Working Woodstown the of Report Final 24 23 September 4th 2019. 4th September 2019. R. &Martyn-Hemphill, H. Libell, Pryser 21 Fig 2.18 The Waterford Greenway (Waterford City& County Council) Final Report of the Woodstown Working Group. 2008. p. 26. p.26. 2008. Group. Working Woodstown the of Report Final 21 ‘Norway’s Viking Ships Defied Time, But Tourism May Be A Fiercer Foe’. Fiercer A Be May But Tourism Time, Defied Ships Viking ‘Norway’s Aproactive Key -Site Issues Security Ensure that,if heavy livestockmustaccess the • Engagement with allstakeholders toensure • The2008 report recommends theongoing physical • Place clear signage ontheGreenway where the • Erect NationalMonument • Ensure any machinery accessing thesiteonly • formalised toprotect thesiteinfuture agreement with theprivate landowners shouldbe from the2008Report thatstipulated: ‘ numbers. This follows the recommendations site, thatithappensinfrequently with low stock to themonument. that allare fully aware of thepotential threats monument may beapositive solution. individuals who liveor work inthevicinity of the “neighbourhood watch” typesituation with of, theprivatelandowner, asappropriate. A on aregular basisby, or with theagreement security of thesite shouldcontinue tobemonitored panels for thesite. adjacent to, or integrated with, theinterpretative activity. The mostappropriate location would be remains, and with guidance onhow toreport such about thedamage itcausestoarchaeological monument isacriminaloffence, withinformation site isvisible,statingthatmetaldetectingatthe Monuments Acts 1930to2014. and subjecttoprotection under theNational site statingthatitisanationalmonument for theerection of official notices around the Local GovernmentandHeritage) shouldarrange Government (now theDepartmentof Housing, of theEnvironment, Heritage andLocal According tothe2008Report, The Department vicinity of theaccess pointstothemonument. vulnerable near surface deposits. stop their tracks or wheels from churningup does soatatime when thefieldsare dry to Fógra The New York Times, Times, New York The 23 signage inthe
24 a grazing . ’ 22
24 SITE DESCRIPTION 25 SITE DESCRIPTION with what they found. and culture’ was important,94%of whom were satisfied 85% of respondents thoughtthat‘interesting history visitor motivations by Fáilte Ireland in2017found that asset there isfurther positivenews. An assessmentof fluctuations inthevalue of sterling. however, becompromised inlightof Brexit dueto by other longhaultourists. of overseas tourismspendinIreland with 11.5%spent revenue respectively. Britishtouristsaccount for 19.6% equates to35.4% and33.5%of overseas tourism Revenue from MainlandEurope andNorth America balance, 6.8%,comes from other longhaulmarkets. Ireland. Some20.4% come from North America andthe individual market with 36.2%of overseas touriststo overseas tourists,however, Britainisstillthelargest offered supportsduringthiscrisistotourismbusinesses. writing, with anuncertain future. Fáilte Ireland have or eventsare facing extreme difficultiesatthetime of accommodation providers, restaurants andfestivals closed for anundeterminedperiod. Tour companies, with allvisitor attractions (both stateandprivately run) effect upontheeconomy. Tourism hasbeenbadly hit, health, thepandemichasalsohadaparticularly negative distancing. As well asposingaclear threat topublic government of Ireland instigatedapolicy of social and overseas. As itisahighly contagious virus,the serious implicationsfor thehealthof peopleinIreland global pandemicof COVID–19 (Coronavirus) hashad During thecourse of thepreparation of thisreport, a Tourism inIreland CoronavirusCOVID–19 Upon –Potential Impact of 7.8% in2018. 14.5%. The longhaulmarkets havealsoincreased by America alsoperformed very strongly, increasing by rate. MainlandEurope recorded growth of 7.8%. North while our other markets continue togrow atastronger 9.6 million.Overseas touristsfrom Britaingrew by 1% Overseas touriststoIreland in2018grew by 6.5%to Tourism remains avitalpartof Ireland’s economy. Tourism to Ireland2.9.1 Context 2.9 TheTourismCultural and 27 30 Dermot Keyes in in Keyes Dermot 30 28 Ireland: Fáilte 26 25 29 In regards tothedevelopmentof aheritage tourism Mainland Europe accounts for 36.5%of Ireland’s Fáilte Ireland: Ireland: Fáilte ibid. Deloitte Report: ‘Project Ireland 2040 – Discussion of Opportunities for Waterford’, 2018. Waterford’, for Opportunities of – Discussion 2040 Ireland ‘Project Report: Deloitte Holohan, H. 2018. 2018. H. Holohan, 25 Tourism Experience Port Survey 2017 Survey Port Experience Tourism 2018 Facts Tourism Key The Munster Express: Bridging the €500m Tourism Gap, €500m Tourism the Bridging Express: Munster The Presentation on Tourism in Waterford 27 26 The Britishmarket, may . . . Presentation for Waterford City & County Council. &County City Waterford for . Presentation overseas markets. ensure asustainableoffering withboth domesticand focused oneducationandparticipation would helpto the meantimecreating anexperientialoffering thatis some timebefore thetourismsector fully recovers, in become more reluctant totravel overseas. Itmay be be anincreased interest indomestictourismaspeople likely longer termnegativeeffects. However, there may to beseverely impactedfor theshortterm,and with disruption, itisclear thatinternationaltravel isgoing substance duringthisunprecedented periodof Though itisdifficultto offer muchinsight of any include: South East andother regions inIreland.” required tocorrect theimbalance betweentourisminthe clear strategic plantoattract touriststotheregion is annual touristspendof €500m. The report states: reach two millionby 2025,inadditiontoanincreased 2030, asprojected by thelocalauthority, are setto Annual visitor figures to Waterford between now and slogan County Council through ‘Visit Waterford’, with the tourism offering for thecity. from Waterford City would certainly enhance the educational andheritage tourism assetlessthan10km 582,000 in2017. domestic andoverseas visitors) from 467,000 in2013 to Waterford haveincreased total bednights(including passengers tothecity in2016. Tourism numbers to Cruise shipsto Waterford brought anestimated7,498 at Rosslare issituatedsome75kmnorthof thecity. (150km) or Cork City Airport (125km). The ferry port through either Dublin Airport (175km), Shannon Airport The mainoverseas visitor access to Waterford City is Tourism to Waterford City andCounty 2.9.2 wealth of heritage intheregion. Intermsof national with €475mspentby internationalvisitors toGalway. of thatcoming from overseas visitors. This compares total tourismspendamountedto€124m, with €75m growth intourismfor thecounty. In2016, Waterford’s Further investmentintourismmarketing. • Theimprovement of “connectivity infrastructure” to • The North Quays/Michael Street development, • Waterford iscurrently promoted by theCity and Some of thepotentially positivecontributing factors The creation of aninternationally significant October 31st, 2018. 31st, October the region. including thenew hotel andconference centre. ‘Where Ireland Begins’ 28 However there are opportunitiesfor providing anodtothe 30 “A “A 29
Fig 2.19 A cyclistandtheSuir Valley Railway ontheWaterford Greenway (Waterford City&County Council) Congreve Gardens andtheSuir Valley Railway provides and other key heritage tourismassetssuchasMount The proximity of Viking Woodstown to Waterford City, the Museumof IrishSilver. and thenew attractions, theIrishMuseumof Time and Adventure, theMedieval Museum,theBishop’s Palace facilitate works), theKingof theVikingsVirtualReality relocated backtotheNationalMuseumof Ireland to though atthetimeof writing theartefacts are currently artefacts from Woodstown are usually ondisplay, Viking Triangle, thatincludesReginald’s Tower (where city. Of mostrelevance inthisinstance isthe Waterford number of superbmuseumsand cultural offerings inthe has developedareputation asacultural capital, with a Waterford Greenway (see below). Waterford city itself has beenfurther enhanced with thecreation of the a relatively smallgeographical area. This strong offering Waterford City, thecounty offers thebest of Ireland in Tramore. With thevibrant, culturally-focused historic Copper Coast, Dunmore Eastandbeach-sidetowns like like Lismore and Ardmore, stunningcoastline atthe and Knockmealdown Mountains, historictowns of thebesthikingterrain inIreland intheComeragh proposition. There are outdoor pursuits withsome much totouriststhatfitsideally withinthatbrand Ancient East(see below), andthecounty offers tourism brands, Waterford islocated within Ireland’s 31 Waterford Greenway Intercept Survey 2017. Survey Intercept Greenway Waterford 31 33 32 Waterford Greenway Intercept Survey 2017. Survey Intercept Greenway Waterford Trails Office, Waterford City & County Council. County & City Waterford Office, Trails surveillance of the Woodstown sitefrom visitors. material. This also offers the potential for passive Woodstown sitethrough highquality interpretative Ireland by alertingpassers-by totheimportance of the to engage users of theGreenway with thestory of Viking monument at Woodstown. This creates anopportunity daily) andmore thanhalf were travelling with family. (43%) were regular users of theGreenway (weekly or Waterford (64% of total), thatthelargest proportion revealed thatthevastmajority of users come from within leading locationinIreland’s Ancient East. tourism trail that will helptoestablish Waterford asa an idealsetof ingredients tocreate acompelling Greenway isthelongest Greenway inIreland. utilising adisusedrail line. At 46kmthe Waterford cycling trail links Waterford City toDungarvan,principally tourism offering inthe region. The off-road walkingand The Waterford Greenway hasadded considerably tothe Greenway Waterford 2.9.3 The increased to283,500in2018. 248,000 uniquevisitor tripsaccessed theGreenway, this Greenway was officially openedin March 2017. The Waterford Greenway runsalongsidethenational In 2017(March toDecember) itisestimatedthat 32 Initialsurveys in2017 31 The 33
26 SITE DESCRIPTION 27 SITE DESCRIPTION Market Segmentationbelow). of the‘Culturally Curious’ and‘Great Escapers’ (see is perfectly designedtocapture thecore target markets and storytellingare attheheartof theconcept, andit stay intheeasternhalf of Ireland. Authentic experiences Ancient East Fáilte Ireland’s umbrella destinationbrand Ireland’s Ancient East 2.9.5 become animportantmethodof access for visitors. Woodstown. If suchaplatform isbuilttherailway will been approved for aplatform tobeconstructed at be viewed/watched from. could provide aspace where archaeological work could Woodstown. Greenway alongthenorthernborder of Viking rail line,andasectionrunsparallel tothe Waterford 17 kilometres of theabandoned Waterford–Dungarvan CHY 13857). A heritage narrow-gauge railway runsalong community heritage project with charitablestatus(Ref: The Waterford andSuir Valley Railway Company isa Waterford &Suir Valley Railway 2.9.4 Kilkenny, andtheRosslare to Waterford Greenway. with theNew Ross–Ferrybank Greenway inSouth to thesitethrough thelinkingof the Waterford Greenway There issignificant potentialfor increased visitor numbers to discover ancienttombs,tranquil monasteries,Viking European history, andenjoy getting off thebeatentrack Ireland, visitors will be‘enchanted by over 5,000 years of 35 Source: Fáilte Ireland. Fáilte Source: p.32. 2008. Group. Working Woodstown the of Report 35 Final 34 39 38 36 37 Fig 2.20 The Suir Valley Railway asitpasses Woodstown The 2008 Report recommended thatastop/platform Annals of the Four Masters (M.928.9). Masters Four the of Annals
Fáilte Ireland. Fáilte ‘The Viking Attractions’ 'The Vykingar Concept' Vykingar 'The offers visitors a compelling reason tovisitand Irish National Heritage Park, 2019. Park, Heritage National Irish Unpublished Assessment for Fáilte Ireland by Tourism Consulting. 2019. Consulting. Tourism by Ireland Fáilte for Assessment Unpublished 34 Planning permissionhas 35 According toFáilte Ireland’s a ‘world-class immersive Vikingvisitor experience’. concept, provisionally named‘ of theRiver Slaney attheNationalHeritage Park. The offering by creating a‘Vikingvillage’ alongthebank longboat. There are planstosignificantly developthis longhouse andother buildingsandadock with aViking County Wexford. Here visitors canseeareconstructed also presented attheIrishNationalHeritage Park in features intheexhibition. The story of theVikingsis in AD 930.in AD massacre recorded inthe Annals of theFour Masters The siteistraditionally associated withaViking such place where thestory of theVikingsisprominent. exhibitions. Dunmore CaveinCounty Kilkenny isone Vikings with theexception of artefacts inmuseumsor visitor cantangibly seeor experience thestory of the East, there are few places within theregion where a and mostpertinently inthiscase,the‘Vikings’. Heroes’, ‘BigHouses andHard Times’, ‘Sacred Ireland’ Ireland’, ‘Castles andConquests’, ‘HighKingsand certain themes within Irishhistory;they include‘Ancient distinct thematicpillars. These pillars are basedon rivers or soaringmountains’. through lushgreen valleys andtoexplore themeandering food inthe world, toenjoy drivingalongtree-lined roads the wonderful festivals, totry someof thebest-produced region. There are somany opportunitiestotake inone of and thebustlingmodernvillages andtowns across the heritage, formidable medievalfortresses, great estates Though ‘Vikings’ isa core theme of Ireland’s Ancient The Ireland’s AncientEastbrand issupported by 37 This story ispresented by tour guidesand Vykingar ’ aimstoprovide 36 38
approximately €5m. Fáilte Ireland theproject hasanestimatedbudget of With supportsfrom Wexford County Council and perceptions of archaeology. Council commissioned survey thatexaminedpublic heritage was alsorevealed duringa2018Heritage The positivesentimenttowards Ireland’s culture and Heritage Towards PublicAttitudes Archaeology& 2.9.6 Museum of Ireland tofacilitate works inthetower. they havebeentemporarily relocated totheNational Treasures atReginald's Tower, thoughatthetimeof writing usually ondisplay inadedicatedexhibition Waterford display in2017. The artefacts from Woodstown itself are tree by John Hayes of SpecialBranch Carvers andputon long Vikingsword, that was carvedfrom aDouglasFir can seethestory of theVikingsdepicted ona23metre Viking VirtualReality Adventure. Closetothis,visitors experience thestory through the Waterford Treasures' Council and Waterford Treasures Museums,peoplecan leading destinationfor Viking-themed tourism. helping toestablishthesouth-eastof Ireland asa a complimentary offering between thetwo sitesand proposition ismore tourismorientated, allowing for on participatory experience. However, theVykingar feature reconstruction andlivinghistory with afocus proposal for Viking Woodstown inasmuchboth will 40 Heritage Council: Council: Heritage 40 41 Fig 2.21 The Waterford Treasures’ VikingVirtual Reality Adventure. (Waterford City& County Council) 92%of Irishadultsbelievethathaving • 95%of Irishadultsagreed thatarchaeology isof • Through theefforts of Waterford City & County Hjardar, K., and Vike, V. Vike, 2016. and K., Hjardar, use tomodernsociety. 39 Public Perceptions of Archaeology Survey The proposition overlaps withthis 40 The survey revealed: Vikings at War . Oxford: Casemate Publishers. RedC Poll, December 2018. December Poll, RedC teams havingaVikinginfluence ontheir brand. outside of tourism, with many companies andsporting Waterford, where theVikingsare bigbusinesseven Viking Woodstown: of their identity. northern Europeans, theVikingshavebecome part exploration, bravery, raids and warfare. For many (see Section1.4.2 above) they are associated with world. As revealed duringour publicconsultation The Viking-Age is familiar tomany peopleacross the Vikings the Towards Attitudes Public 2.9.7 66%of Irishadultshaveaninterest intakingpart in • 71%of Irishadultshaveaninterest inmeeting • 87%of Irishadultshaveaninterest invisitingan • 91%of Irishadultsbelievethatsupportingand • 90%of Irishadultsbelievethatarchaeology is • The following are of particular interest totheplans for archaeological remains isanadvantage for atown. an archaeological excavation. archaeologists soastobetter understand. archaeological site. developing archaeology isimportantfor Ireland. important for tourism. 41 This isparticularly truearound
28 SITE DESCRIPTION 29 SITE DESCRIPTION Fig 2.22 A selectionof someViking themedbrands in Waterford city 30 SITE DESCRIPTION 3. Significance of Viking Woodstown 3. Significance of Viking Woodstown
3.1 Statement of Significance SIGNIFICANCE 1. The Aesthetic Value of the Woodstown 32 The significance of a place or landscape is derived from Viking Site. a combination of qualities or values. Article 1.2 of the Located close to the southern bank of the River Burra Charter42 suggests five key ‘values’ or criteria that Suir, the monument at Woodstown lies below help to inform significance: the surface with no hint above ground about the important Viking settlement that once stood here. 1. Aesthetic Value. Today the landscape in the immediate area of the 2. Historic Value. site appears as relatively flat pastureland, flanked 3. Scientific Value. to the north by the Waterford Greenway and then 4. Social Value. in turn by the tracks of the Suir Valley Railway, 5. Spiritual Value. with the River Suir beyond that.
By considering a site in relation to these five values One of the chief challenges of the monument at it becomes possible to clearly define what makes a Woodstown is that it is intangible, with no visible particular place ‘important’ or ‘significant’. However, expression above the ground surface. Unless a each of these values may have both tangible and visitor was informed about the archaeology that intangible aspects, and both of these factors should be lies beneath the surface, it would appear as just considered in relation to the monument at Woodstown. another relatively pleasant, but unremarkable, This section will review the significance of Woodstown low-lying field near the banks of the River Suir. in accordance with the five values. This chapter will also feature the previous Statement of Significance by the Woodstown Working Group and it will further present quotes from academics and experts who have written about the importance of the site.
42 Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter, 2013. 2. The Historic Value of the Woodstown Viking Site. As clearly stated by Dagfinn Skre below,43 Woodstown is of immense historical importance, in both a national and international context. The discovery of the ninth-century longphort at Woodstown has had a profound impact in the international community of Viking scholars. The site provides a rare opportunity to study a Scandinavian settlement of this period outside Scandinavia itself. It helps to inform us about the second stage of the Viking expansion in the West: the period that followed the first half century of summer raiding. The second stage was characterised by the foundation of longphuirt, defended camps where raiders overwintered. Woodstown has the potential of filling a lacuna in the source material, by providing an important bridge between archaeology and history and allowing for a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to understanding a critical phase in Ireland’s history. As such, the monument at Woodstown can be said to have the highest level of significance in relation to its historical value.
3. The Scientific Value of the Woodstown Viking Site. The Viking site at Woodstown offers truly enormous potential for deepening our scientific understanding of the past. The previous investigations have already established that Woodstown is an archaeological monument of the highest level of significance.44 Only approximately 5% of the monument has been excavated, but that relatively small area produced an extraordinary number of artefacts – some 6,007.45 Those excavations, combined with non-invasive surveys, have revealed an extensive settlement that contains house plots, streets and boundaries, with evidence of industrial activities and trade.46 This offers great potential in developing an SIGNIFICANCE 33 understanding of Scandinavian settlement in Ireland. Aside from the complex and internationally important archaeology itself. In terms of the artefactual assemblage from the site has established it to be one of the most productive dry land sites of Early Medieval date ever discovered in Ireland. This creates a myriad of both challenges and opportunities for scientific research in conservation techniques and artefact analysis.
The expanse of land that is under local authority ownership also provides a wonderful, and almost unique, opportunity to engage in new scientific research in experimental archaeology.47 Not only will we gain new insights and understanding into life in Viking-Age Ireland by carrying out experiments that seek to faithfully reconstruct the structures and artefacts that are found in the adjacent field, but the results of these experiments (reconstructed buildings etc) will help to create a tangible resource that educates visitors about what the original settlement may have looked like. Such a reconstruction may also help to increase the aesthetic value of the monument. Though it should be noted that any such reconstruction works must necessarily be confined to areas outside of the archaeological monument.
As well as providing enormous opportunities for developing our understanding of the Vikings and Early Medieval Ireland and the scientific analysis and conservation of artefactual material, Woodstown also offers the opportunity for environmental and biodiversity research. In many ways, it is ideally placed for this purpose, as it consists of a large swathe of publicly-owned land along the foreshore of the River Suir, in close proximity to the National Biodiversity Data Centre.48
Woodstown has enormous potential to facilitate the development of our understanding of Viking-Age settlement in Ireland, and to provide unique opportunities to carry out large-scale experiemental archaeology, conservation and analysis of artefacts. In addition, it also presents significant opportunities to study natural heritage and biodiversity. Perhaps most importantly, it offers an opportunity to combine these different elements into a multi-disciplinary approach. All of these factors combined establishes that the Viking site at Woodstown is of the highest level of potential scientific significance.
43 See Section 3.3. 44 Russell, I. & Hurley, M. (eds). 2014. Woodstown: a Viking-Age Settlement in Co. Waterford. Dublin: Four Courts Press. 45 Ibid. 46 Sheehan, J. A Research Agenda for Woodstown. Unpublished Presentation to the Woodstown Viking Site Steering Committee, August 2019. 47 For details on experimental archaeology and suggested research projects please see Section 4.4. 48 See Section 4.3. 4. The Social Value of the Woodstown Viking Site. Social value refers to the associations that a place has for a particular community or cultural group and the social or cultural meanings that it holds for them. This examines the importance of the site as a local marker or symbol, its importance as part of a community identity, and its importance to a community or cultural group because of associations and meanings developed over time from long use.49 At present, the primary social value ascribed to the site derives from the annual Woodstown Heritage Day, a positive community event hosted by Déise Medieval with the support of Waterford City and County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland. During the public consultation held at the event in August 2019, a number of members of the public spoke in positive terms about how they look forward to the event each year and how enjoyable and informative they find it. As the event continues, and hopefully grows, this association and value may increase.
This Conservation Management Plan also offers a number of suggestions for opportunities for public participation and inclusion.50 If enacted, this will help to establish greater social value for the monument.
5. The Spiritual Value of the Woodstown Viking Site. Spiritual value refers to the intangible values and meanings embodied in or evoked by a place which give it importance in the spiritual identity, or the traditional knowledge, art and practices of a cultural group. Spiritual value may also be reflected in the intensity of aesthetic and emotional responses or community associations, and be expressed through cultural practices and related places.51 At present, given the intangibility of the SIGNIFICANCE monument there is likely to be little spiritual value ascribed to the physical place itself. However, Woodstown 34 is certainly highly valued by those who understand its story. As this story becomes more widely understood, and as the site becomes more tangible through the process of reconstruction and living history, the spiritual and intangible value of the monument will increase.
49 Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter, Practice Note. 2013. 50 See Section 7. 51 Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter, Practice Note. 2013. 3.2 Statement of Significance from Viking-Age date. There is no evidence to support Early Medieval activity before the beginning of the Viking-Age. the Final Report of the Woodstown The lack of medieval pottery indicates abandonment of Working Group, 2008.52 the site before the increase in pottery use associated with the later Hiberno-Norse and early Anglo-Norman periods in neighbouring Waterford. Overall, there is The Woodstown Working Group (WWG) was established clear evidence associating the site with the Viking by the then Minister for Environment, Heritage and period. The large number of lead weights and silver Local Government, as an advisory committee to artefacts discovered indicates a trade based economy of consider the future of the archaeological site. In 2006 Scandinavian character. WWG issued an interim report, followed by a final report in 2008 that contained recommendations on the future From the discoveries of silver at Woodstown, preservation and archaeological investigation of the remarkable in both form and quantity, and of lead national monument site at Woodstown. Their statement weights, and in the utilisation of silver as part of a of significance was as follows: weight based economy, it is apparent that Woodstown falls firmly into the Scandinavian tradition. There can be little doubt that many, if not all, of the settlement’s "The Working Group is of the view that the occupants were either Scandinavian, or had strong Woodstown national monument is a site of insular Scandinavian associations. fundamental importance not simply on a regional or national level but internationally. Manufacturing and metalworking, especially iron
SIGNIFICANCE As the supplementary research project working and potentially ship repair, as well as textile 35 report clearly states it is one of the most manufacturing and craft production were undertaken productive dry land sites of Early Medieval on the Woodstown site. The structure discovered in Testing Area 1, whilst puzzling, strongly suggests a date ever discovered in Ireland." more industrial function than anything else. Items were manufactured in situ either for use on the site or for trade purposes. The site was interpreted previously as a defended
riverside settlement with an outlying area of associated Ongoing post-excavation work will continue to expand industrial activity probably dating between A.D. our understanding of an extraordinary assemblage that 800–1100. A Viking grave was discovered, immediately promises to provide an insight into the exchange and outside the enclosure in Field 23, just over 20 metres manufacturing activities at the site. Woodstown must outside the enclosure entrance. In Britain and Ireland be considered one of the most important early Viking- there are no more than 200 known Viking Age burials Age trading centres yet discovered in Ireland. with weapons. Woodstown possesses one of the best furnished graves of this type ever discovered in Ireland Activity on the site would seem to have taken place at and serves to underline that this community was both a point or points in the 9th and 10th centuries. It seems wealthy - at least some of them being of high status - likely that the Woodstown site was established by A.D. and was seeking to establish itself permanently within 860 at the latest and could conceivably have been in the locality. The Viking burial is only one of a handful existence a decade or two earlier. Its fate at the end of to be discovered during archaeological investigation. It the 9th century is unknown, but there is clear evidence would also appear to be the only site known in Britain to suggest that it continued in use, or that it was or Ireland where a burial can be directly related to a reoccupied in the 10th century. At some point during contemporary settlement with absolute confidence. that century, it was effectively superseded by Waterford, possibly after a period of overlap. Up to the time of the supplementary research project
over 5,300 objects were unearthed at Woodstown There is increasing evidence that insular Scandinavian although at least 12% are post-medieval to modern in groups in both England and Ireland could and did date and only 11% came from secure archaeological construct D-shaped enclosed sites at river banks, a contexts. The 2007 investigations unearthed a model which Woodstown clearly follows, but, while further 699 objects, 257 of which are from stratified sites of this type are clearly important, it should not archaeological deposits and the majority of which are of
52 Final Report of the Woodstown Working Group to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the future preservation and archaeological investigation of the national monument site at Woodstown, Co. Waterford. January 2008. be assumed that all Scandinavian sites take this form, or that Woodstown is, as yet, anything other than ‘The recent discovery of the ninth-century exceptional. longphort at Woodstown, on the southern In conclusion, the Woodstown site would appear, as bank of the River Suir, near Waterford, has demonstrated by means of archaeological and historical had a profound impact in the international research, to have been occupied by a distinctive Scandinavian community in the 9th and 10th centuries. community of Viking scholars. It had The site consisted of a large enclosed settlement been eagerly waiting for a site that constructed on the southern bank of the River Suir, would shed light on the second stage of largely contained within two contiguous D shaped the Viking expansion in the West: the ditch and bank defences with one or more entrances. period that followed the first half century This settlement existed for a considerable amount of of summer raiding. The second stage time and involved at least several phases of activity, was characterised by the foundation of settlement or resettlement. The settlement, although longphuirt, defended camps where raiders armed and with some military aspects, appears to have been a significant centre for manufacturing and trade. overwintered. The Woodstown site seems to have the potential of filling a lacuna in the source material. The change from 3.3 The Experts View of Viking summer raiding to a permanent presence, Woodstown: which occurred around AD840, marked a watershed in the pattern of Scandinavian activity in Ireland. The Vikings now became ‘Woodstown is the only site of this type in active and efficient players in Ireland’s SIGNIFICANCE Ireland that has undergone archaeological internal politics, and some of their winter 36 excavation and the only one anywhere camps ultimately developed into the in Ireland or Britain to have produced country’s first urban communities’. evidence from occupation levels. It must Dagfinn Skre, 2015.54 be considered exceptional both because of the apparent length of occupation at the site and the range of economic activities ‘The…841 annalistic reference to the taking place there. The Woodstown site Scandinavian establishment of longphuirt provides a rare opportunity to study a has led historians and archaeologists to Scandinavian settlement of this period speculate on how this term can be applied outside Scandinavia itself. To date this is to known ninth century archaeological a settlement form of which very little is sites. Principal among such candidates is known. The extraordinary assemblage of the site at Woodstown near Waterford…’ finds promises new insights into economic Patrick F. Wallace, 2016.55 activity in this period and potentially into the origins of urban settlement in Ireland’. Stephen Harrison, 2007.53
53 Harrison, S. 2007. ‘Statement of Significance’. in. Russell, I., Harrison, S. et al. Woodstown 6 Supplementary Research Project. Unpublished Report for the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. 54 Skre, D. 2015. ‘From Kaupang and Avaldsnes to the Irish Sea’, in: Purcell E., MacCotter P., Nyhan, J., and Sheehan, J. (eds). Clerics, Kings and Vikings: Essays on Medieval Ireland in Honour of Donnchadh Ó Corráin. Dublin: Four Courts Press. 55 Wallace, P. 2016. Viking Dublin: The Wood Quay Excavations. Kildare: Irish Academic Press. ‘An exciting feature of the finds from the newly discovered site at Woodstown in County Waterford is the indication that there, at that site, agricultural and other goods were apparently being exchanged in a commercial setting with silver being used as part of the transaction… 208 weights is an enormous number and, proportionately, there are far more weights in Woodstown than has been discovered in forty years of excavations in Dublin.’ Catherine Swift, 2012.56
‘The [Woodstown] assemblage represents the first find of a significant number of silver items from a non-hoard context in a demonstrably Scandinavian settlement site in Ireland.’ 57
SIGNIFICANCE John Sheehan, 2014. 37 ‘Woodstown is the most significant Viking Age site excavated in Ireland since the monumental digs in Dublin 30 years ago. From an international perspective, it is amongst the most important excavations that have occurred outside of the Scandinavian homelands’. Andrew. R. Woods, 2015.58
‘The discovery of Woodstown is a milestone in European Viking archaeology and is arguably the most important individual discovery coming from the Irish construction boom of the 2000–10 decade’. David Griffiths, 2014.59
56 Swift, C. 2012. Viking Settlement in South-East Ireland. Mary Immaculate College https://dspace.mic.ul.ie/bitstream/ handle/10395/2753/Swift%2C%20C.%20%282012%29%20 Viking%20settlement%20in....pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y 57 Sheehan, J. 2014. in. Russell, I. & Hurley, M. (eds) Woodstown: a Viking-Age Settlement in Co. Waterford. Dublin: Four Courts Press. 58 Woods, A.R. 2015. Reviewed Work(s): Woodstown: a Viking-age settlement in County Waterford. in. The Journal of Irish Archaeology. Fig 3.1 Ayanna Raiha at Woodstown Viking Heritage Dublin: Wordwell. Day 2019 59 Russell, I. & Hurley, M. (eds) Woodstown: a Viking-Age Settlement in Co. Waterford. Dublin: Four Courts Press. 3.4 Summary of the Aspects of Significance of the Woodstown Viking Site
The key factors that add to the significance are as follows:
• It provides a potential benchmark comparator of the longphort site type. • One of the most evidence-rich sites of the Early Medieval period ever discovered in Ireland. • One of the best furnished Viking graves ever discovered in Ireland. • One of the most important trading centres of the Early- Medieval period ever discovered in Ireland. • One of the most important manufacturing and craft production sites dating to the Early-Medieval period ever discovered in Ireland. • The site is exceptional for the length of occupation and the range of economic activities taking place. • A rare opportunity to study a wholly Scandinavian settlement site of this period outside of Scandinavia. SIGNIFICANCE 38
Fig 3.2 Upper portion of the sword from the Viking grave 4. Understanding Viking Woodstown 4. Understanding Viking Woodstown – A Proposed Research Strategy
4.1 Key Research Aims and Policies 4.2 Suggestions for Archaeological The key aims for a research agenda for Woodstown are to: & Historical Research This section of the Conservation Management Plan • Build on the existing information and knowledge about the site (historical, archaeological, suggests some potential research themes or questions
environmental and biodiversity etc). that are worthy of consideration. This is not meant in UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN • Seek to fill in any ‘knowledge gaps’ by identifying any way to be a comprehensive or final list of research 40 new avenues of research. topics, instead it should be viewed as a baseline to better understand the site. Archaeological and historical • Seek to create a collaborative research environment where questions about the site can analysis rarely provides neat answers, instead it often be examined using a variety of different ‘lenses’ or leads to better questions. perspectives. • Where possible and appropriate, seek to find ways A historical and archaeological evaluation of the to create opportunities for public participation in term ‘longphort’. knowledge-seeking. The historical termlongphuirt has long been the subject 60,61,62 As identified by the Steering Committee, it is important of debate. The discoveries at Woodstown have to state that ‘research is not limited to excavations’. begun to contribute significantly to the development Aside from archaeological excavation there are many of a more nuanced understanding of the term. The 63 avenues of research that when combined, could help to common factors identified by Eamonn. P. Kelly shared create a truly three-dimensional understanding of the by longphort sites in Ireland include: significance of Woodstown and the lived experience of • The presence of a large D-shaped enclosure on those who inhabited it. The following sections detail the shore of a river or lake or the fortification of a promontory partly surrounded by water. suggested avenues for research, but these are merely suggestions and other research priorities may be • Occasionally an inner enclosure serving as a strongpoint or citadel. identified. Furthermore, the research strategy should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis, perhaps as • The use of natural features such as marshy ground often as every three years, to reappraise the priorities and tributary rivers to maximise security. and to incorporate new ideas and agendas that may be • The proximity of a pool. identified as a result of the ongoing research. • Strategic location on the boundary between Irish kingdoms to exploit native rivalries and maximise trading and raiding opportunities. • Burials and finds indicating the presence of ships and of metalworking, trading and raiding activities.
60 Kelly, E.P. 2015. ‘The Longphort in Viking-Age Ireland: the Archaeological Evidence’. in. Clarke, H.B., & Johnson, R. (eds) The Vikings in Ireland and Beyond: Before and After the Battle of Clontarf. Dublin: Four Courts Press. 61 Wall, R. 2010. Woodstown and Urbanization: Interpretations, Models and Questions’. in. Eolas: The Journal of the American Society of Irish Medieval Studies, Vol. 4 (2010). 62 Sheehan, J. “The longphort in Viking Age Ireland,”Acta Archaeologica 79 (2008). 63 Kelly, E.P. 2015. ‘The Longphort in Viking-Age Ireland: the Archaeological Evidence’. in. Clarke, H.B., & Johnson, R. (eds) The Vikings in Ireland and Beyond: Before and After the Battle of Clontarf. Dublin: Four Courts Press. 41 UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN enclosures thatruncontiguously alongasmallstream. site appears tofollow more of a‘Bshape’ with two ‘D-shaped’ enclosure, however at Woodstown the Longphorts are traditionally believedtohavea WoodstownViking ‘D’ or‘B’ shaped?Enclosures andSettlementat other sitesacross Europe. early raids andthesettlementof Dublin, Waterford and as it will shapehow Woodstown isviewed inrelation to is generally accepted asthecore datingfor thesite. and dissemination,aperiodbetween A.D. 850and950 more, phasesof stratigraphy. From thepublication The excavations revealed asmany asthree, or perhaps WoodstownPhasing andChronologyof tighter classification of thismonumenttype. our understanding of Further investigationsat Woodstown may develop may become achief comparator of themonumenttype. presented toarchaeologically examinesuchasiteit these features, andasitisthebestopportunity yet beyond. presence at Woodstown intothe920sandquitepossibly Samarkand in922, would suggest thatthere isstilla evidence of oneof thetwo datablecoins, produced in presence through to950, or vice versa. Certainly, the base in A.D. 850 with anoccasional or small-scale the site. Woodstown could feasibly represent amajor However itmay be worth examiningthechronology of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Government. Local and Heritage Environment, 67 Wordwell. Dublin: 66 Sheehan, J. 64 65 Woodstown is well represented with someof Russell, I., Harrison, S. S. Harrison, I., Russell, Russell, I. & Hurley, M. (eds). 2014. M. &Hurley, I. Russell, Woods, A.R. 2015. Reviewed Work(s): Woodstown: a Viking-age settlement in County Waterford. in. in. Waterford. County in settlement aViking-age Woodstown: Work(s): Reviewed 2015. A.R. Woods, 66 This issue of chronology isanimportantone, A Research Agenda for Woodstown for Agenda A Research longphuirt et al . 2007. . 64 anditmay leadtoa Woodstown 6 Supplementary Research Project. Research 6Supplementary Woodstown Woodstown: a Viking-Age Settlement in Co.Waterford in Settlement aViking-Age Woodstown: . Unpublished Presentation to the Woodstown Viking Site Steering Committee, August 2019. August Committee, Steering Site Viking Woodstown the to Presentation . Unpublished Fig 4.1Membersof DéiseMedieval atWoodstown VikingHeritage Day2018 65
hearth constructed within it. ditches was allowed tosiltupandevenhadasmithing of times,andthatatleast partof oneof theenclosing interest. Itappears thattheditches were recut anumber The defensive nature of theditchesisalsoanarea of in oneenclosure andindustry andcraft inthe other? distinctive zonal areas of activity –perhapshabitation different phasing of thesite,or do they represent determined? If so, dothetwo enclosures represent nature of thesitehavingtwo enclosures beconclusively Is thisadecisionbasedonthelocaltopography? Canthe examine therole itplayed within itsown timeandplace, of urbanisationinEarly MedievalIreland, andto Woodstown may alsobeinformative abouttheprocess Early Medieval Ireland? Woodstown anditsHinterland– Urbanisationin layout of the settlement. comparable sites,may reveal muchabouttheinternal targeted test-excavation andreviewed alongsideother An examinationof theresults, ‘ground-truthed’ with may indicatehouseplots, streets andboundaries. from themostrecent phaseof geophysics (Figure 4.4) study of other longphortsiteselsewhere inIreland. of theregion. This research may alsohelptoinform the and toseeif itmay offer insightsintothepoliticalstability considered tounderstand their chronology andnature A careful re-examination of theenclosures shouldbe high priority for theoccupants of Viking Woodstown. that for atleastatime,defence wasn’t anenormously Furthermore, ithasbeensuggested thattheresults UpbihdRpr o h eateto h the of Department the for Report Unpublished . Dublin: Four Courts Press. Courts Four . Dublin: The Journal of Irish Archaeology Irish of Journal The 67 This perhapssuggests . Field 23 Field 22
River Suir UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN
42 N Fig 4.2 A vertical aerial photograph of Woodstown taken in April 2001 (BKS Surveys Ltd) 0 100 m
Field 23 Field 22
Enclosure 2 Enclosure 1
River Suir 43 UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN Fig 4.3Sectionthrough enclosure ditch(ACS) Fig 4.4Overview of buildingsandpotential buildingsdiscovered intheGPRdataatWoodstown (per Schneidhofer and Tonning, 20 19) Fig 4.5 Silver hoard recovered at Kilmacomma (John Sheehan) UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN to those who lived in it, visited it, or travelled past it. Understanding the Landscape 44 The reconstruction of these functions depends upon Further palaeoenvironmental analysis is recommended placing the site within its local and regional context.68 As to better understand the nature of the landscape at well as the immediate area of the site itself, it is worth the time of the Viking settlement at the site. Pollen considering the extent of hinterland that Woodstown analysis from cores taken in the wetland adjacent to the would have required. It would have needed access to Viking site have revealed results that suggest that the timber for construction, tools and fuel, it would have surrounding landscape was relatively clear, with some needed access to food – did it trade for food with hazel and alder scrub from 3500 BP onwards. The open nearby Irish settlements or did the settlement grow areas included cereal and cannabis (presumably hemp) its own? Where did the blacksmiths and craftspeople cultivation, perhaps suggestive of a crop cultivated to of Woodstown get their raw materials and ore? Some make cloth and rope.70 However, these uppermost layers of these answers may be nuanced by the process of of the cores cover a vast time period and as such it is experimental archaeology (see below). far too broad a span to enable a confident assessment of what the landscape was like during the time of the A reference in the Annals clearly states that longphorts Viking settlement. It would be of great benefit to carry had ‘flocks’ and ‘herds’, the implication being that there out further sampling and analysis to help to create a must have been considerable hinterland to support even more defined picture of the key period. For example, a small flock of sheep or herd of cattle: hemp was used to make sails for Viking ships,71 if the ‘Áed, son of Niall, plundered all the strongholds presence of hemp on site coincides with the Viking [longphorts] of the foreigners, i.e in the territory of the activity, then when combined with the ship nails, it North, both in Cenél Eógain and Dál Araidi, and took away provides further corroborative evidence of ship and boat their heads, their flocks, and their herds from camp by building at Woodstown. battle. A victory was gained over them at Loch Foyle and twelve score heads taken thereby’.69
68 Wall, R. 2010. Woodstown and Urbanization: Interpretations, Models and Questions’. in. Eolas: The Journal of the American Society of Irish Medieval Studies, Vol. 4 (2010). 69 Annals of Ulster: U866.4. 70 Farrell, A and Coxon, P. 2004. Sedimentological and Palaeoenvironmental Investigation of Wetland Area adjacent to Woodstown. Unpublished report for the National Roads Authority. 71 Swift, C. 2012. Viking Settlement in South-East Ireland. Mary Immaculate College https://dspace.mic.ul.ie/bitstream/ handle/10395/2753/Swift%2C%20C.%20%282012%29%20Viking%20settlement%20in....pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y . 45 UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN be worth closely examiningthetopography of the Given theproximity of theringfort totheSuir itmay been suggested tohaveaconnection to Woodstown. potentially interesting leadtofollow, andithasalready Suir atKilmacomma, County Waterford in aringfort (WA001-007——) onthebanks of theRiver of Vikingsilver objects potential corroborative evidence. For example,ahoard within theNationalMuseumof Ireland, toassessany Topographical Filesrelating toViking-Age objects assessment could becombined with areview of the more targeted anddetailedsurveys. This topographic potential sitesof archaeological interest, allowing for etc if suchexists), may giveaninitialindicationof environment (such asOPW floodprevention surveys as far asClonmel), andany other LiDAR of theriverine upgrade of theN24Road (that largely follows theSuir the LiDAR surveys generated aspartof theplanned for examinationusingLiDAR. An initialassessmentof placename evidence toprovide ‘zones of potential’ combining historical,archaeological, artefactual and of theRiver Suir. This could bebestachieved by of Vikingactivity tobediscovered alongthehinterland pursue istoevaluatethepotential for further evidence interaction with Ireland. Oneinteresting avenueto our understanding of theearliestphasesof Viking Woodstown hashadprofound implicationson The discovery of thepreviously unknown siteat e Vikings ontheSuir 74 NMI: 1981:396a-l. 73 72 76 75 Caves Ireland’s from Artefacts
Murray, G., “Early medieval shrine fragments from Park North Cave, Co. Cork and Kilgreany Cave, Co. Waterford”. in. Dowd, M. M. Dowd, in. Waterford”. Co. Cave, Kilgreany and Cork Co. Cave, North Park from fragments shrine medieval “Early G., Murray, Dowd, M. “Kilgreany, Co. Waterford: Biography of a Cave” in. in. aCave” of Biography Waterford: Co. “Kilgreany, M. Dowd, Sheehan, J., “Viking-age artefacts from Irish caves”. in. Dowd, M. (ed) 2017. M. Dowd, caves”. in. Irish from artefacts “Viking-age J., Sheehan, Sheehan, J., The Viking-age silver hoard from Kilmacomma, Co. Waterford: a Woodstown connection?, connection?, a Woodstown Waterford: Co. Kilmacomma, from hoard silver Viking-age The J., Sheehan, Underground Archaeology: Studies on Human Bones and from Artefacts Ireland’s Caves. 72 discovered within asouterrain . Oxford: Oxbow Books. Oxbow . Oxford: 73 could bea The Journal of Irish Archaeology, Irish of Journal The landscape. A detailedhistoricalstudy thatbuildson understanding of Woodstown’s contemporary political the site.Onesuchaspectistofurther develop an There is still muchtodiscover aboutthestory of Woodstown e LocalPolitics of settlement patternsof VikingIreland. potentially leadingtoamuchgreater knowledge of the may thenbeappliedtotheother major rivers inIreland, If suchamodelcanbedevelopedfor theRiver Suir, it the nature anddispersal patternof Vikingsettlement. the nature of how theVikingsutilisedriver courses and (where appropriate). This would help us tounderstand survey, suchasgeophysical survey andtest-excavation sites thatcanthenbetargeted with more detailed to identify previously unknown potential Viking-Age artefactual, placename andtopographical –itmay help Cave of artefacts inCarrigmurrishCave presence intheregion isalsoindicated by thediscovery south of DungarvaninCounty Waterford. A Viking Viking activity isKillongford another placename intheregion indicatingpotential name analysis. Aside from Waterford itself, andHelvic, region thatindicatespotential Vikingsitesisplace- from Waterford andHelvic, another placename inthe land adjacent totheriver inthearea nearby. Aside By utilisingallavailablelayers of evidence –historical, , 75 negon rhelg:Suiso ua oe n Underground Archaeology: Studies on Human Bones and , 76 both locatedtothe west of Dungarvan. Oxford: Oxbow Books. Fig 4.6 Woodstown andtheVikingWorld Vol. 11 (2002), pp. 77-97. (2002), pp. 11 Vol. Peritia (Cill Longphoirt) 20 (2008), 232-250. (2008), 20 74 andKilgreany located (ed) 2017. Fig 4.7 Silver dirham fragment (Ian Russell) Fig 4.8 Complete disc-shaped amber bead (ACS) the foundations of research already carried out on context. For example, recent work on the weights 77 Woodstown, may reveal more about the interactions from Woodstown, Blackwater (Ulster) and other sites and political dynamics of the Vikings of Woodstown with indicate two primary weight systems in Viking Ireland.83 the neighbouring Irish territories. For example, Cearbhall This difference in weight is an interesting thread with of Osraighe appears from the texts to be a figure that which to examine Viking trade and to explore possible 78,79 both fought and allied with groups of Vikings. Further connections between Viking settlements. Did the research into the political landscape of the period could different weight systems pertain to a particular period, UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN lead to a greater understanding and appreciation of the or was it based on a particular group of Vikings? Were 46 nuances of the Viking Age amongst the general public, these weight groupings particular to Ireland or are they who typically view the Vikings as being marauders who found in Scandinavia too? Did Kaupang indeed use the were solely bent on raiding monasteries. same weight system as Woodstown, if so, does that add further corroborative evidence that the two sites are Connections with Related Sites Overseas connected? If the weights do relate to a particular group Given the nature of the site, Woodstown has an of Vikings, are there other settlements or places that international context. A number of sites in particular also use the same weight as Woodstown and Kaupang? appear to have a connection with Woodstown, either If so, does the archaeological or historical information through site morphology, artefactual evidence or as a about those places give us a new lens with which to chronological comparator. These include Repton and examine information about Woodstown? Torksey80 in England, and Llanbedrgoch in Wales. One of the most interesting sites as a comparator, and possible Trade at Woodstown origin point of the Woodstown Vikings, is Kaupang in the It is clear from the artefactual assemblage that Viken region of Norway. The two sites share many things trade was of vital importance to the inhabitants of in common, such as the silver artefacts and weights that Woodstown. Evidence for long-distance trade on the 81,82, appear to parallel those found at Woodstown. site included a fragment of a dirham minted at Wâsit in southern Iraq under the Umayyad caliphate, glass and Future historical or excavation work and analysis amber beads, and a single ivory bead. of the artefactual assemblage should consider the linkages with sites overseas. A collaborative approach The imported goods should not be considered in isolation, involving historians and archaeologists from across and it is important to consider what was exported Ireland, Scandinavia and the UK may help to find further from Woodstown. Slavery was an important aspect connections and linkages, and help us to develop of Viking economy in Ireland, and Catherine Swift and the story of Woodstown as part of its international Stephen Harrison have put forward the suggestion that
77 Harrison, S.H. 2014. Historical Background. in. Russell, I. & Hurley, M.F. Woodstown: a Viking-Age Settlement in Co.Waterford. Dublin: Four Courts Press. 78 Downham, C. 2007. Viking Kings of Britain and Ireland: The Dynasty of Ívarr to A.D. 1014. Edinburgh: Dunedin. 79 Downham, C. 2004. The Career of Cearbhall of Osraighe. in. Cockerham, P. et al. Ossory, Laois and Leinster. Vol 1. Kilkenny. OLL. 80 Hadley, D., and Richards, J.D. 2016. The Winter Camp of the Viking Great Army AD. 872-3, Torksey, Lincolnshire. The Antiquities Journal. University of York. 81 Pedersen, U. 2008. Weights and Balances. In D. Skre (ed) Means of Exchange: Kaupang Excavation Project: 2. Oslo. 82 Wallace, P. 2016. Viking Dublin: The Wood Quay Excavations. Kildare: Irish Academic Press. 83 Wallace, P. 2016. Viking Dublin: The Wood Quay Excavations. Kildare: Irish Academic Press. 47 UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN recommends usingmeasured multi-disciplinary relative chronology of Viking Woodstown and Waterford. also helptodevelopadeeper understanding of the from both Woodstown andexcavations inthecity, may reappraisal of materialretrieved from prior excavations archaeological research inthecity itself, including might helptocastsomelightontheseissues.Further establish anew onenear themouthof theSuir? did theinhabitantsof Woodstown abandonthissiteto modern city? Or didoneprecede theother –for example, of abigger settlementsomewhere inthevicinity of the at Waterford.settlement Was Woodstownoutpost an between the Woodstown VikingSiteandthe may derivefrom acloser examinationof theconnections to thesitenolonger beingfeasible. A potential answer or perhapsacataclysmic event(disease) may haveled became unsafe duetoachangingpoliticalenvironment), be anunsuitableplace for agrowing port), political(it abandonment may havebeenpractical (it was found to activity inIreland. The reasons behind Woodstown’s the siteandindeed,broader understanding of Viking question thatisfundamentaltoour understanding of engaged inthecollection, saleandexportof slaves. Woodstowninhabitants weresettlement whose wasa identifiable inthearchaeological record, Though the reasons thatsettlements fail are rarely Relationship withWaterford City WoodstownViking e Endof andits of theDéise,Ossory andUíChennselaig. such activity, particularly intheneighbouringkingdoms Historical analysis shouldexamineany references to France (Hemis — Alamy Stock Photo) Fig 4.10Experimentalarchaeology onagrand scale atGuédelon, 87 Final Report of the Woodstown Working Group. 2008. p.35. 2008. Group. Working Woodstown the of Report Final p.30. 2008. Group. Working Woodstown the of Report 87 Final Press. Courts Four Dublin: 86 85 Hurley, M. 2014. Discussion and Conclusions. In. Russell, I. & Hurley, M. (eds) M. &Hurley, I. Russell, In. Conclusions. and 2014. Discussion M. Hurley, 85 ‘ 2004. C. Swift, 84 kings_and_exported_princesses_a_possible_context_for_Woodstown_silver The 2008 Woodstown Working Group report Historical, archaeological andenvironmental study Woodstown: Viking Chiefs, Irish Kings and Exported Princesses Exported and Kings Irish Chiefs, Viking Woodstown: 85 itisa 84
research needsinIrish Archaeology”. archaeological research needsentitled“A review on Environment, Heritage andLocal Governmentonfuture Heritage Council's 2007report totheMinister from the funding, synergise with theprincipalsandidealsin public. Itcould alsobeusedtomake acasefor future develop research themesandhow todisseminatethe the siteandinformation discovered could beusedto research, whereby expertscould examine key areas of recommendations. be created. This would fulfilone of the2008 reports brought tolight,apublicinformation bookletcould Biodiversity &theNatural Heritage 4.3 forResearch Opportunities National Biodiversity Data Centre locatedonthe WIT and stakeholders, thelandthatstretches from the close proximity totheNationalBiodiversity DataCentre. owned landalongtheforeshore of theRiver Suir, in purpose, asitconsists of alarge swathe of publicly- research. Inmany ways, itisideally placed for this opportunity for environmental andbiodiversity Early MedievalIreland, Woodstown alsooffers the developing our understanding of theVikingsand As well asproviding enormousopportunitiesfor following asimilar thematicapproach. online andcould complement theexistingaudiobookby in theViking Triangle Museums,madeavailableaspdf available in Waterford City touristoffice, madeavailable on theSuir Valley Train, alongtheGreenway, made With theinformation thathasbeendiscovered and If possible,and with thesupportof alllandowners ’. https://www.academia.edu/5928960/Viking_chiefs_Irish_ ’. https://www.academia.edu/5928960/Viking_chiefs_Irish_ Woodstown: a Viking-Age Settlement in Co.Waterford in Settlement aViking-Age Woodstown: 87 This booklet could beprovided 86 . Carriganor N
Proposed location for reconstruction
Co. Kilkenny
N25 Waterford River Suiruir City Bypass
Archaeological site
Fig. 4.11 Suggested location for reconstruction 300m and experimental archaeology. UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN 48 west campus down to the site should be incorporated answer a specific research question through practically within an area managed for biodiversity and focused on testing production, use and/or formation of material a species-rich grassland habitat. This provides a sizeable culture and/or archaeological features. In experimental and relatively varied habitat for wildlife, offering archaeology, testing a hypothesis in direct reference to numerous educational and training opportunities. the archaeological record is the core activity.89
4.4 Suggested Experimental Not only does the process of experimental archaeology have the potential to improve interpretation and to Archaeology & Reconstruction Projects give us deeper insights into the lived experience of Experimental archaeology can be defined as the those who occupied Viking Woodstown, but it also has reconstruction of buildings, technologies, objects the potential to be participatory, to give people the and environmental contexts, based on archaeological opportunity of learning by doing and help to create evidence, in order to investigate the materiality of a tangible sense of life in the past. The process of people’s lives in the past. It can explore, through reconstruction of Viking Woodstown by experimental replication, the archaeological traces of past activities archaeology using only the tools and techniques left in the soil (e.g. the post-holes of a house, the available to the original inhabitants has truly special remains of a metal-working furnace), and can also help potential to engage the general public. Sites like to interpret aspects of past technologies that have left Guédelon in France (see Figure 4.10) have proven that little trace (e.g. the hafting and use of stone axes, the people are perhaps just as interested in the process of effects of smoke inside a building). Thus, experimental creation as they are in visiting the finished 'product'. archaeology can ask such questions as: how did people If this approach is twinned with living history through build, occupy and abandon houses and buildings? How Déise Medieval it has the potential to be a world-class did they work the soil in agriculture, make and store educational tourism attraction as well as a place of food or interact with their environments? How did they archaeological research. make and use objects from a wide range of different materials?88 Experimental archaeology is an approach Much like the research ideas outlined above, these for filling gaps in our knowledge about the past, which suggestions are by no means to be considered as cannot be filled through other archaeological research prescriptive or comprehensive. Instead they are methods. An archaeological experiment must always simply ideas that may be suitable to the process of
88 O’Sullivan, A. Et al. 2014. ‘Experimental archaeology: making; understanding; story-telling’. in. Kelly, B., Roycroft, N., Stanley. M (eds) Fragments of Lives Past: Archaeological Objects from Irish Road Schemes. Archaeology and the National Roads Authority, Monograph Series 11. 89 https://exarc.net/experimental-archaeology . 49 UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN Fig 4.12Viking weaving ondisplayat Heritage Week 2018 inhabited thesettlement. and techniquesof theVikingcraftspeople whoonce may leadtomuchgreater insightsintotheskills Woodstown –shipnails,lead weights, knivesor swords, The opportunity to recreate artefact typesfrom about techniques,temperature andfuel requirements. smelting, smithingand working onsitemay inform archaeology projects thatfollow theevidence of iron carried outonthesite.For example,experimental of opportunitiestobetter understand theprocesses Woodstown. This creates thepotential for anumber also appears tohavebeenanimportantactivity in Metalworking, particularly ferrous metallurgy, Woodstown at Experimental Archaeology –Cra6&Industry such aproject. planning authority shouldbesoughtfrom theoutsetof to planningpermissionandclarification withthelocal reconstruction of aVikingsettlementmay besubject may offer opportunities for publicparticipation. The out within anacademicresearch framework, andit The process of reconstruction shouldbecarried loop of shared information. interpretation of thearchaeology, creating apositive and surveys may provide insightstoaddthe and designasthoseidentifiedduringtheexcavations process of creating thestructures tothesamescale informed by thediscoveries duringtheexcavations. The materials usedtoconstruct thebuildingsshouldbe monument (see Figure 4.11). As far aspossiblethe local authority owned landadjacent tothenational settlement could berecreated tothesamescalein the The landholdingis of sufficient size thattheentire archaeological evidence isatantalisingprospect. Woodstown abuildingattime,basedonthe The process of reconstructing thesettlement of Experimental Archaeology –House Construction planning permission. the instance of buildings,such work may besubjectto the protection of thearchaeological heritage, andin require archaeological assessmentinadvance toensure monument andthatany suchproposed works may to areas locatedoutsidethearea of thenational activities necessitating groundworks will beconfined it shouldbenoted thatany experimentalarchaeology experimental archaeology at Woodstown. Furthermore UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN Fig 4.13 Re-enactor displaying Viking Age and medieval pottery during Heritage Week 2019 50
Fig 4.14 Foteviken Viking Reserve, Hollviken, Sweden (Stuart Black _ Alamy Stock Photo) Fig 4.15 Replica of Oseberg Viking ship under construction at Tonsberg, Norway (Robert Harding _ Alamy Stock Photo)
Experimental Archaeology – Food and Drink that could reflect the interpreted recutting of the original enclosure ditches. On the larger scale (and with consultation with the
UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN National Biodiversity Data Centre) a Viking farm could Experimental Archaeology – Woodland 51 be established, with livestock and crop growing to help Management to supply food for the living history component of the site. The Food Science department of UCC, and the If the relevant permissions can be obtained, and UCD Centre for Experimental Archaeology and Material following consultation with the National Parks Culture may have a role developing such an aspect at and Wildlife Services and the National Biodiversity Woodstown Viking site. As well as crops and livestock, Data Centre, an area of the reed-beds along the an apiary should also be considered to create mead, foreshore could be managed and harvested for honey and beeswax. roofing materials. A small woodland area of hazel, birch, oak and ash should be planted to ensure By producing, processing and cooking food using sustainable sources of building materials and Viking age techniques it will help us to not only to gain an insight into early medieval woodland understand the processes and gain insights for management. This has already been successfully interpretation, but it will also create an atmospheric modelled at a reconstructed Viking settlement at and tangible experience for visitors by allowing them Albertslund in Denmark, where ‘two hectares of the to see, smell and taste Viking food. Such a food offering forest immediately north of the Viking Village has the may offer another opportunity for Woodstown Viking purpose of growing tall straight oak trees that are site to link with the city, particularly with events like the used for all construction needs, including structures, Waterford Harvest Festival. fencing and tools. This technique of a selective logging forest was also used in the Viking era’.90 Experimental Archaeology – Defending the Homestead Experimental Archaeology – Viking Longship Project The process of creating the enclosure ditches around the reconstruction area will not only help people to better The reconstruction of a Viking ship using understand the scale and scope of the monument, experimental techniques would be particularly but it will provide real archaeological insights and aid suitable given the riverine setting of the site, the interpretation to understand how long and how and it would undoubtedly generate great public many people it would take to dig such a monument – enthusiasm and interest. It would also be an providing answers as to the nature of the population on appropriate project given that the Skuldelev site. It would also demonstrate how quickly such ditches 2, a Viking ship that was found scuttled in a fill back up and help to show maintenance requirements Danish harbour in the 1950s, was built in Ireland,
90 Sorensen, H., Wray, M.L., and Parsa, H.G. 2015. “Eco-Innovations in a Viking Village: An Ethnographic Investigation from Denmark” pp.47-71, in Kahn, M.A et al. Advances in Hospitality and Tourism: Sustainability, Social Responsibility and Innovations in Tourism and Hospitality. Oakville, Canada, Apple Academic Press somewhere along the south-east coast.91 The Skuldelev • Any field school should abide by the European 2 was reconstructed using original Viking techniques by Association of Archaeologists Code of Practice for Roskilde’s Viking Ship Museum. Work began in 2000, Fieldwork Training (see below). and in 2004 the 30m-long vessel was launched.92 To • Any excavation or survey activity should be carried follow in the footsteps of the Roskilde Viking Ship out with due regard to best practice in Health and Safety, with suitable PPE provided and the project Museum would be an ambitious and exciting project, should be fully insured. that has much to teach us about the processes of how • Any excavation carried out should be operated as Viking ships were created and fitted. From woodland a ‘Public Archaeology’ project – where members management and carpentry in the creation of planks, of the public can visit, even if only at prearranged mast and fittings to growing, harvesting and processing of times or tours, to see the work in progress. hemp for the creation of ropes and sails, to sourcing the • Provision should be made for the participation of material to caulk the vessel, it is a long term project of students in the excavation. monumental scope. • Any excavations should be adequately staffed by experienced professional archaeologists to ensure A potential project model can be found at Tønsberg appropriate and accurate archaeological methods in Norway, close to where the famous Oseberg Ship and to provide a worthwhile training experience. was discovered in 1904. At Tønsberg, the local Viking • Consideration should be given to community and Association builds boats in the centre of town. They social participation in appropriate aspects of the archaeological investigations. have a professional boat builder to guide the works, but the main manual labour is provided by unemployed • Dissemination of data from and the results of the excavations should be a core priority. youth and volunteers. As well as the ship, the Viking Association also ensures that Viking crafts are
demonstrated on a regular basis, including forging and 4.6 Field Schools UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN textile work. An annual Viking festival in September There are a number of archaeological field schools 52 helps to showcase Tønsberg’s heritage.93 A collaborative in Ireland and overseas to consider as a potential approach in the reconstruction of a Viking ship in model to carry out excavations. With a number of consultation with the Roskilde Viking Ship Museum exceptions, field schools are typically established would help to reinforce the shared heritage and on a profit-making basis, whereby international (or connections between Roskilde, Tønsberg and Waterford. occasionally domestic) students pay a fee to take part in the excavation. Their fee usually covers their 4.5 Excavation & Post-Excavation training, insurance and accommodation. Often, the Policy Objectives more expensive field schools offer accreditation. There are examples in Ireland, the longest running being the The following outlines policies and values for any Achill Field School where students pay up to €4,780 for future archaeological excavation and subsequent post- a six-week experience.95 Another example in Ireland excavation analysis; is the Caherconnell Archaeological Field School in • Any survey or excavation is subject to the National County Clare. This field school is run in partnership with Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014. the National University of Ireland in Galway. They offer a • Any works or disturbance to the national number of different accredited courses, with the most monument require Ministerial Consent. expensive being a six-week experience at €5,995 (including • According to the Valetta Convention,94 non-invasive accommodation etc).96 archaeological methods should be carried out first. • Excavation should only be carried out to answer a There are relatively few field schools where students specific research question. can gain experience of Viking Age sites. One of the • Any investigations or excavations should only be longest running is the Gotland Archaeological Field carried out when sufficient funding and resources School that started with the excavations at the Viking are available to ensure that the post-excavation Age harbour and trading site Fröjel in 1998. The field needs, especially conservation, can be facilitated. school is administered by Gotlands Folkhögskola
91 Swift, C. 2012. Viking settlement in South-East Ireland.https://dspace.mic.ul.ie/bitstream/handle/10395/2753/Swift%2C%20C.%2 0 %282012%29%20Viking%20settlement%20in....pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y. 92 History Ireland: The Sea Stallion from Glendalough. https://www.historyireland.com/20th-century-contemporary-history/the-sea- stallion-from-glendalough/. 93 https://sagaoseberg.com/eng/. 94 European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage (Valetta Convention): https://rm.coe.int/168007bd25. 95 https://achill-fieldschool.com/accredited-excavation-courses-in-archaeology-2020/. 96 https://caherconnell.com/archaeology/. 53 UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN Fieldwork Training. tenants of theEAA Code of Practice for Archaeological Woodstown, itisimportanttoconsider someof thechief fee of $450(USD). experience amountsto$2,850(USD) with aregistration as farmsteads. The prices for the2020fieldschool Paviken –another harbour andtrading site–as well excavated arange of different sitesonGotland, including (Gotland Folk HighSchool). The course hassince estimated $2,275. date from theBronze Age totheViking Age. Itcosts an examines anumber of archaeological sitesranging in confers 6undergraduate or 3graduate credits, and Gateway tothe Atlantic. This accredited fieldschool the University of Bradford’s fieldschool, Rousay, Orkney: 101 Russell, I. & Hurley, M. (eds) Woodstown: a Viking-Age Settlement in Co. Waterford. Dublin: Four Courts Press. Courts Four Dublin: Waterford. Co. in Settlement YouTube: on aViking-Age https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vbN_Z4Dka4. Lecture (eds) Woodstown: M. &Hurley, I. landscape. iconic Russell, 101 archaeolo community Forum: Heritage Glendalough Warren: Graeme Prof. see please project Glendalough the of overview an For 100 Code of EAA for Practice Fieldwork Training: https://www.e-a-a.org/EAA/About/EAA_Codes/EAA/Navigation_About/EAA_Codes. 99 aspx?hkey=714e8747-495c-4298-ad5d-4c60c2bcbda9#fieldwork.98 http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/educationabroad/programs/97 https://en.gotlandsfolkhogskola.se/kurser/archaeological. Training excavations should not beusedmerely as • Students shouldnot beexploited. • Sitesshouldbechosen which are suitablefor the • Giventhelimitednature of thearchaeological • There shouldbe concern for the localsocialand • Fieldprojects mustconform tolegalrequirements of • PPEmustbeprovided, along with qualifiedfirst aid • Riskassessmentsmustbeundertaken. • Project mustbefully insured andindemnified. • Descriptive documentationshould beprovided to • Practical training shouldonly beundertaken by those • If afieldschoolmodelistobe considered for under stateandEuropean planninglegislation. excavations where theseshouldbeproperly funded activities, e.g.by offering cut-price rescue be usedasameansof underminingprofessional a way of financing research; equally they shouldnot sites. not startoncomplex anddifficult deeply stratified level of training beinggiven,e.g.beginners should sites. interests shouldbechosenrather thanunthreatened threatened or where there are pressing research to provide training. Preferably sites which are preservation, anditshouldnot bedestroyed merely resource, dueconcern shouldbegiventoits people are excluded). privileged access tohistoricalsitesfrom which local out (e.g. studentsshouldnot beseentohave political environment in which work isbeingcarried the country. responder andfirst aidkits. participants with allpractical detail. expertise). (e.g. fieldsurvey, excavation, geophysics, laboratory competent toprovide theparticular training offered 98 97 99 Another examplecanbefound in These include: These short-term-hunter-college-programs/Summer/scotland-summer building (or buildings) canbeidentified,it would of conservators andfindsspecialists.If asuitable offers anopportunity tocreate thenext generation of Viking-Age archaeologists andhistorians,italso Woodstown offers todevelopthenext generation post-excavation analysis. Muchlike theopportunity specialists andisunder resourced for facilities for Currently, Ireland has ashortage of conservation challenge also offers animportantopportunity. analysis ismadeprior toany new excavation. This that adequateprovision for thepost-excavation any future excavation onsite,anditisimperative opportunities for community engagement. and training needsof theuniversity while providing best of both worlds –aproject thatfulfilsthe research has proven tobeasuccessful modelthatachievesthe for community volunteers totake partinthedig. This Forum andacertain number of places are retained active participationintheGlendaloughHeritage also haveastrong community focus, through their Ireland’s mostimportantarchaeological sites. They experience andearnacademiccredits ononeof research project, whereby studentsof UCDcangain in County Wicklow which are primarily runasa University College Dublin’s excavations atGlendalough ‘hybrid’ option could alsobeconsidered suchas mechanism rather thanstudentfees. A possible participatory approach, fundedthrough another community participation. of fundsthatmay bemore focused oneducationand focus, assuch,itmay closethedoor toother sources the opportunity for affiliate universities from takingpart.It may alsolose deny the confined aspects. If participationintheexcavation issolely become relatively self-funding, butitalsohasnegative could mitigatethecosts, allowing theinvestigationsto 6,007. an extraordinary number of artefacts –some excavated, butthatrelatively smallarea produced Only approximately 5%of themonumenthasbeen 4.7 Post Excavation Considerations Council andtheHeritage Council. model hasattracted fundingfrom Wicklow County A different modelmay beamore inclusiveand A fee-paying fieldschoolmay havebenefitsinthatit 101 This posesa considerable challenge to to fee-paying students,it would possibly opportunity for IrishandScandinavian social inclusion andacommunity 100 This gy in an be of great benefit to fit them out to be centres for conservation, artefact processing and post- Key Issues - Research Strategy excavation analysis and as a temporary storage space • Requirement for an expert historian in the for archaeological materials. It should have areas for period to assess some of the historical conservation, photography, digital recording and the questions outlined above (and any other historical avenues that Waterford City and processing of bulk soil samples with adequate provision County Council as advised by the Steering for waste materials. Conservation expertise may be Committee deems fit). obtained on a contract basis, but such a facility may • Requirement for an archaeological strategy require a full-time collections manager. Such a space focused on key research questions, with may have a wider benefit for other local authority priorities focused around practical issues such managed museums around Ireland as well as private as land ownership etc. consultancies, thus creating the potential for the facility • A feasibility study should be carried out to become self-funding. It would fulfil a much-needed to evaluate the opportunities of large- scale experimental archaeology projects at role in supporting the National Museum of Ireland. Woodstown. If experimental archaeology is Such a facility may also be an important part of the deemed to be feasible and desirable, The School visitor experience. Further consultation is required with of Archaeology at University College Dublin the National Museum of Ireland to ensure that such a are Ireland’s leading experts on experimental archaeology. Initial consultation about this facility would meet their requirements. To understand project has been positively received. It is the potential for this proposal, a feasibility study recommended that University College Dublin should be conducted to examine the business case for are consulted further with a view to adding such a facility and to ascertain whether it would be a them to the Steering Committee if they so wish. sustainable proposition. • Any experimental archaeology at Woodstown must directly reflect evidence that was found on site, UNDERSTANDING WOODSTOWN Following specialist analysis and conservation of or be informed by contemporary archaeological discoveries from Ireland or at associated sites 54 artefacts that may be discovered in future excavations elsewhere (such as Kaupang, Norway). at Woodstown, it would be of benefit to consider where • When considering the reconstruction of a they will be displayed. Ideally, the artefacts should be Viking longship, contact should be made with exhibited locally in the Waterford Treasures (subject to the Viking Association at Tønsberg and the agreement between the National Museum of Ireland and Roskilde Viking Ship Museum to learn from Waterford Treasures). This would satisfy one of the 2008 their experiences, processes and expertise. Report recommendations, that stated that a link should • Offer opportunities for Norwegian students be maintained between Woodstown and the museums and archaeologists, along with other Irish 102 institutions to get involved with experimental of the Viking Triangle in Waterford City. Relevant archaeology. artefacts should be displayed in these museums for the benefit of the population of the south-east region and • Populate the site with Living History, this requires close collaboration with Déise the country at large. Arrangements to this end will be Medieval. Members have expressed a strong pursued between Waterford Museum and the National interest in staying overnight and living like a Museum of Ireland, as appropriate.103 This should be a Viking. This could be an extremely informative dedicated and permanent exhibition and should also opportunity to better understand the lived experience on site. Having well-informed include the artefacts that were previously discovered people in accurate costume also adds to the on site during the initial excavations. With the guidance visitor experience. of the National Museum of Ireland, this could also provide an opportunity to establish a collaborative approach with museums in Norway and Scandinavia for object loans and the exchange of conservation and interpretative skills and practices. Having Scandinavian objects from similar sites to Viking Woodstown, such as Kaupang for example, would help to showcase the story of Viking trade and cultural identity, and reinforce the shared nature of the archaeological heritage.
102 Final Report of the Woodstown Working Group. 2008. p. 32. 103 Final Report of the Woodstown Working Group. 2008. p.28. 5. Telling the Story of Viking Woodstown site inavariety of different ways. chance tolearnsomething new andtoappreciate the should offer something for everyone andgivethema meanings todifferent people, good interpretation relevant to visitors. Somesitescanoften havedifferent Woodstown asa world-class attraction. that will, inthelong-term, helptoestablishViking each of thoseaudiences, with anengagement strategy the typeof content andexperience that would work for section of theplan, you will findideasanddiscussionon that isinspiring,informative andremarkable. Inthis the project andboth will require meaningfulengagement are of vitalimportance tothelong-term sustainability of and those who will experience itoff-site. Both audiences be considered –those who want anon-site experience Viking Woodstown, two audiences inparticular needto such astheBurra Charter andtheFaro Convention. following therecommendations of policiesandguidelines is alsodesignedinline with internationalbestpractice, consultation with theSteering Committee. This strategy heritage sites with similar circumstances andthrough with internationalbestpractice, examplesof other informed by thestory of Woodstown itself, along This AnimationandInterpretation Strategy is ExperienceOn-Site Visitor for5.1 General the Philosophies Suggestions for Suggestions Marketing - 5.0 Telling theStory 104 Burke, R., Jackman, N., & Ryan. C. 2017. C. &Ryan. N., Jackman, R., Burke, 104 Council – see also – see Council Good interpretation helpsto make aplace more When considering thebest way of tellingthestory of An Animation &Interpretation with Strategy Interpretation: Good-Practice Guidance Adopt a Monument: Guidance for Community Archaeology Projects , Heritage Lottery Fund 2013. Fund Lottery , Heritage e core needs of interpretation: e coreneedsof importance of Viking Woodstown. impact ininforming users of theGreenway aboutthe be installedrelatively quickly andhaveanimmediate recommendations for on-siteinterpretation thatcould intangible tovisitors, inthatlighthere are someinitial Woodstown itself may stillremain relatively reconstruction will require time.Initially Viking as theexcavations, experimentalarchaeology and The on-siteinterpretation willbeanevolvingprocess 5.2 On-Site Interpretation Theinterpretation mustbe rooted in good information. • Itmustbesustainable. • Itmustnot detract from themonumenti.e.itmustmatch • Haveaclear theme. • Meettheneedsof avariety of audiences. • Be well organised andeasy tounderstand. • Berelevant –connect between theheritage andpeople’s • Itmustcatchattention. • the valuesof the site. own experience. . Kilkenny: The Heritage Heritage The . Kilkenny: 104
56 TELLING THE STORY 57 TELLING THE STORY that features expertsspeaking aboutspecificaspects of consider aQRcode thatlinkstoa well produced video panels shouldincludealinkto the TII audiobookand Irish andScandinavianhistorical connections. The Old Norse for accessibility andtohelppromote the Ministerial consent andarchaeological mitigation. ground works inthevicinity of themonument will require impact uponthemonument.Itshouldbenoted thatany and positionedinsucha way astohaveminimalvisual to all. They shouldbebeautifully designed,durable and font size toensure thatthepanelsare accessible Consideration shouldbegiventoplacement, height to tellthestory of Viking Woodstown atanearly stage. monument. Fivepanelsshouldbeconsidered tohelp maintenance way of deliveringinformation aboutthe sites andcanoffer anaccessible and relatively low- Interpretation panelsare acommon feature atheritage 5.2.1.2 Initial Interpretation –Interpretative Panels the NationalMonuments Acts 1930to2014. people thatthesiteisprotected under theprovisions of be erected inthevicinity of themonumenttoinform A standard NationalMonument‘Fógra’ notice should Monument ‘Fógra’ Notice. Initial Interpretation –Erection aNational of 5.2.1.1 5.2.1 Initial Interpretation Each panelshouldbepresented inEnglish, Irishand context for thevisitor. and elaborating more onthisperiodtoprovide deeper with anexpertdescribing why thesiteissoimportant for themonument. This panelshouldlinktoavideo designed timelineatthebasetohelpestablishacontext a general audience. There shouldalsobeagraphically Norse. The textshouldbeinformative anddelivered to text describingthemonument,inEnglish, IrishandOld within. Itshouldfeature approximately 250 words of appearance of theenclosure andallknown buildings have looked like initsheyday andincludethescale an immediatevisualrepresentation of what thesitemay understanding of themonument. This drawing cangive drawing, basedonanassessment of thecurrent of thesite. This should feature alarge reconstruction This panelshouldbetasked withgivinganoverview Panel 1 content for interpretative panelsare detailedbelow: of thedecorative elementsof thedesign.Suggested representation, for example,usingtheOldNorse aspart somewhat textheavy. This could bemitigated by graphic be giventothedesignasthey may appear tobe If thepanelsare tobetrilingual,consideration must report suchinstances totherelevant authorities. information shouldalsoincludeinformation onhow to panels if aseparate specificnotice isnot produced. Such detecting shouldalsobeincludedonatleastoneof the the site.Information aboutthecriminalnature of metal Woodstown 2018 Fig 5.1Membersof DéiseMedieval atVikingHeritage Day, It shouldalsoprovide information onthe wetland area has changed tobecome thelandscape that we seetoday. was like atthetimeof theViking settlement,andhow it landscape of thesite.Itshoulddetail what the landscape This panelshould focus onthebiodiversity andnatural Panel 5 (Norway), with another discussingVikingtrade. link toavideofeaturing anexpertdiscussingKaupang that puts Woodstown initscontext. This panelshould be highlightedtogiveanimmediatevisualrepresentation silver dirham. The origins of theseartefacts shouldalso feature particular artefacts suchastheamber, ivory or images of aVikingshipsontheRiver Suir. Itshould highlighting links with overseas sites,along with artistic display amapof Ireland, BritainandScandinavia international aspectof Viking Woodstown. Itshould This panelshouldbetasked withhighlightingthe Panel 4 us aboutVikingcraft andindustry. discussing what theevidence from Woodstown cantell an expertdiscussingthe warrior grave andanother audience. This panelshouldlinktoavideo featuring text shouldbeinformative anddelivered toageneral the monument,inEnglish, Irishand OldNorse. The feature approximately 250 words of textdescribing representation of thelivedexperience. Itshould reconstruction drawings (in colour) togivetangible daily life andsociety anddeath. This shouldinclude Viking Woodstown. Itcould focus oncraft andindustry, detail aboutthedaily life of those who livedanddiedin This panelshouldbetasked withpresenting more Panel 3 and theefforts to conserve them. another speaker describingtheimportance of theartefacts detail, another speakingabouttheexcavation itself, and about thegeophysical survey and what itrevealed inmore perspective, another interview with acontributor speaking discussing thenature of theroad developmentfrom a TII panel shouldlinktoaninterview with JamesEogan text (per language) shouldnot exceed c.250 words. This explanations abouthow geophysics works. The total about conservation andgeophysical results with methods, aselectionof theartefacts with information images of theexcavation with information aboutthe such archaeological discoveries. Itshouldfeature allows visitors tounderstand the process behind and excavations. This gives context totheplace and of how the site was discovered, thegeophysical survey This panelshouldbetasked withpresenting thestory Panel 2 artwork, itmay alsobesubjecttoplanningpermission. Republic of Ireland, dependentuponthesize of the National Safety Authority for therailway sector inthe the Commission for Railway Regulation which isthe Suir Valley Railway, consultation will berequired with site. However, giventheproximity tothe Waterford therefore offer another layer of interpretation for the would alsocreate astrong visualrepresentation and not only beanother attraction for theGreenway, butit once asettlement.Suchlarge scaleartwork would an appropriate sentimentfor thedepictionof what was arch issuggestive of being‘inside’, ‘indoors’ or ‘within’, monument. Furthermore, thesymbolic useof atent- an immediatevisualimpression of thelarge scaleof the at either endof thearchaeological site. This would give excavation. Two arches shouldbeconstructed, placed the quantity of ferrous objectsdiscovered during to fitbetter withthelandscapeandalsoto reflect COR-TEN steelsoitdevelopsarusty, organic patina Greenway. Suchasculpture shouldbeconstructed of could form a‘symbolic gateway’ over thetrack of the decorative beastheadsatthetop(see Figs5.2and5.3), of thecrossed timbers of aVikingtent, with stylised form afeature ontheGreenway. A large representation One such way istocommission anartwork thatcould understanding of thesize andscaleof thesettlement. remains, itisdifficult for the general publictohavean As thearchaeological siteisintangible,below-surface Initial Interpretation – Artworks 5.2.1.3 discussing theseaspectsinmore detail. link toavideoshouldfeature theBiodiversity Data Centre and theimportance of theriverineaspectof thesite. A GmbH _ Alamy Stock Photo) Fig 5.2BeastheadsonaViking tent(Zoonar
58 TELLING THE STORY 59 TELLING THE STORY and freedom’. of undiscovered territory, adream of hope,progress in 1990. The artistintendeditto ‘convey thepromise It was created by Jón Gunnar Árnason andunveiled Viking Sculpture inReykjavík, Iceland (see Figure 5.4). 1.4.2). A stunningexampleisthe as revealed inour publicconsultation (see Section are animmediately identifiableaspect of Vikingculture, representation of aVikinglongshipor boat.Suchships Fairhair became kingof allNorway (see Figure 5.5). took place there in A.D. 872, when King Harald the historic Battleof Hafrsfjord which by tradition Røed andit was unveiledin1983. They commemorate some 10metres tall, was created by sculptor Fritz A sculpture of three bronze swords, eachstanding (Swords inRock) sculpture near Stavanger, Norway. representing Viking heritage canbeseenat A further exampleof strikingmonumentalartwork stainless steelandstandsonacircle of granite slabs. 105 105 Another appropriate artwork toconsider isa Þjóðviljinn (Incamerastock _ Alamy Stock Photo) Fig 5.4Solfar VikingSculpture, Reykjavik, Iceland 105 , 11 July 1987 July , 11 The sculpture ismadefrom highgrade Sólfar (Sun Voyager) Sverd ifjell
story of thepast. effective andengaging way tovisually represent the the way backtotheninthcentury. This would bea cost backwards inregular stages with key eventslistedall be broader andstart with thepresent day, moving refer toentriesaboutVikingsinthe Annals, or itcould dates andeventslisted. These eventsanddates could moving backwards intimetotheViking Age, with increments shouldhavetheeffect of thetraveller increments alongthesurface of theGreenway. These marker postsor by paintingaseriesof regular into atimeline. This could beachieved by stylised- Woodstown istoturnthetrack of theGreenway itself Another way tocreatively placemark Viking (Herbjørn Tjeltveit _ Alamy Stock Photo) Fig 5.5Sverd ifjell (swords in rock), Stavanger artwork atWoodstown Fig 5.3Conceptual suggestionof monumental form natural tunnelsandhideaways. sensory aspect with trained hazel or willow trees that feature engagingVikingthemedsculptures anda suitable distance from themonument. The trail could trail thattraverses the wooded area, butagainretains This could befurther addedto withasmallchildren’s Ladby, Denmark. site, asinthisexampleFigure 5.6 from VikingMuseum that their parents canpushalongtheGreenway tothe idea tohavesmall wagons intheshapeof Vikingships for smallchildren itmightevenbeaquirky andengaging should reflect thetheme of theVikings,andinfuture, the walk tothesitefor younger visitors. The playground accessible for families, providing a‘staging post’along monuments as well asbeingmore convenient andeasily distance between theplayground andany reconstructed carpark atCarriganore. This would allow for suitable this would beinthesmall wooded area near themain area themedontheViking-Age. The ideallocation for Consideration mightalsobegiventocreating aplay Children’s Trail Initial Interpretation – Viking Playground & 5.2.1.4 107 106 Jackman, N. 2018. 2018. N. Jackman, 106 108 Birley, R. 2009. 2009. R. Birley, 108
GmbH _ Alamy Stock Photo) Ladby VikingMuseumDenmark(MauritiusImages Fig 5.6 Children's wagons shapedlike Vikingshipsat Final Report of the Woodstown Working Group. 2008. p. 33. p.33. 2008. Group. Working Woodstown the of Report Final Vindolanda, A Roman Frontier Fort &Town Fort Frontier ARoman Vindolanda, Sacred Skies and Earthly Sinners: The Hellfire Club Archaeological Project. Archaeological Club Hellfire The Sinners: Earthly and Skies Sacred . Publishing. Amberley and alsoencourage archaeology asacareer path. first hand willhelpthearchaeological sector in general process (excavation) andseeingarchaeology happen Report which recommends thatpublicviewing of the genuine curiosity about‘how we know what we know’. a keen interest intheexperience of excavation anda public interest inthe develop our understanding thepast. There isa real understand how the process of archaeology helps opportunity for thepublictosee,experience and accessible, or atleastviewable, offers aunique Having theexcavations andexperimentalarchaeology TheProcess the as Attraction 5.2.2.1 Strategies 5.2.2 Long Term Interpretation excavation or theinterpretation of thesite. methods andthetools we used,thantheresults of the and many were more interested intheprocess, the 2016, hundreds of peoplevisitedthesiteevery day, at theHellfire ClubintheDublinMountainsOctober finished product. Duringthisauthor’s publicexcavation Wall since the1970s. investigations of alarge Roman fort onHadrian’s Trust havebeencarryingoutexcavations and in Northumbria, England. The VindolandaCharitable archaeology beingthemainattraction isatVindolanda The bestinternationalexample of theprocess of Attraction –Case Study: Vindolanda, England. The Archaeological Process an as 5.2.2.2 learn aboutthediverse livesandtimesof thepeople make their own journeys of discovery tothesiteand ‘The Charity isgrateful tothepeople who continue to curation of apartof aUNESCO World Heritage Site. remains analternativemodelfor theexploration and preservation or conservation work andinthis way core fundingfor any of thearchaeological, research, generated by those who visititssites.Ithasnever had revenue costs andachievedaimsthankstotheincome Vindolanda Charitable Trust hasalways metitscore exhibition of artefacts andinformation onthesite. The surveys takingplace. A visitor centre on-sitehostsan fort, and witness archaeological excavations and around theexposedfoundations andfeatures of the This hasbeenpreviously highlightedinthe2008 Clonmel: Abarta Heritage. Clonmel: Abarta 108 process Today visitors canenjoy tours rather thanjustthe 106 There was 107
60 TELLING THE STORY 61 TELLING THE STORY Woodstown ismade accessible tovisitors. ensuring thatthearchaeological excavation process at values atVindolanda,there issignificantpotential in continue’. none of theabovecould havetaken place, nor will it of VindolandaandHadrian’s Wall. Without them, oppose tothestandard adultentry fee of £8.25. excavations were valuedat£27.18 per individualas pay estimatesfrom visitors showed thattheon-site artefacts were displayed onsite. Willingness-to- and oneahalf timesmore importantthanensuring times more importantthan providing areconstruction, important thantheprovision of anaudioguide,four to visitors thanreducing entry fees, 19timesmore excavations were considered 27timesmore important on-site display of artefacts from thesite.Research and most importantelementtovisitors, followed by the presence of excavation andresearch atthesite was the to change or remain thesame. The study found thatthe visitors were offered different options for eachelement visitor facilities andtheprice of entry. A total of 149 reconstruction, themuseumanddisplay of artefacts, of on-siteresearch andexcavation, interpretation, survey asked visitors for their opinionsof thepresence public valueonVindolanda was carriedoutin2008. The 112 Minard, P. F. Folcher, and Minard, 2003. 112 Wall. Hadrian’s 111 t experiment choice of application an site: archaeological an of components the ‘Valuing 2008. K. Willis, and N. Kinghorn, . 110 https://www.vindolanda.com/history-of-the-trust Trust: the of – History Vindolanda 109 England (Washington Imaging_ Alamy Stock Photo) site atVindolandaRoman Fort Northumberland, Fig 5.7Visitors watch volunteers excavating the Based ontheexperience andexpressed public https://www.guedelon.fr. 109 A choice modellingsurvey toassessthe Journal of Cultural Heritage Guédelon: Des Hommes Fous, Un Château Fort Château Un Fous, Hommes Des Guédelon: . 110 Burgundy, France. visitor attraction canbeseenatGuédeloninNorthern of experimentalarchaeology becoming animportant key attraction atViking Woodstown. A perfect example archaeology alsohassignificantpotential inbeinga interest tothepublic,process of experimental Much like theprocess of excavations beingof great an Attraction –Case Study: Guédelon, France. 5.2.2.3 The Experimental Archaeology Process as can seeonsite.Visitors are encouraged to watch, but are someof theskillsandtechniquesthatvisitors woodworking, transporting loadsby horse andcart Extracting anddressing stones,rubble walling, explain different heritage skillstoa wideaudience. One of thesite’s principalaimsistodemonstrate and lasting atleast25 years. term project. Itbeganin1997, andithasaplanfor works and historians.Like Vindolanda,thisisviewed asalong committee madeupof archaeologists, castellologists works atGuédelonare informed by ascientificadvisory offer training, meaningful work anda real future.” a longtermcommitment topeople. Itmeant we could Martin: “What excited me aboutthisproject was making for archaeology andtheparticipants was noted by medieval techniquesandtools. The potential benefits construct atypicalFrench medievalcastleusingonly amongst others. The intentionfrom theoutset was to historians, ledby MichelGuyot andMarylineMartin donated toagroup of medievalarchaeologists and . Aubanel. Fig 5.8 Visitors at Guédelon (James Eogan)Fig 5.8VisitorsatGuédelon(James 111 A disusedstonequarry was o Vindolanda, o Vindolanda, 112 The Denmark. An interesting examplecanbefound at Albertslund, are anumber of reconstructed Vikingvillages inEurope. site, by ‘putting thepeoplebackintopast’. There create atangiblevisualconnection tothestory of the complement thereconstructed settlementandhelpto Adding alivinghistory component tothesite would both & Jorvik Viking Centre, York, England. – Case Study: Albertslund Viking Village, Denmark an as History 5.2.2.4 Living Attraction hemp ropes. traditional terracotta roof tiles,oakshakes, flaxand daub or rubble walling, makingandusinglimewashes, construction siteoffers information on wattle-and- practical lessonsinsustainablebuilding. This pioneering better understand their work. Guédelonalsoprovides also totalk with thecraftsmen and women inorder to visits, andallother visitors are charged anentrance local authority runsthevillage andorganises school institutions, especially grades K-12, from theregion. The historical workshop approach was usedby educational focus onauthenticity andactiveparticipation. The The vision was to reconstruct avillage withastrong County, originatedtheideaof theVikingVillage in1992. 35 working onthebuildingitself. site hasbecome entirely self-financing. the ticket sales,giftshopandon-site restaurants, the the region, with over 300,000 annualvisitors. Through skills. The sitehasbecome a key touristattraction for travel toGuédelongainexperience anddeveloptheir and practitioners from allover Europe, includingIreland, pp.47-71, in Kahn, M.A et al. 118 al. et M.A Kahn, pp.47-71, in Hospitality D from Investigation Ethnographic An Village: aViking in “Eco-Innovations 2015. H.G. Parsa, and Wray, M.L., H., Sorensen, 117 116 https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/viking-village-albertslund-gdk700197. 115 2018. Pack Press Guédelon Ibid. 114 113 https://www.guedelon.fr/en/introduction_75.html. Image Collection _ Alamy Stock Photo) Fig 5.9 Aerial view of RibeVikingCenter inRibe,Denmark(National Geographic https://www.jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk. 116 Here thelocalauthority, Albertslund 113 Guédelonemploys 70people, with over . Oakville, Canada. Apple Academic Press. dacsi optlt n ors:Ssanblt,Sca epniiiyadInvtosi ors n and Tourism in Innovations and Responsibility Social Sustainability, Tourism: and Hospitality in Advances 114 Masons,carpenters 115 million visitors. was established,Jorvik has welcomed approximately 19 life asit would havebeenin10thcentury York. Since it reconstructed Viking-Age streets andtoexperience had taken place, allowing visitors toexperience was establishedonthevery site where theexcavations as itstoodnearly 1,000 years ago. Jorvik VikingCentre workshops andbackyards of theViking-Age city of Jorvik independent educationalcharity, revealed thehouses, 1981 archaeologists from York Archaeological Trust, an and historicalauthenticity. Between the years 1976– attraction thathasaparticular focus onarchaeological key valuesshared by stakeholders suchasDéiseMedieval. Woodstown particularly well, especially giventhattheseare the collaborative approach isamodelthat would suit structures, fencing andtools. trees thatare usedfor allconstruction needs,including Village hasthepurposeof growing tallstraight oak hectares of theforest immediately northof theViking construction technology or tools were allowed. Two Copenhagen area asmodels.Like Guédelon,nomodern and historians,usingexcavated Vikingsitesfrom the three mainstakeholders: museums,archaeologists village were reconstructed incollaboration with the through theprocess of participation. The housesinthe shops or bars for example. The enjoyment comes education rather thantourism,there are nosouvenir fee. The focus at Albertslundisonauthenticity and Jorvik VikingCentre isanother successful visitor This commitment toeducationandauthenticity, and 118 117 enmark” enmark”
62 TELLING THE STORY 63 TELLING THE STORY Fig 5.11VikingsbattleatWoodstown VikingHeritage Day2019 Fig 5.10Foteviken Viking Reserve, Hollviken, Sweden (Stuart Black_ Alamy Stock Photo) English Heritage, A number of potential barriers were identified by can beenjoyed by all. develop inclusivefoundations thatensures thatthesite mitigating thesebarriers from theoutset,it will helpto visitors toour historic,builtandnatural environment. that provide better publicaccess for abledanddisabled RPO 196Better Public Access: enjoying thesite.Suchaproactive consideration reflects some groups from accessing, understanding and how toavoidestablishingbarriers thatmay exclude to beaware of theneeds of avariety of audiences, and and interpretation of Viking Woodstown itisimportant When considering longtermgoals inthepresentation Attraction 5.3 Woodstown an as Accessible promote itasatourismassetandeducational facility Woodstown Vikingsite which isanationalmonumentand Plan 2011-2017: artefacts displayed ina Waterford Treasures museum. to post-excavation analysis toseeingtheconserved from theexcavations, reconstructions andinterpretation; could thenexperience the whole process of archaeology, guide abouttheprocesses. With suchanendeavour avisitor out infront of them,andaskquestionsof anappointed visitors could view theconservation works beingcarried become partof thevisitor experience. Insuchafacility, for conservation andanalysis thistoocould conceivably building[s] canbeidentifiedasapost-excavation centre in understanding thestory of thepast.If appropriate importance of conservation andscientifictechniques but italsocreates anopportunity todemonstrate the only thenextgeneration of Viking-Age specialists, Viking Woodstown hasthepotential tocreate not Post-Excavation Analysis an as 5.2.2.5 Attraction 122 123 121 English Heritage. 2013. 2013. Heritage. English (2019) 196. Objective Planning Regional Region, 121 Southern the for Strategy &Economic Spatial Regional 2011-2017. Plan Development Council’s &County 120 City 7. Waterford Objective: Development 119 Managers. • Physical barriers • Sensory barriers • Intellectual barriers This ideafulfils DO7 inthe Waterford Co. Development Taking Part 2014/15 Quarter 2 Statistical Release, December 2014, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, UK, cited in Secco in cited UK, Sport, and Media Culture, for 2014, Department December Release, 2Statistical Quarter 2014/15 Taking Part Seccombe, P. & Lehnes, P. P. (eds) & Lehnes, Seccombe, 2015. see or hear –for exampletextthatistoosmalltoread. they canaccess thecontent inother ways. of formats sothatif peopleprefer not toor cannot read of thisbarrier isalsoaboutgiving information inavariety that istoolongandusestechnicallanguage. Beingaware interpretation difficulttounderstand -for exampletext European Association for Heritage Interpretation: Interpret Europe. Interpret Interpretation: Heritage for Association European It isanobjective of thisPlan toprotect 121 thatcanmake interpretation difficultto theseinclude: make interpretation difficultto access thatcanmake the content of Interpretation: Good-practice Guidance. Good-practice Interpretation: To promote initiatives Heritage Interpretation for Senior Audiences: A Handbook for Heritage Interpreters and Interpretation . 120 119 By Heritage Lottery Fund. Lottery Heritage Lehnes, covering physical, intellectual,emotional, social series of considerations by Peter Seccombe andPatrick differences havebeenidentifiedand broken intoa than other visitor demographics. These suggested A senior audience hasdifferent needsandexpectations to allaudiences (see above). to ensure Viking Woodstown isasaccessible aspossible mobility. They shouldbeequally considered intheplan power and with healthissuesthatmay affect their market, there are alsoseniors with lesspurchasing may berelatively wealthy andtherefore agood target Section 2.9.5). Although many of thesesenior visitors particularly alignedtoIreland’s Ancient East(see Curious market targeted by Fáilte Ireland asbeing population will beaged 65+. Predictions are that,by 2060, about30%of theEU represent around 25%of theEuropean population. economy”. Senior citizens (55 years oldandover) of life expectancy, which foster theriseof the“silver shaped by decliningbirthrates andthelengthening All over the world, societiesare rapidly changing, Audiences Presenting WoodstownViking forSenior from 71%to77%.In2014: arts andculture activitiessince 2005/6 with agrowth demonstrated asignificantincrease inengagement in Figures from theUK show thatadultsaged 65-74 have the number of older peopleenjoying artsandculture. people inthepopulationthere hasbeenanincrease in • Organisational barriers • Financial barriers • Cultural barriers 79.9% of 65-74 year oldsand57.8% of over 75 year olds • 77%of 65-74 year oldsand60.6% of over 75 year oldshad • 55.2%of peopleaged 65to74 years hadvisiteda • This age group isalsoa core part of the Culturally Alongside theincrease intheproportion of older events programme running only duringmidweek. the way theinterpretation isprovided –for examplean interpretation provided only inEnglish. perspectives of different audiences – for example wheelchair users touse. – for exampleadisplay thatistoohighfor children and had visitedaheritage site. engaged inanartsactivity; museum or gallery duringtheprevious year; thatfail toreflect thecultural that exclude peopleonlow incomes. exclude visitors becauseof 123 122
mbe & Lehnes, 2015. &Lehnes, mbe
64 TELLING THE STORY 65 TELLING THE STORY the impacts of that therelationship with heritage isslightly higher than main determinantsof life satisfaction). The study found positive boostinlife satisfaction (after controlling for the site within thepast12monthsexperience asignificant A study hasshown thatthose who havevisitedaheritage Woodstown forWellbeing visitor market. Viking Woodstown isaligned with what may beacore issues, itallows for aholisticapproach toensuring a connection. A recent study by HistoricEngland, to get ‘handson’ or toshare anexperience or make the monumentgenerally without theopportunity monument like acastle, where avisitor canonly view wellbeing thanamore traditional ‘passive’ visittoa Woodstown offers evengreater potential tohelp foster term goals for experimentalarchaeology inparticular, Given theproposed participatory focus of thelong- routes to wellbeing. offers thepotential toaddress allsix of thesepotential and cultural needs. through heritage. details sixroutes whereby avisitor canderive wellbeing P. P. (eds) &Lehnes, Seccombe, 2015. 124 Managers 127 Ibid. 2018. L. Monckton, and C., Nolan, S., Reilly, 126 images-books/publications/wellbeing-and-the-histor content/heritage-counts/pub/2014/heritage-and-wellbeing-pdf/. 125 Heritage as Environment: • Heritage asPlace: • Heritage asHealing: • Heritage asMechanism: • Heritage asParticipation: • Heritage asProcess: • With aparticipatory andinclusivefocus, Woodstown Fujiwara, D., Cornwall, T., and Dolan. P. T., 2014. Dolan. and D., Cornwall, Fujiwara, (building or landscape) bestpromote wellbeing. understand which historiccharacteristics of aplace environment, however more research isneededto and somefindingscanbeusefully appliedtothehistoric nature and wellbeing hasbeenextensively researched environmental degradation. a potential solutiontosocialisolation,sustainability and of aplace-based historicenvironment. from mobileheritage (or objecthandling)tothecontext health and wellbeing. The notion could betranslated meaning-making andcultural inclusionisrelevant to providing acommon pointof interest or experience. people together for therapeutic or socialpurpose satisfaction. wellbeing, thuspositively contributing towards life understanding thatcultural engagement islinked to the historicenvironment and wellbeing. Itsupports interest isthelargest area of research regarding involved that yields wellbeing outcomes. committed relationship over time, isaprocess of being . European Association for Heritage Interpretation: Interpret Europe. Interpret Interpretation: Heritage for Association . European participatinginsportandthearts. 124 reclaiming asenseof place isseenas By considering thesedifferent heritage-triggered thinking, volunteeringasanactiveand using cultural assetstobring visitingsitesof cultural the beneficiallinkbetween Heritage Interpretation for Senior Audiences: A Handbook for Heritage Interpreters and Interpretation Interpretation and Interpreters Heritage for AHandbook Audiences: Senior for Interpretation Heritage Wellbeing and the Historic Environment. Historic the and Wellbeing Heritage and Wellbeing 127 125 126 ic-environment/wellbeing-and-historic-environment/.
whatever their age, physical mobility or needs. that Viking Woodstown isaccessible for allaudiences, the following recommendations will helptoensure Should Woodstown bedevelopedasatouristattraction, Key -On-site Issues Accessibility Waterford Greenway footfall counters. 900 inattendance throughout theday according tothe event was extremely popular with visitors, with over across Ireland, theUK,Germany andScandinavia. The well asparticipationfrom other livinghistory groups enactors, includingmembers from DéiseMedievalas for 25th August 2019. The event featured over 70 re- Day ontheGreenway’ was organised by DéiseMedieval County Council. The most recent event‘Viking Heritage Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Waterford City and at Woodstown inrecent years, with thesupportof centre of anumber of popular Heritage Week events the VikingandNorman periods. They havebeenatthe events andcrafts. They particularly specialisein both through livinghistory displays, battlere-enactments, passionate aboutcommunicating thestory of thepast group. They are a collective of enthusiasts whoare Waterford, establishedasanot-for-profit voluntary Déise Medievalare alivinghistory society basedin Medieval5.4.1 Déise 5.4 Festivals, Events History &Living Any visualinterpretation onsite(for example • Walkways shouldbe well designedtobeboth accessible, • Itis worth considering how someone with reduced • There shouldbe consideration givento rest stopsand • Toilets andrest stopsshouldbeclearly signpostedand • eotfrEgihHrtg.hts/hsoiegadogu/ https://historicengland.org.uk/ Heritage. English for . Report help toimprove accessibility. of media(traditional signage, braille andaudio) would impaired visitors inmind. The provision of different types interpretative panels) shouldbedesigned with visually Viking settlement. and tobeinkeeping with theaestheticof areconstructed the easiest way toaccess thesite. establish anaccessible platform at Woodstown toform is toform linkages with theSuir Valley Railway andto physical mobility may access thesite.Oneapproach sheltered areas atthesiteandalongroute. easily accessible anduser-friendly. Hsoi nln.hts/hsoiegadogu/ Historic England. https://historicengland.org.uk/ Fig 5.12Lead weights andsilver from Woodstown ondisplayinReginalds Tower (Neil Jackman, Abarta Heritage) Treasures atReginald's Tower Fig 5.12Woodstown artefacts ondisplayinWaterford Waterford TreasuresReginald'sat Tower Fig 5.14Viking weapons from Woodstown ondisplay in at Reginald's Tower Woodstown ondisplayinWaterford Treasures Fig 5.13Lead weights andsilver from
66 TELLING THE STORY 67 TELLING THE STORY Treasures atReginald's Tower Fig 5.15Information aboutWoodstown inWaterford craft beer market. history, storytelling,theBigDigfor Kidsandafood and Heritage Park. The day-long event featured living the Quayside in Wexford Town with theIrishNational Recently aninaugural ‘VikingFire Festival’ tookplace on of oldshipssmoothly sailingtheriver andlagoon. scenery iscomplemented by characteristic silhouettes construct bows, fight, prepare Viking food, etc. The workshops, try tobuildgoods outof purple willow, Participants spendnightsintents,get involvedincraft life, includingtheir craft, armour andsocial ceremonies. 3 days anddemonstrates ancientVikingandSlavonic 800 exhibitors andtensof thousandsof tourists.Itlasts Festival hasbecome aspectacular event, with about at Wolin, aPolish islandontheBalticSea. The Wolin largest celebrates Viking,GermanicandSlavicheritage spectators, not unlike large musicfestivals. Oneof the spread over multipledays with tensof thousandsof Europe, someof which havebecome enormousevents There isalongtradition of Viking-themed festivals in Festivals5.4.2 Viking costume, askquestionsandtry crafts and food. with theopportunity toseepeopleinauthenticViking to offer alivinghistory experience providing visitors a strong interest inhavinganongoing presence onsite bi-annual large scaleacademicevents. They alsohave be tiedintoaVikingFestival or launchthebeginningof festivals and eventsfeature inthetablebelow. research of the Woodstown site. the disseminationof information gainedfrom thorough international conference could beheldin Waterford for the story of theVikings. According tothe2008report an Week eventsinto alivinghistory festival thatcelebrates interested indevelopingandexpandingtheHeritage general public with thesite. The group are particularly of ideasandsuggestions thatcould helptoengage the highly enthusedby theprospect andoffered anumber living history at Woodstown. All inattendance were October 2019, thegroup discussedthepotential for Viking Heritage Day andinasubsequentmeeting consultation with members of DéiseMedievalatthe something specialfor Viking Woodstown. Following capacity, they offer a wonderful opportunity tocreate in aninclusive way. With supporttohelpthembuild also deeply engaged with thesocialfabric of thecity and educatingpeopleaboutheritage andthey are the region. They are passionateabout communicating It isclear thatDéiseMedievalare anenormousassetfor 2013. June 1, Issue 130 in identity’ https://www.rte.ie/news/2019/0925/1078094-viking-fire- festival-in-wexford/. of conceptions and tourism Island, ‘Wolin 2013. B. Bożętka, p.34. 129 2008. Group. Working Woodstown the of Report Final 128 The Journal of Marine and Island Cultures. Island and Marine of Journal The 130 Examplesof other Viking-themed 128 This conference could Volume 2, 2, Volume 129
Table 2: A selection of Viking-themedTable Festivals 2: A selectionof andEvents inEurope. aeAgs 1Day Late August al ue4Days Early June al ue4Days Early June aeArl4Days Late April Last week al uy2Days Early July i-a 2Days Mid-May i-a 3Days Mid-May aeJn 7Days Late June aeMy3Dy iigigTnvt owyUkonUnknown Unknown Norway Tingvatn Vikingting 3Days Late May aeJl 2Days Late July i uy7Days Mid July aeFb8Days Late Feb aeJn1DyUpHelly Aa 1Day Late Jan ae uainNm oainCountry Location Name Duration Dates of April of August August Early Early 5 Days 3 Days 7 Days Trelleborg Viking Avaldsnes Viking Foteviken Viking Wolin Festival of Haithabu Spring Slavs & Vikings Viking Festival Viking Market Viking Market HafnarMörður HafnarMörður Jelling Viking Lofotr Viking International Jorvik Viking Viking Moot Woodstown Jork Viking Experience Viking Day Moesgaard Festival Festival Festival Festival Market Market Market Viking Ribe Bøstad, Lofoten anröðrIceland HafnarMörður Portadown rleogDenmark Trelleborg aefr Ireland Waterford vlse Norway Avaldsnes abr emn nnw Unknown Unknown Germany Hamburg Shetland Lerwick, Lerwick, udr emn nnw Unknown Unknown Germany Busdorf ahsDnakUkonAdult: €18.75 Unknown Denmark Aarhus Islands Islands am Sweden Malmö eln emr nnw Adult: €6.70 Unknown Denmark Jelling oi Poland Wolin okEgadUnknown England York ieDnakUkonUnknown Unknown Denmark Ribe Northern Scotland Norway Ireland (estimated tobetens 1,000+ participants. Approximate 800+ participants. Unknown visitors. Unknown visitors. Unknown visitors. Unknown visitors. 500+ participants. 200+ participants. 200+ participants. Unknown visitors Attendances unknown visitors 200 participants, 70+ participants. 150 participants. 10,000+ visitors More than1000 Estimated 950+ of thousands). of Up to80,000 participants, visitors. visitors. Varied. Some events public events. Some applicable) ticketed events. free butothers free Free formain Adult: €17.40 Child: €4.60 Family: €28 Family: €63 28–30 June Adults: €16 Senior: €17 Adult: €20 Adult: €14 Unknown Unknown Child: €15 Child: €4 Fee (if Fee (if Child: €7 ticketed. Free. Free
68 TELLING THE STORY 69 TELLING THE STORY informed about progress intheproject. All web content (see 6.7). A fortnightly mailshot would alsokeep users should alsohostthe‘Friends of Viking Woodstown’ give acompelling reason for users toreturn. The website information. This would allow the website togrow and should bedocumented with videos,blogpostsand place, bethey archaeological or reconstruction, they of content. As further investigations onthesitetake on the website andlinked, creating another richsource produced by Abarta Heritage, shouldalsobeembedded minutes induration each. The Woodstown audiobook, be produced toahighstandard andnomore thanc.3 of Woodstown andVikingIreland. The videosshould considered focusing ondifferent aspects of thestory series of shortvideosfeaturing expertsshouldalsobe to explainany unavoidabletechnicalterminology. A general audience, with aglossary of termsavailable and imagery andallthetextshouldbe written for a Woodstown. The website shouldberich with content what they tellusaboutthe livedexperience inViking that artefact type,theother examplesof itfound and then beclickable, leadingtodeeper information about immediate area. The artefacts themselvesshould images, andtheartefacts that were found inthe of thestructure shouldappear along with supporting example, if they highlightabuildingtheinterpretation on particular features when theuser clicks– for the layout of thesiteandproduce further information and investigations. An interactive mapshouldshow the key information from theprevious excavations find most rewarding. The websiteshould containall follow thestory of Woodstown tothelevelthatthey different layers of information allowing theuser to Much like theon-siteexperience itshouldhave is tobegin with thecreation of adedicated website. An effective method of providing an off-site experience Woodstown onthe 5.5.1 Web Woodstown for environmental, financial or other reasons. of vitalimportance for those who are unabletotravel to exercise. Providing ameaningfuloff-site experience is should go deeper thansimply beinganonlinemarketing marketing strategy. However, theoff-site strategy the story of Viking Woodstown, aspartof anengaging and servesasthefirst place where peoplecanencounter accessible. Italsohelpstogenerate interest inthesite designed tobeengaging,informative, multi-layered and The strategy for off-site interpretation shouldbe 5.5 Off-Site Interpretation 133 132 D. 2007. Skre, 131 134 Skre, D. 2011. D. 2011. Skre, Skre, D. 2008. D. 2008. Skre, Pedersen, U. 2016. U.2016. Pedersen, Kaupang in Skiringssal : Excavation and Surveys at Kaupang and Huseby and Kaupang at Surveys and :Excavation Skiringssal in Kaupang Things from the Town : Artefacts & Inhabitants in Viking-Age Kaupang Viking-Age in Inhabitants & Artefacts the : Town from Things Means of Exchange : Dealing with Silver in the Viking Age: The Kaupang Excavation Project Excavation Kaupang The Age: Viking the in Silver with :Dealing Exchange of Means Into the Melting Pot: The Kaupang Excavation Project Excavation Kaupang The Pot: Melting the Into platform, anditshouldserveto: content produced shouldbebestoptimised for each Facebook, Twitter,and YouTubeInstagram accounts. The media campaign, with Viking Woodstown havingitsown The website shouldbesupported by anengagingsocial Woodstown SocialMedia of thecontent intoNorwegian may beof benefit. links with Norway, translating atleastasubstantialpart should becaptioned for accessibility. Giventheclose visual or hearingimpairmentsandallvideocontent should bedesignedtoaccessible topeople with craft. anyone canenjoy andlearnfrom them. should beproduced inanengaging,visual way sothat publications shouldbeanacademiclevel,however they land management. The primary audience for these participatory modelsof learningandbiodiversity and archaeology aspectsas well assustainabletourism, publication onparticular historicalandexperimental publications detailingthediscoveries onsite,along with Woodstown there may bethescope for asimilar setof that may bederivedfrom further investigationsat findings. Theseincludeanoverview of thesite, that detaildifferent aspectsaboutthesiteandits at Kaupanghaveproduced aseriesof publications additional informative publications. The excavations at Woodstown offers thepotential toproduce the siteshouldfurther research take place there. an additionalprintruntomeettherenewed interest in through theLibrary system. Itmay be worth considering currently outof print,thoughcopies canbeborrowed the academiccommunity. However thepublicationis of theexcavations andithasreceived wide praise in Co. Waterford offers asubstantialanddetailedaccount The publication Woodstown: A Viking-Age Settlement in Technical / Academic Ideas Publication 5.5.2 Written Woodstown information ontrade, Inspire peopletobecome aFriend of Viking Woodstown • Inspire peopletovisit • Keep peopleinformed abouttheprogress • Further investigationsandexperimentalarchaeology . Denmark. Aarhus: 134 When considering the wealth of knowledge , 1998-2003, Background and Results. Aarhus: Denmark. Aarhus: Results. and Background , 1998-2003, . The Kaupang Excavation Project. Aarhus: Denmark. Aarhus: Project. Excavation Kaupang . The 132 domesticactivity . Denmark. Aarhus: 133 and 131
Aonghasa in recent years includetheDiscovery Programme’s Dún Examples of suchguidebooksthathavebeencompleted a visualunderstanding andfamiliarity with thesite. of daily life inViking Woodstown would helptocreate a colouring book with reconstructed images of scenes Ireland. For younger audiences somethingassimple slave – togivearounded understanding of Viking Age different people–a warrior, asmith,chief, atrader, a may allow thereader toputthemselvesintheshoesof the livedexperience at Woodstown, atechniquethat sections thattellapersonalised story thatcanconvey it may behighly desirable toalsoincludefictionalised in Viking Woodstown. They shouldbeinformative, but information aboutVikingIreland and what life was like aimed at younger audiences shouldbeconsidered, with and thestory of theVikings. A seriesof publications younger audiences with theprocesses of archaeology Woodstown alsoprovides theopportunity toconnect 5.5.3 Content for Younger Audiences Centre in York (Manor Photography _ Alamy Stock Photo) Fig 5.16Girldressed upasa viking warrior outsidetheJorvik 137 138 Final Report of the Woodstown Working Group. 2008. p. 32. p.32. 2008. Group. Working Woodstown the of Report Final 138 136 2014. C. Cotter, 135 Heritage Council: https://www.heritagecoun Carew, M. 2016. 2016. M. Carew, 135 andHillof Tara Dún Aonghasa: The Guidebook. Tara: The Guidebook 136 guidebooks. . Dublin: The Discovery Programme. Discovery The . Dublin: cil.ie/projects/heritage-in-sc hools-scheme. Dublin: The Discovery Programme. Discovery The Dublin: The Heritage Council’s Heritage inSchoolsScheme Scheme Heritage in Schools 5.5.4 and ‘Heritage inSchoolsScheme’. the classroom through the‘Archaeology intheClassroom’ Report, that suggested information shouldbeshared in would reflect the recommendations madeinthe2008 lived in Woodstown would havedressed andacted. This could befacilitated inrepresenting how someone who about thearchaeological discoveries, andDéiseMedieval appointed tobetheHeritage inSchoolsexperttotalk strict eligibility requirements, arepresentative could be about Viking Woodstown. Subjecttothescheme’s considered aspartof thedisseminationof information covered by theHeritage Council. This schemeshould be part-funded by theschoolandremaining costs are visits per year. The visits by theheritage expertsare primary schoolpupilsduringthecourse of over 2,000 pupils. The scheme reaches approximately 100,000 schools around Ireland todirectly engage with the heritage. A panelof 175heritage expertsvisitprimary with thestory of Ireland’s natural, builtandcultural a wonderful way of connecting primary schoolchildren 138 137 is
70 TELLING THE STORY 71 TELLING THE STORY Fig 5.17aMembersof VikingsUKatWoodstown for VikingHeritage Day2019 Fig 5.17bUlfhednar Hird Ireland at Viking Heritage Day, Woodstown Fig 5.17cDéise Medieval battle attheVikingHeritage Day, Woodstown 2019 create atruly meaningfulandmemorable experience. Viking Woodstown was like, hasenormouspotential to their sensestotouch,see,tasteand smell what life in tools andtoaskquestionsof thecraftspeople, touse The opportunity to watch peopleusing replica Viking for thelivinghistory enthusiastsandlocalcraftspeople. ethos andit would alsocreate economic opportunities experience for visitors adding more totheparticipatory the nature of thesite. This could alsoprovide a retail craft, metaltools,jewellery) would bein keeping with browse or buy Vikingreplica goods (bonecombs, wood trading element,soincorporating anopportunity to excavations, itappears that Woodstown hadalarge assemblage recovered from theprevious seriesof projects like makingutensils.From theartefactual foraging, food, andsmallexperimentalarchaeology from doing,socreate opportunitiesfor overnightstays, at crafts andtastethe food of theperiod. People learn and experience life asaVikingthey try their hand site, they can walk through areconstructed settlement ask questionsfrom thoseuncovering thestory of the site. Visitors can enjoy atour of theexcavations and for uniqueparticipatory experiences for visitors tothe history) are perfectly alignedtocreate opportunities site experience (excavations, reconstructions andliving The longer termplans presented here for the core on- Make itParticipatory enjoying experiences together. their friendsandfamilies by carryingoutactivitiesand stories aboutthesite,and where they connect with create opportunities where peoplecantelltheir own it. Therefore, theapproach for Viking Woodstown isto attention to, and we are muchmore likely toactupon one recommend anexperience issomethingthat we pay However, havingacolleague, friend,relation or loved advertisements that we are exposedtoevery day. advertising and we are evenmore cynicalaboutonline learned techniquestoignore the wave of traditional form of marketing possible. Today we havelargely through word of mouth. This isthemosteffective of ensuringthatnews of Viking Woodstown spreads and experientiallearningisthemosteffective way public tocreate their own storiesthrough participation audience. Providing opportunitiesfor visitors andthe when itisdone with anaudience, rather thanjusttoan As aform of storytelling,interpretation works best Make itRemarkable for VikingWoodstown 5.6 Long-term Marketing Concepts and toswap ideasandinsights. strong connection, toemphasisetheshared histories should betwinned with oneinNorway, toretain a the siteandreconstruction process. This conference considered, with updatesabouttheevolvingstory of A conference onViking Woodstown shouldalsobe tours of theexcavations, or biodiversity days onsite. (the openingof anew reconstruction feature), site events plannedtoeither markaparticular occasion along with that there shouldbeanumber of smaller Viking Festival isconsidered inmore detailabove,but disseminate thestory of Viking Woodstown. A potential A seriesof eventsshouldbeconsidered tohelp Make itEventful help toplace markthisimportantsite. number of other appropriately themedfeatures that added to with artworks, interpretative panelsanda is transported backintime. The journey itself willbe appearing through thetrees andhedges asthevisitor landscape, andby thefirst glimpses of thatchandsmoke anticipation. This willbe rewarded by a restored allows more of anopportunity todevelopabuilding Whether by bicycle, foot, rail or river, theslower journey surrounding landscape. magical with anappropriately managed andrestored engaging andspecial way tovisitthesite,andespecially This latter opportunity especially could beatruly the River Suir, ideally inareconstructed Vikinglongship. Greenway, travel by theSuir Valley Railway or travel by will needtoeither walk or cycle usingthe Waterford excluded from theimmediatearea. Instead,visitors of thesite,privatevehiclesandcars will beeffectively also partof auniqueexperience. Duetothelocation The very means of travelling toViking Woodstown is theExperience Make theJourney Part of
72 TELLING THE STORY 73 TELLING THE STORY (DPA Picture Alliance _ Alamy Stock Photo) Fig 5.18Battlerages attheWolin Festival of Slavs&Vikings experience with opportunitiesfor peopletoconnect with their friends,family andco-visitors. visitor experience shouldbesomething worth tellingafriendabout.Itshouldfocus onaparticipatory off-site. The core focus of both approaches istomake Viking Woodstown remarkable –simply put,the Woodstown –basedonthose who will experience Woodstown on-siteandthose who will experience it There shouldbetwo approaches for interpretation andhow to communicate thestory of Viking Key -Interpretation Issues and Tourism Strategy Buildingonthesuccess of theestablished Woodstown VikingHeritage Day, a Woodstown VikingFestival • The off-site experience should provide arich layering of information presented inanumber of media formats • For eachaudience theon-siteexperience shouldbefocused onbeingexperiential– withopportunitiesfor • Both approaches shouldcater for four core audiences: • Both on-siteandoff-site approaches should offer multiple layers of opportunitiesfor engagement. This layered • invited toparticipateandattend. from theexcavation andexperimentalarchaeology work. Overseas specialistsintheViking Age shouldalsobe conference thatprovides anopportunity toshowcase allthediscoveries andlatesttheoriesinterpretations experience andhelptobuildonpositivenetworks of shared interest andskills. This should coincide witha International collaboration with livinghistory groups inScandinaviaetc. would helptocreate ashared should beconsidered. This shouldhavea focus onlivinghistory, with re-enactment of life inVikingIreland. (including PDF articles andtechnicalinformation anddiscussion). Viking Woodstown from therange of specialistsandparticipantsinvolved),more traditional textcontent content (the existingaudiobook,along with a focused seriesof podcastepisodeslookingatdifferent aspects of (featuring expertdiscussion,videosof theexperimentalarchaeology, livefeed from theexcavation), audio photographyartefacts)evocative the – (focusedlandscape, by the place,contentsupported the video on journey tothesite shouldform anintegral partof theexperience. participatory experience. This shouldalsobe complimented by engaginginterpretative panelsandartwork. The story of Viking Woodstown anditslandscape. A visittoViking Woodstown shouldalways haveanelementof visitors to get hands-on,askquestionsof expertsandtousetheir sensesto immerse themselvesinthe further learning. approach will allow peopletodiscover thestory thatmostresonates with them, anditcreates opportunitiesfor Audience 4:Furthering specialistenquiry andknowledge. Audience 3:Local people– Waterford City andhinterland. Audience 2: Young audiences (ages 5–12). Audience 1:General publicandvisitors. 74 TELLING THE STORY 6. Conservation Management of Viking Woodstown 6. Conservation Management of Viking Woodstown This section is informed by the outputs from a workshop with the Woodstown Viking Site Conservation Management Plan Steering Committee which took place on April 4th 2019, and through individual consultation with members of the Woodstown Viking Site Conservation Management Plan Steering Committee and other stakeholders. The recommendations included in this report are informed by international standards and best practice. CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT 76 This plan is designed to consider the needs of the that resides within the archaeological sector; to leave archaeological monument and natural heritage as well as the site in its natural state may be a somewhat passive the needs of visitors, and to balance between creating a approach and would fail to capitalise on a unique place of education and research as well as tourism and educational, social and scientific opportunity.140 entertainment, a place that is economically viable and a place of social inclusion. If not carefully planned, these 6.2 Conservation Management different needs may conflict and lead to an imbalance. For Policies example, ‘there is a clear need for visitor management strategies to be planned from the outset to minimise the There are a number of national, European and adverse physical effects of high demand, and the position international policy and guideline frameworks that is further complicated by the potential conflict between underpin the actions of this Conservation Management education and entertainment objectives’.139 Plan. These include the European Council Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (known as the 6.1 A Do-Nothing Approach Faro Convention), the Burra Charter and the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014. A ‘do nothing’ approach is in some respects a valid position to consider for the monument at Woodstown. This would simply entail allowing the site to return to pasture and, at most, grazing smaller livestock (such as sheep) on it where appropriate. This would protect the site for posterity and allow future generations to decide on a research or excavation policy in the light of improved techniques or greater technical knowledge. However, given the significance of the site, it is arguably increasingly vulnerable to threats over time. There is currently a high level of technical ability and knowledge
139 Leask, A., & Yeoman, I. (eds) 1999. Heritage Visitor Attractions: An Operational Management Perspective. London: Thomson. 140 Final Report of the Woodstown Working Group to the Minister of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the Future Preservation and Archaeological Investigation of the National Monument Site at Woodstown, Co. Waterford. January 2008. 77 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT conservation of heritage places should: in 2013.Under theBurra Charter, peopleinvolvedinthe The current version of theBurra Charter was adopted theory andpractice of cultural heritage management. and revised toreflect developingunderstanding of the Originally adopted in1979, thecharter hasbeenupdated in Australia (though itisinternationally applicable). accepted standard for heritage conservation practice as asetof principlesandprocedures tocreate anationally Burra Charter. This was developed by ICOMOS Australia An importantframing documentfor conservation isthe 6.2.2 Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter, 2013 Convention. attach tothemandthevaluesthey represent. important becauseof themeaningsanduses thatpeople what isimportantaboutcultural heritage. They are to recognise thatobjectsandplaces are not, inthemselves, communities andsociety. The Convention encourages us wider understanding of heritage anditsrelationship to relate tohumanrightsanddemocracy. Itpromotes a emphasises theimportantaspectsof heritage asthey Convention) was ratified in2005. TheFaro Convention Cultural Heritage for Society (known astheFaro The European Council Convention ontheValue of 6.2.1 The Faro Convention 143 Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter, Practice Note, 2013. 2013. Note, 144 Practice Charter, Burra ICOMOS Australia https://www.archaeology.ie/monument-protection#ProtectionNationalMonuments. 143 Faro 2018. Handbook, Plan Action https://www.coe.int/en/web/culture-and-heritage/faro-action-plan . 142 Faro Convention: https://www.coe.int/en/web/culture-and-heritage/faro-convention . 141 Provide security for theplace. • Provide anappropriate use. • Care for the place’s setting. • Care for itscultural significance and other significant • Involvethecommunities associated with theplace. • Understand theplace anditscultural significance, • values: e Faro Convention draws uponthreekey Strengthening linkages between allthelocal, • Reaching outtoheritage communities andgroups; • Prioritising inhabitantsintheir relationship with • At present, Ireland has yet toratify theFaro attributes, takingaccount of allaspectsof significance. about itsfuture. including itsmeaningtopeople,before makingdecisions through synergetic action. regional andnationalheritage stakeholders, cultural heritage; 142 141 uncovering archaeological objects,isprohibited by law. or indeedany diggingor excavation for thepurposesof of diggingor excavation inthevicinity of monuments, qualified professional archaeologists. Any other form and Heritage. Inpractice, licenses are only issuedto licensed by theMinister for Housing, Local Government Act, allarchaeological excavations in Ireland mustbe detection surveys). Under theNationalMonuments (such asgeophysical surveys andlicences for metal archaeological excavation andsomeforms of survey proceed tofurther theprotection of themonument. time consider theproposed works andhow bestto work. This istoallow theNationalMonuments Service Heritage atleasttwo monthsbefore commencing that to theMinister for Housing, Local Government and Monument they are required togivenotice in writing or inrelation toaRecorded Monumentor aRegistered to cause,or topermitthecarryingoutof any work at property, or any other person proposes tocarry out,or statutory instrument. When theowner or occupier of a 1987, 1994and2004as well assubsequentchanges by archaeological heritage. The Act was amendedin1954, provides thelegalframework thatprotects Ireland’s archaeological sites. practice note settingoutissuesfor theconservation of the place. The revised Burra Charter (2013) alsohasa social, spiritualor other cultural responsibilities for significant associationsandmeanings,or whohave the participationof peoplefor whom theplace has management of aplace which shouldprovide for encouraging conservation, interpretation and The NationalMonuments Act 1930to2014 6.2.3 The National Monuments Acts Interpret andpresent theplace ina way appropriate to • Make records of theplace andchanges toit,andthe • Use availableexpertise. • The NationalMonuments Acts also govern Article 12intheBurra Charter includes‘participation’, its significance. reasons for thesedecisions. 143 144
6.3 Management Structures An important consideration for the future of Viking Woodstown is to decide who is going to be responsible for the implementation of recommendations and the ongoing management of the national monument. The land that encompasses the national monument is owned by three parties (see Section 2.6). At present, the management of the largest portion of the national monument is the responsibility of Waterford City and County Council (WCCC) who are the primary decision maker (subject to the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014), informed and guided by a voluntary Steering Committee. As the plans for the site become more complex, requiring more collaboration and time, the current set-up may prove to be unsustainable and impracticable as there may be insufficient resources available in terms of ongoing time and attention. WCCC may also deem it important that the management structure put in place for the Woodstown national monument has a degree of independence, allowing it to be more manoeuvrable and open to access funds that may not be available directly to a local authority. CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT 78 There are several ways in which any development project at Woodstown can be managed. Here we outline the options if the project is to be managed as a not-for- profit venture. The choice of management structure will be influenced by:
• The size, scope and complexity of the proposed project. • The roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders and the relationship between them. • Whether the management body will control property and/or financial resources.145
Some options for the management of the site along with a table detailing advantages and disadvantages of that approach are listed below. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has partnered with The Wheel to produce the Sustainable Communities guidebooks series, providing up to date advice on funding and governance for community-led groups throughout Ireland, and this may be a valuable resource when considering the best fit for the long-term management of the monument.146
145 For further information see www.thewheel.ie, www. carmichaelireland.ie and www.activelink.ie 146 See: https://www.catchments.ie/sustainable-communities- funding-governance-handbooks-launched-wheel-epa/
Fig 6.1 Vikings battle at Woodstown Viking Heritage Day 2019 79 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT 4 See https://www.revenue.ie/en/companies-and-charities/cha 148 . www.charitiesregulator.ie See 147 Tax Exemption. preferred choice for large-scale not-for-profit organisations who own assetsor employ staff. Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) are managed directly by volunteers. Itisgoverned by aconstitution or setof rules. This isthesimplest form of not-for-profit organisation andis favoured by small,local groups whose affairs Unincorporated Association charity with theCharitiesRegulatory Authority. In additiontoadopting oneof thethree legalstructures outlinedabove,anorganisation canregister asa Charitable Status deeds of trust will reflect theparticular circumstances of eachnon-profit organisation. A Trust isastructure establishedby alegaldocumentcalled‘deed of trust’. Eachtrustvariesandindividual Trust A CHY1number which increases credibility • Tax relief ondonationsreceived • Exemption from certain typesof tax • When granted CharitableStatus, anorganisation canapply totheRevenue Commissioners for aCharitable A CLG isestablishedunder Company Law by registering with theCompanies Registration Office. Itisa Placed onapublicregisterwhichprovides transparency Can be managed by a small group of experienced Can bemanaged by asmallgroupof Demonstrates higher standards of governance and Demonstrates higherstandardsof iia eotn/euaoyrqieet More difficulttoemploy staff,own assets, signcontracts Minimal reporting/regulatory requirements ie ea rtcint niiuldrcosSet-up andrunningcostsincrease Gives legalprotectiontoindividual directors oesoet mlysa,prhs sesStringentrequirements reportingandregulatory More scopetoemploy staff,purchaseassets utbefrmngn rpryo ud Complex andsomewhat unwieldy structure Suitable formanagingpropertyorfunds Relatively toestablish straightforward esbracai n oeflxbe May beperceived aslackingcredibilityandauthority Less bureaucraticandmoreflexible eaieysml oetbihDoesnotprovide legalprotectionforindividual members Relatively simpletoestablish rvdsmr rdblt Board membershave legalresponsibilities Provides morecredibility 148 datgsObligations/Disadvantages Advantages datgsObligations/Disadvantages Advantages The advantages of thisare: datgsObligations/Disadvantages Advantages datgsObligations/Disadvantages Advantages management people 147 rities-and-sports-bodies/charitable-tax-exemption/index.aspx. Not suitable for amembership-basedorganisationorfor Can beperceived asundemocraticandlacking Must submit an Annual Report includingfinancial Any organisationwithacharitablepurposemust register withtheCRA employing staff transparency details Summary of Management Structure However an approach built on collaboration also A final option could be to follow the model of sites like poses challenges. Each different body involved in the Elizabeth Fort in Cork City, where Cork City Council project will undoubtedly have its own particular area appointed a private company to manage and operate the of interest, priorities and concerns. For example, the site for them on a contract basis. Whatever decision the need to prioritise the protection of the monument may local authority and Steering Committee deem to be the conflict with the need to generate tourism numbers. most suitable for Viking Woodstown, it is recommended There may also be friction academically about who that the ownership of the site is retained with the local has the rights to ‘own’ the information in terms of authority, with whatever body is to manage the site publishing and disseminating. A framework for active acquiring access on a conditional lease-based agreement. communication and a mechanism for mediation should disagreements arise is fundamentally important. 6.4 Strategic Alliances & Collaborative Approaches Key Issues- Collaboration The proposals offered in this document offer a number • The membership of the Steering Committee should of opportunities that are of potentially enormous be reviewed every three years to ensure that it benefit to our understanding of the Vikings, the public’s is inclusive and is adaptive and reflective to the understanding of the practice and process of archaeology, changing needs of the project. the dissemination of information and how the story • The manager/s of the project should submit of our past is communicated, conservation and care quarterly updates as to the progress or otherwise of of archaeological objects and biodiversity. Equally the plans to the Steering Committee.
important, Viking Woodstown offers educational, societal • The manager/s of the project should issue an annual CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT and economic benefits for Waterford, sustainable report on the project to the Steering Committee in advance of public circulation. 80 tourism, and deepens the connections between Ireland, Norway and Scandinavia, through our shared stories and • A collaborative approach with Norway is a culture. For all of those benefits to be realised, the single wonderful opportunity to build connections and share expertise with a nation that has a shared most important factor is collaboration. culture. This could be invaluable in helping to build skills, share ideas and learnings and it could lead to A collaborative approach requires that national and access to European level funding. local bodies, numerous institutions, universities, experts, organisations and societies all work together in a mutually supportive way. It is of particular importance that Viking Woodstown proceeds with Norwegian and Scandinavian institutions and individuals as an integral part of the project. Potential partner institutions in Norway include: Vestfold Fylkeskommune, University of Bergen, University of Oslo and the University of Stavanger. There is enormous benefit for Ireland, Norway and Scandinavia to share expertise and experience. It allows for complementary development of knowledge and a much better sense of a shared story. This shared experience will not only lead to better understanding of the Viking Age, but will also potentially lead to collaborative heritage tourism offerings, supporting economic advancement in the partner countries. Such an approach is supported by the Faro Convention, where heritage has a trans-boundary significance.149 A collaborative approach may also have more opportunities to source funding from a variety of sources, see 6.7 below.
149 Innocenti, P. 2016. Cultural Networks in Migrating Heritage: Intersecting Theories and Practices Across Europe.London: Routledge. 81 CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT promote sustainabletourism heritage of Waterford Cityandtowns and villages to 4.3: Economic andCommunity Plan for Waterford: Objective reconstruction. This would complement the Local aspects of thelandscapetoaddfurther layers tothe assess thepossibility, or desirability, of restoring insight from expertguidance, thecommittee should elsewhere onthesite. reconstructions, shouldbereplaced with similar habitat that needtoberemoved tofacilitate theexcavations or landowners inthearea. Any mature hedgerows or trees also helptoprovide screening andprivacy for theother exception of archaeologically sensitiveareas) itmay arrangement alongtheboundariesof thesite(with the If this wooded area ispredominantly focused inalinear term supply of timber for structures, fencing andtools. consisting of oak,ashandhazel will helptoensure long archaeology isprotected andthehabitathealthy. a proactive management strategy toensure thatthe birds inspringandsummer. The landholding requires create much-needednestinghabitatfor ground-nesting regeneration of natural grassland andpotentially helpto cutting regime rather thangrazing. This willallow grassland. This would bepossiblethrough asensitive that theidealscenario istore-establish aspeciesrich of thisConservation Management Plan. They stated respectively, were consulted aspartof thecompilation Ecologist of theNationalBiodiversity DataCentre Lysaght andDr. ÚnaFitzPatrick, theDirector andSenior who are key stakeholders inthisproject. Dr. Liam the offices of theNationalBiodiversity Data Centre well positionedtodoso, beingincloseproximity to heritage as well as with archaeology. The siteisuniquely engage thegeneral public with biodiversity andnatural The siteat Woodstown hastremendous potential to Biodiversity Strategy & theLandscape 6.5 Managing 150 The Local Economic and Community Plan for Waterford, Objective 4.3, p.15. p.15. 4.3, Objective Waterford, for Plan Community and Economic Local The 150 Following theresults of further analysis and with the The creation of asmall wooded area, predominantly Maintain, conserve andrestore thenatural andbuilt . 150 of works andtypesof activitiesplannedfor thesite. on future management andanindication as tothelevel developed following theSteering Committee’s decision the privatelandowner. A maintenance planshouldbe and maintenance rests with thelocalauthority and Section 6.3above), theresponsibility for theupkeep time asamanagement structure isdetermined (see ongoing management andmaintenance. Until sucha suitable option for Woodstown, thesiteitself requires Even if a‘do-nothing’ approach ischosentobethemost 6.6 Long Term Maintenance schemes or fundingopportunitiesthat are relevant for is more aware andbetter positioned toaccess grant funding from different sources, aseachorganisation bodies andorganisations canalsobemore likely toobtain collaborative nature of theproject with Norway. above. Perhaps thebestpotential derivesfrom the of thenationalandEuropean levelpoliciesoutlined especially giventheprojects alignment with many funding that would cover allaspectsof theproject, However, there isalsosignificantpotential toobtain fund aspectsof publicengagement or interpretation. fund artworks onsite,andtheHeritage Council may radiocarbon dating. Alternatively, Creative Ireland may support someaspectsof theexcavation or support Irish Academy’s research excavation grant schememay specific aspects of theproject – for examplethe Royal approach allows thepotential for specificfundsto cover Viking Woodstown. The modular andmulti-layered There are anumber of potential sources of funding for 6.7 Potential Funding Sources of A collaborative approach thatinvolvessomany different Key -Biodiversity Issues Thebiodiversity of thesiteshouldbeincludedin • A biodiversity inventory of thesiteshouldbe • during theVikingoccupation of thesite. compared with theknown or likely biodiversity between thelandscapeandbiodiversity today interpretation. Itmay beusefultohaveacomparison and any biodiversity practices thattake place. the impactandsuccess or otherwise of the works and reviews asnew measures are enactedtoassess baseline information that will allow for comparisons in theenvirons of thesite. This willalsoprovide suggest prioritiestopositively enhance biodiversity should assessthecurrent levelof biodiversity and produced inadvance of any planned works. This plan their particular field. For example, the overall project may local community without cost, while ensuring those who access funding streams that only apply to archaeological have the opportunity to take part in the excavations are projects as well as other streams that are more tourism those who have an affiliation with the site. focused. This helps to establish a more ‘omnivorous’ approach to funding and increases the sustainability of The benefits for the members of a Friends of Viking the project. A collaborative approach with Norway also Woodstown may include things such as: helps to generate higher potential to access European • Unlimited visits to Viking Woodstown. funding such as the Interreg scheme (though it should be • Free access to festivals or events. noted that Interreg ends in 2020 and the next phase may have different regulations or priorities). Another potential • Where appropriate, members would have the opportunity source of funding could come through Waterford LEADER to apply to take part in aspects of the projects. Partnership via Interreg given the socially-minded focus • A regular newsletter and exclusive social media groups. of the project. The ‘per cent’ for art scheme may also • An exclusive event for members. cover some of the initial interpretative costs, particularly the suggested artworks for the Greenway. Such a scheme would have the benefit of generating affiliation and belonging as well as an ongoing and Fáilte Ireland and the local authority themselves may independent source of revenue. be a potential source of substantial funds given the recent large commitment of €5m to a Viking attraction in Wexford. This demonstrates Fáilte Ireland’s desire to invest in creating a strong Viking experience offering for the south-east. Philanthropy could offer another
potential avenue. A further potential source of funding CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT is a fee-paying field-school model, dependent upon the 82 path that the Committee wishes to take in this regard.
Friends of Viking Woodstown
One possible source of revenue, along with being a way to create positive engagement and participation with the site is to establish a ‘Friends of Viking Woodstown’ scheme, similar to the Friends of Vindolanda scheme in the UK. This scheme helps to provide funding for Vindolanda Charitable Trust. Annual membership costs £28 for an individual, £48 for a family (two adults, three children) or £500 for individual life membership.
The benefits of the Friends of Vindolanda Scheme are: • Unlimited visits to both Roman Vindolanda and the Roman Army Museum. • 10% discount on all shop purchases in museum shops. • An invitation to the annual Friends of Vindolanda Day event. • A copy of an annual Friends of Vindolanda report.
The Friends of Viking Woodstown could follow a similar model with some distinct adaptations, such as integration and affiliation with social organisations in Waterford – for example if you are a member of the Waterford Men’s Sheds, or the Irish Countrywomen’s Association, you would have the opportunity to apply to join the Friends of Viking Woodstown free of charge. This will ensure that the opportunity to take part in excavation or reconstruction remains accessible and inclusive to the 7.
Supporting the City – 7. Supporting the City – the Benefits of Viking Woodstown for Waterford City
‘A community’s capacity to re-energise itself through a such as the potential to develop new businesses or creative relationship with its own heritage cannot be taken for services (food, retail, tourism) for Viking Woodstown. granted, and calls for a vision, a method, and a considerable This endeavour is in accordance with S1 of the European amount of ingenuity – but may be one of the simplest, and Heritage Strategy for the 21st century: ‘Encourage the most powerful, ways to encourage social change’. involvement of citizens and local authorities in capitalising 152 Jeffrey Schnapp.151 on their everyday heritage’. SUPPORTING CITY THE 84 The strong potential for a large scale festival or events 7.1 The Social Value of Viking celebrating the Viking heritage of the site also offers Woodstown a myriad of opportunities for participation. The local voluntary organisation Déise Medieval are central Viking Woodstown should not become a Viking to such an idea. However, an ambitious festival is a Disneyland, designed only for the benefit and enjoyment major logistical and financial challenge for a voluntary of overseas visitors. Nor should it become a place set organisation, and so they should be supported and apart for academic enquiry and archaeological research. facilitated by the local authority in order for the festival Instead it should become a place where academia to achieve its potential. (whether studying the archaeological or biodiversity aspects), visitors and importantly, the local community As well as increasing capacity for skills and providing work together, where they can all derive benefit, economic opportunities, the development of Viking understanding and enjoyment. The plans outlined so Woodstown can also be an aid to help to boost far within this Conservation Management Plan provide wellbeing and a sense of place for the local community numerous opportunities for social inclusion and and visitors. A study by Historic England identified the participation. benefits for heritage of working with the wellbeing agenda. The benefits include ‘focusing on diversity and A core focus of any individual project in Viking inclusion by breaking down barriers to access; working Woodstown is to consider how the local community with local authorities to raise aspiration in areas of high participate in the creation or derive enjoyment or indices of multiple deprivation; promoting wellbeing benefit from the finished product. This could range and engagement with the historic environment through from the creation of the Viking Playground, where the social prescribing; achieving local sustainability in local Men’s Shed organisations might wish to help to new ways; building the relationship between people create the features or the trail, to setting apart distinct and place, while demonstrating the public value of the time for interested locals to participate in the research historic environment’.153 This supports an earlier study excavations and reconstructions, where they can benefit that examined the relationships between heritage visits from expert guidance and training. Economic and and wellbeing by Historic England, which found that: employment opportunities should also be considered,
151 Jeffrey Schnapp from MetaLAB (at)Harvard in Platforms on the Future of Cultural Heritage: A problem solving approach Report on the Dublin Platform on ‘Heritage and Social innovation’ European Expert Network on Culture and Audiovisual (EENCA). 152 European Heritage Strategy for the 21st century. 2017. S1. p.15. 153 Reilly, S., Nolan, C., and Monckton, L. 2018. Wellbeing and the Historic Environment. English Heritage. Fig 7.1 Maeve Sikora Keeper of Antiquities with the National Museum of Ireland gives a talk at the 2019
SUPPORTING SUPPORTING CITY THE Viking Heritage Day at Woodstown 85 ‘visiting heritage in general over the past 12 months architectural or industrial. Loss of skills loses inter- has a significant positive relationship with life generational links and begins a process of loss of satisfaction after controlling for the main determinants authenticity155 thus putting the long-term future of the of life satisfaction. We find that the relationship site at risk. The Roskilde Viking Ship Museum’s Boatyard with heritage is slightly higher than the impacts of in Denmark has regenerated lost skills in traditional participating in sport and the arts’.154 boat building through enlightened commercial use, building new “Viking” longboats.156 By incorporating the Some of these benefits may be derived by using Viking experimental archaeology and living history aspects Woodstown as an opportunity to bring people together of Viking Woodstown, the project would be fulfilling for a co-operative set of projects and thus providing Waterford MASP Policy Objective 20: Lifelong Learning a shared experience. This offers benefits that include & Skills that wishes to: ‘support measures to develop a higher degree of social interaction and cohesion, Waterford as a Learning City including community creation of new social networks with shared skills and education initiatives and support for lifelong learning learnings and it has the opportunity to strengthen and skills training’.157 the identity of minority or disadvantaged groups by helping to develop new opportunities for connection. A truly inclusive and participatory approach will If local schools are engaged, the site may also provide establish a high degree of awareness within the region, opportunities for intergenerational interaction and it will help to develop important skills and it will help sharing of skills, experience and ideas. to ensure that the monument is highly valued locally – a factor that is of vital importance for the long term The experimental archaeology, reconstruction and protection for the site. living history aspects of Woodstown also have the potential to offer socio-cultural benefits through the retention of “traditional” skills, be they agricultural,
154 Fujiwara, D., Cornwall, T., Dolan, P. 2014. Heritage and Wellbeing. Historic England. https://historicengland.org.uk/content/heritage- counts/pub/2014/heritage-and-wellbeing-pdf/. 155 Xie, P.F. & Lane, B. (2006) A Life Cycle Model for Aboriginal Arts Performance in Tourism: Perspectives on Authenticity Journal of Sustainable Tourism 14 (6) 545-561. 156 Taksa, L. 2003 ‘Machines and Ghosts: Politics, Industrial Heritage and the History of Working Life at the New South Wales Eveleigh Railway Workshops’, Labour History, No. 85, November, pp 65-88. 157 Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy for the Southern Region (Draft 2018), Waterford Metropolitan Area Policy Objective 20. 86 SUPPORTING THE CITY 8. Policy & Objectives for the Woodstown Viking Site management of the Woodstown VikingSite. consensus between allstakeholders onthefuture Continue thecollaborative process andachieve 8.1 Site Management Policy WoodstownSite Viking Policy &Objectives for the 8. 8.1.1 Site Management Objectives proactively managed toencourage biodiversity. of Waterford City and County Council shouldbe 8.1.6 to avoidsignificanteffects on the SAC. requirements of planningandhabitatsregulations, of Conservation shallbeinaccordance with the 8.1.5 1930-2014. protected under theNationalMonuments Acts 8.1.4 monument thatfalls within their land. access andprotection for theportion of the arrangement with theprivatelandowner toensure 8.1.3 monument. 8.1.2 landowners. arise inthefuture andsubjecttoagreement of the national monumentshouldasuitableopportunity Seektoacquire theentire landholdingof the Any works within theRiver Suir Special Area Discuss thepotential for anon-statutory Provide for managed access tothenational The siteandtheentire landholding inthecare The Woodstown siteshall continue tobe in anIrishandinternationalcontext. Viking research andusing Woodstown asasiteexample Raise theprofile of Viking Studies inIreland by fostering 8.2 Research Policy underwater archaeological surveys. 8.2.5 survey of thesite. 8.2.4 potential for European levelfunding. sources. Seekpotential collaborations toaid 8.2.3 Experimental Archaeology inEurope. 8.2.2 archaeological andhistoricalVikingstudies. 8.2.1 Objectives Policy Research Establish Woodstown asanexemplar of Establish Woodstown asaleadingcentre of Explore potential for further non-invasive Explore potential toconduct further Continually assessavailability of funding
88 POLICY AND OBJECTIVES 89 POLICY AND OBJECTIVES associated siteselsewhere (such asKaupang, Norway). contemporary archaeological discoveries from Ireland or reflect evidence that was found onsite,or beinformed by archaeology or reconstruction at Woodstown shalldirectly an academicresearch framework. Any experimental The process of reconstruction shallbecarriedout within Policy 8.4 Experimental/Reconstructions conventions, not for thesake of tourismalone. underpinned by well researched goals &international Any future interventionatthesiteshall be defined/ 8.3 Excavations Policy engagement with aspectsof experimentalarchaeology. 8.4.1 Experimental/Reconstructions Objective the limitednature of thearchaeological resource. 8.3.5 progress or participate where appropriate. at prearranged timesor tours, to seethe work in ensure members of thepubliccanvisit,evenif only excavations programmes asfar aspossibleand 8.3.4 and visitors onsite. 8.3.3 Fieldwork Training. Association of Archaeologists Code of Practice for institution andinaccordance with theEuropean in collaboration with athird levelacademic Field Schoolonthe Woodstown VikingSite 8.3.2 1930 to2014, andtheValettaConvention. best practice with theNationalMonuments Acts 8.3.1 Excavations Objectives Explore opportunities for community andpublic Ensure any future excavations onsitefollow Supporttheestablishmentof an Archaeology Incorporate publicarchaeology in Excavation sitesshallbechosencarefully given Prioritise thehealthandsafety of participants sites overseas andpossiblecollaborative approaches. artefactual assemblage shallconsider thelinkages with and post-excavation relating tothesite. practice standards inon–siteconservation, after care Ensure compliance with alllegalrequirements andbest 8.5 Post-Excavation Policy Woodstown VikingSitenationalmonument. public engagement andheritage interpretation of the Activate interpretation measures for animation, 8.6 Interpretation Policy Future historicalor excavation work andanalysis of the or sitesin Waterford City. make recommendations for appropriate buildings engagement plan. This study and for publicaccess aspartof theoverall visitor facility could beconsidered for training purposes in Waterford andtoascertain whether sucha conservation andtemporary repository facility the establishmentof apost-excavation and 8.5.2 can becommunicated todifferent audiences. strategy thathighlightshow thestory of Woodstown excavation results anddevelopadissemination 8.5.1 Post-Excavation Objectives site interpretation). interpretation plan(including both on-siteandoff- of thesiteare valuedandadistinctfeature of the 8.6.2 layered andaccessible. designed tobeengaging,informative, multi- 8.6.1 Interpretation Objectives To prioritisedisseminationof datafrom Conduct afeasibility study toexamine Ensure thatbiodiversity andnatural heritage The strategy for interpretation shallbe should identify and Fig 8.1DéiseMedieval atWoodstown for Heritage Week 2019
90 POLICY AND OBJECTIVES 9. Actions . Actions for Site Management 9.1 9. Actions Site Ownership, Access Management &Land Resolution of Legacy of Previous Excavations of Legacy of Resolution 9.1.12 Create an Access Plan for Woodstown that • 9.1.11 Engage with allstakeholders andexplainthe • 9.1.10 DevelopaManagement andMaintenance Plan • 9.1.9 Replace gatebetween McGuire’s Avenue and • 9.1.8 Carry outaninitialbiodiversity inventory to • 9.1.7 Survey thefullsitetoidentify any vulnerable areas • 9.1.6 Examinethepossibility of purchasing the • 9.1.5 Transfer all Woodstown artefacts intothe • 9.1.4 All artefacts heldby theconsultancy ACSU shall • 9.1.3 Create aconservation needsassessmentof the • 9.1.2 Create afullinventory of allmaterialfound in • 9.1.1 Ensure archaeological monitoring(including • (including theSuir Valley Railway). incorporates the multifaceted useof thesite and how tomitigate them. possible threats tothesite;how toidentify them informed by thisdocumentandfurther c the localauthority owned lands. understand thecurrent condition of themonument. such areas or removing encroaching hedgerows. and address thepracticalities of adequately fencing foreshore andCIElandadjacent tothesite. monument from other landowners, includingthe entire landholdingof the Woodstown national care of theNationalMuseumof Ireland. standards required by theNationalMuseumof Ireland. be properly conserved, labeledandregistered tothe full artefact assemblage from Viking Woodstown. both campaignsof excavation. National Monuments Acts 1930to2014. to MinisterialConsent under Section14of the over thesite. All such works would besubject before spoilheapsare removed andspread back licensed metal-detecting andsieving)takes place onsultation. Steering Committee &Management Structure 9.1.17 Engage with Waterford Instituteof • 9.1.16 Carry outregular inspectionsof the • 9.1.15 Review grazing agreement andstockingrates • 9.1.14 Ensure thatofficial public notices are • 9.1.13 Continue tomonitor thesiteanditssecurity • 9.1.24 Seektofund andappointaProject Manager to • 9.1.23 When/if thesitebecomes anattraction • 9.1.22 Examineother sources of fundingsuch • 9.1.21 Review themembership of theSteering • 9.1.20 Examinethepotential of collaborating • 9.1.19 Establishaformal management structure • 9.1.18 Examinepotential ways tomanage the • Heritage Day events. owned landstofacilitate future Woodstown between the WIT landsandthelocalauthority Technology with aview toreopening the boundary illegal metaldetecting. livestock, invasivespecies,heavy machinery or monument toevaluatethreats tositefrom to ensure noadverse poachingimpactsonthesite. prohibiting metaldetecting. erected onsite:suchasfógra signsand type schemeandpossibly motion detectingcameras. using passivesurveillance, aneighbourhood watch help todeliver theactionscontained within thisreport. committee inadvance of publiccirculation. updates andissueannualreports tothesteering ensure themanagers of thesitesubmitquarterly funding opportunities. re-evaluate onanannualbasistoidentify new as a‘Friends of Viking Woodstown’ schemeand Committee every three years. connections andshare expertise. with nationalandinternationalgroups tobuild e.g. company, charity, trust. Woodstown siteonacollaborative basis.
92 ACTIONS 93 ACTIONS Post-Excavation, Conservation &Experimental Archaeology 9.2 Actions for Understanding theSite –Research, Excavation, Research Strategy General Actions for Understanding theSite 9.2.14 Establishapublicationand dissemination • 9.2.13 Evaluatesources of fundingfor, and • 9.2.12 Complete theanalysis andinterpretation of • 9.2.11 Review andupdatetheresearch strategy • 9.2.10 Explore potential for experimental • 9.2.9 Further developthearchaeological research • 9.2.8 Commission experthistoriantoassessand • 9.2.7 Commission further research onexisting • 9.2.6 Carry outafeasibility study toassessthebest • 9.2.5 Examinepossiblesitesfor apermanent • 9.2.4 Developcollaborations with nationaland • 9.2.3 Establishthekey research questionsand • 9.2.2 Identify potential fundingavenuesfor • 9.2.1 Identify fundingstreams for ongoing research • strategy from theoutset. palaeoenvironmental analysis. appropriateness of, conducting further the GPRsurvey undertaken in2018. to incorporate new ideasand agendas. every three years, toreappraise theprioritiesand in collaboration with academicinstitutions. archaeology andreconstruction projects onthesite land ownership etc. priorities focused around practical issuessuchas strategy basedonkey research questions, with formulate historicalquestionsabout Woodstown. assemblages &datafrom thesite. community archaeology, or acombination approach. of conducting excavations, between fieldschool, should alsoestablishthemostappropriate method experimental archaeology andlivinghistory. The study should assesstheviability of afieldschoolmodel, solution toconduct theresearch –suchastudy Waterford City. exhibition of the Woodstown artefacts in experimental archaeology process. societies for theexcavation, post-excavation and international experts,institutions,studentsand Service andNationalMuseumof Ireland. priorities, discussstrategy with NationalMonuments excavation, post-excavation andconservation. of thesite. Woodstown Reconstruction &Experimental Archaeology at Actions for &Biodiversity Landscape 9.2.21 Host events where thepubliccantry their • 9.2.20 Explore thepotential for funand • 9.2.19 Ensure any experimentsare documented • 9.2.18 Collaborate with DéiseMedievaltoexamine • 9.2.17 Explore thepotential for thecreation • 9.2.16 Conduct afeasibility study toassess • 9.2.15 Engage with experimentalarchaeologists • 9.2.25 Seektorestore elementsof thelandscape • 9.2.24 Re-establish aspeciesrichgrassland inthe • 9.2.23 If possible,and with thesupportof all • 9.2.22 DevelopaBiodiversity Inventory and • Viking period. hand atcrafts, foraging andtasting food from the the experimentalarchaeology. educational experimentsfor children informed by dissemination, educationandpromotion. and filmedtoaddfurther content for Living History. the potential topopulatethe Woodstown site with Ship Museum. Association at Tønsberg andtheRoskilde Viking of areconstructed Vikingship with theViking and Guédelon. established comparator sitessuchas Albertslund and planningpermission.Itshouldbeinformed by features, potential fundingstreams, insurance The study shouldidentify suitablestructures and experimental archaeology andreconstruction. the tourismandeducationalpotential for strategy andguidelines. in Ireland andScandinaviatoidentify research at thesitebasedonpaleoenvironmental evidence. as it was during thetimeof theVikingoccupation by the NationalBiodiversity DataCentre. area through asensitivecuttingregime asadvised managed for biodiversity. to thesiteshouldbeincorporated within anarea Centre locatedonthe WIT west campusdown stretches from theNationalBiodiversity Data landowners andstakeholders, thelandthat Centre (NBDC). in consultation with theNationalBiodiversity Data Management Plan for the Woodstown Vikingsite 9.3 Actions for Interpretation & Tourism Development On-site Interpretation &PublicEngagement 9.3.11 Appoint members of theexcavation team • 9.3.10 Explore potential for buildingaViking • 9.3.9 Review desirability for complementary • 9.3.8 Commission artworks onGreenway in • 9.3.7 Explore funding resources for artworks onthe • 9.3.6 Periodic inspectionshouldbeundertaken • 9.3.5 Commission interpretation panelsfor the • 9.3.4 Explore potential fundingavenuesfor • 9.3.3 Engage with Fáilte Ireland andtheIrish • 9.3.2 Produce avisitor management strategy and • 9.3.1 Commission aFeasibility Study to • guiding andtour management. staff members should receive training intour to carry outtours andpublicengagement. Such and hideaways. with Vikingsculptures, hazel or willow tunnels playground andchildren’s Viking-themed trail city tothe Woodstown Vikingsite. artworks torunalongsideGreenway from the Viking history in Waterford andIreland. heritage of thesite,includingavisual timelineof proximity to Woodstown tohighlighttheViking Greenway (timeline, Vikingboat,gateway). policy of replacing damaged or defaced signage. not defaced or subjectto weathering. Maintaina to ensure thatthesignage is well-maintained and accessibility aspartof thedesign. site with linkstoonlinecontent andconsider Festival. audioguides andalarge-scale European Viking interpretation panels,videos,photography, Heritage Day duringHeritage Week. for, andfurther expand,the Woodstown Viking offering for thesouth-east. Continue support collaborative Viking-focused heritage tourism National Heritage Park, Wexford toestablisha access andmanagement of visitor flow. sustainable tourismpolicy, focused onsuitable health andsafety, tours andinterpretation. attraction, addressing access, funding,insurance, post-excavation andconservation asavisitor assess thepotential of archaeological excavation, and visitor access strategy. The study shouldalso study shouldincorporate asustainabletourism archaeological research andreconstruction. The attraction at Woodstown centred around an education-focused andaccessible visitor examine thepotential for thedevelopmentof Offsite Interpretation 9.3.21 Examinethepotential of hostinga • 9.3.20 Liaise with DéiseMedievaland • 9.3.19 Explore project opportunities toengage • 9.3.18 Engage anartisttodevelopacolouring • 9.3.17 Create aseriesof publicationsfor non- • 9.3.16 Examinethepotential toreprint • 9.3.15 Establishanengagingsocialmedia • 9.3.14 Consider developingadocumentary film • 9.3.14 Developamobile-friendly website that • 9.3.13 Promote the Woodstown VikingProject • 9.3.12 Consider fundingavenuesfor aseries • specialists invitedtoparticipateandattend. in Ireland andoverseas, with Viking Age discoveries at Woodstown andrelated sites conference twinned with Norway; showcasing schools projects. Waterford Treasures aboutcollaboration with school visitstoraise awareness aboutthesite. ‘Archaeology intheClassroom’ andencourage into the‘Heritage inSchoolsScheme’ and Site andincorporate Woodstown information new audiences with the Woodstown Viking Viking Woodstown. book with reconstructed images of daily life in specialist and younger audiences. Settlement inCo. Waterford. the publication Woodstown: A Viking-Age campaign. an understanding of thesite. to detailtheprocess of excavation and to give Viking Woodstown. consider aseriesof podcastsonaspectsof videos andthe Woodstown Audiobook, and information onprevious excavations, short Tourism websites. provideThe should website to the Waterford Treasures or Visit Waterford is dedicatedto Woodstown, possibly connected maintain thedigitalcontent for Woodstown. Appoint someonetocurate, manage and as itdevelopsondigitalmediaplatforms. dissemination of itsstory. of eventspromoting Woodstown andthe
94 ACTIONS 10. Appendices Objective inrelation tothe Woodstown site. 2011-2017 Waterford City &County Council’s DevelopmentPlan Policy Local &Planning ApplicableConservation Management to this Plan 10.1.1 Management Plan are presented here. of therecommendations within thisConservation and policiesthatsupporttheaimsobjectives level. Relevant extracts from someof theseplans local, regional, national,European andinternational are supportedby many official policiesandplansat Conservation andManagement Plan complement and The proposals setout for Woodstown inthis Woodstown Objectives Relevant to Viking 10.1 Appendix 1:Policy &Planning Community Plan 2015-2020 (LECP). and inOne Waterford: Waterford Local Economic and People andPlace: Waterford Heritage Plan 2011-2017 Action relates tosustainableheritage tourism: A broader Economic Development Policy of thePlan 10. Appendices 158 This plan remains in force until the completion of a new South-East Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy. & Economic Spatial Regional South-East new of a completion the until in force remains plan This 158 Similar actionsandobjectivesare contained inboth Highlighttheheritage valueof thesitein • Policy ECD 26: To protect andenhance Waterford • DO7: It isanobjectiveof thisPlan toprotect • Development Plan. zoning review of the Waterford City andCounty (Vol.1, p.70). strong tourism product inasustainablemanner County’s architectural andcultural heritage asa educational facility. monument andpromote itasatourismassetand Woodstown Vikingsite which isanational 158 contains thefollowing specificDevelopment complement theobjectivesfor Woodstown (p.13). Plan contains anumber of specificactionsthat Archaeology andBuiltHeritage, the Waterford Heritage management andconservation learning, training andeducation inheritageresearch, tenet of theWaterford Heritage Plan topromote lifelong skills incare andconservation of local heritage. opportunities for developing volunteering networksandlife practice inmanagementof historicgraveyards. There are wildlife management,control of invasive speciesandbest developing traditional skillsinbuildingconservation, geology and wildlife along with training schemesfor heritage enterprisessuchasguidedtoursonarchaeology, these proposals for Woodstown, stating: sustainable heritage tourism(p.15): contains specificobjectivesandactionsin relation to In Section3.2of theplan, which deals with “ In broad terms,the Waterford Heritage Plan bolsters The Local Economic and Community Plan for Waterford There isgreat potential for development of local 3.2.3Bringheritage tonew and wider audiences • 3.2.2Enhance andpromote increased access to • 3.2.1Supportthepromotion of heritage related • Action 4.3: Identify sustainableprojects within • Objective4.3: Maintain, conserve and restore • means. heritage encouraging publicandpersonalby involvementin heritage sitesandmonuments. heritage guidesinthecommunity . tourism andthedevelopmentof locally based the existingtourismoffering. Waterford which have potential tocomplement tourism. and towns andvillages topromote sustainable the natural andbuiltheritage of Waterford City mapping andrecording viatechnological ” (p.7, emphasisadded). Itisakey
96 APPENDIX 97 APPENDIX National DevelopmentPlan 2018-2027 states: National Monuments, which includes Woodstown, the development planfor thecountry. Inrelation toour economic andeducationalvalueof our heritage. community involvementinheritage and the social, the significance of heritage-related sustainabletourism, Many recent national-level policiesandplansaddress Conservation Management Plan National Policy Applicable to this 10.1.3 relevant toour proposals for Woodstown. The plan contains several Regional Planning Objectives heritage, biodiversity andbuiltheritage” protecting our regions diverse culture, recreation, natural objectives of theplanrelates to“ Southern Assembly in2019. Oneof theelevenstrategic Strategy for theSouthernRegion was publishedby the At aregional level,aRegional Spatial&Economic Conservation Management Plan Regional Policy Applicable to this 10.1.2 includes Woodstown. objectives for the Waterford Metropolitan Area, which The planalso contains anumber of specificplanning Project Ireland 2040is thegovernment’s overarching RPO196Better Public Access: To promote initiatives • RPO186 Arts, Culture &Heritage: Itisan • Waterford MASP Policy Objective21:SocialInclusion: • Waterford MASP Policy Objective20:Lifelong • Waterford MASP Policy Objective15: Tourism: • disabled visitors that provide better publicaccess for abledand Authorities. arts, heritage andcultural strategies inour Local communities andassistdelivery of actionsunder of arts,heritage andculture within our region and infrastructure andinitiativesthatdeveloptherole objective toadvocatefor investmentin environment. and promote socialinclusionfor allcitizens. Authorities tostrengthen community infrastructure and support andseekinvestmentindeliveringactions learning andskillstraining. education initiativesandsupportfor lifelong Waterford asaLearning City includingcommunity Learning &Skills:supportmeasures todevelop attractions. Authorities andtourismagencies todevelop and ensuringcollaboration between Local supporting Waterford asatourismdestination …supporting investmentininfrastructure, stakeholder initiatives of theLECPs of Local to our historic,builtandnatural strengthening and . following Policy Proposals of relevance: Place andPolicy: Growing Tourism to2025contains the can helptheprotection of heritage assets.People, tourism for Ireland, particularly Tourism policy alsospellsout Objective includethefollowing (pp.16-18): for our proposal for Woodstown. Relevant Strategic at theHeart The Heritage Council’s strategy for 2018-2022, sites important monastic,armadaandmedieval Cable Station; theRock of Cashel; Clonmacnoise; Skellig Michael;Valentia such as:BrúnaBóinne; Tara; Céide Fields; and interpretation will be delivered atsites improvements tothe visitor experience interpretation facilities. Itisenvisagedthat sites andtocarry outsignificant workon at allof our primarynational monument sites andupgrade visitor infrastructure visitor facilities, enhance animationof the Funding prioritiesincludeprojects toimprove will beacquired andaccess improved. feasible, additionalsitesandmonuments presented tothehighestquality. ensure thatthesesitesare conserved and work will beundertaken by theOPW to made inIreland’s National Monumentsand monuments andsites,investment will be estate which extendsto780[state owned] To protect andenhance Irelands’ heritage Promote theeducational&leisure benefits of • Involvelocalcommunities incaringfor heritage • 4.1.1 Local Authorities will beencouraged to • 1.2.1 The formulation of policies,strategies and • community heritage projects. archaeology andcitizen science initiatives. capacity buildingopportunities as well ascommunity by providing supportssuchasgrants, training and for their region asa whole (p.61). as appropriate tomaximise tourism opportunities and will co-operate with neighbouring authorities support communities intourismdevelopment, make totheprotection of heritage assets(p.25). to thecontribution thatsustainabletourismcan natural andbuiltheritage will giveconsideration plans by publicbodies with arole inrelation to . (pp.72-3, emphasis added). , alsoprovides afavourable policy context the significanceof the way in which Where and other Heritage
heritage tourism developing societalunderstanding,andcontributing to connecting communities, fostering civicengagement, contributing toplace-making, helpingto create identities, Archaeology enriches our qualityof life and well- beingby and indirectimpacts lifethroughdirect 2. Social:improving qualityof major component of heritage. clearly indicated thatthey understoodarchaeology tobea ‘it is very importanttoprotect our heritage’. Respondents surveys indicate thatthemajorityof adultssurveyed believe Ireland, where successive Heritage Council public-awareness to cultural identityandqualityof life. This view isshared in of archaeology asrepresenting asignificant contribution Studies of thebenefits of cultural heritagedefinethe value archaeology 1. Intrinsic:theenrichingvalueof case of our proposal for Woodstown. archaeology (p.17). All of theseare highly relevant inthe in Ireland. This strategy outlinedthree core values of 2025, itsstrategic proposal for thefuture of archaeology scholarship. Inrecent years itpublished Archaeology Academy hasalong-standing reputation for high-quality responsible for their implementation(pp.44-46): heritage tourisminrural areas andnamestheagencies Development contains thefollowing specificactionson Realising our Rural Potential: An Action Plan for Rural Although not astatutory body, theRoyal Irish Action No. 201:Seektoforge linksinternationally • Action No. 200:Enhance animationand • Action No. 191:Continue therollout of the • Developproposals toimprove thequality of • Work with central andlocalgovernment and • Encourage theinvolvementof culturally diverse • (DAHRRGA, OPW, LAs). heritage, cultural andecclesiastical networks. internationals visitors aspartof panEuropean to key monastic andhistoricsitestodraw more (DAHRRGA, OPW, Waterways Ireland). and materialstocreate new visitor experiences. existing networks andtrails with additionalsites interpretation atkey heritage sitesandaugment DAHRRGA). tourism-related industries.(OPW, Fáilte Ireland, creation of localemployment opportunitiesin potential of our heritage sitesandassistinginthe sites with aview todevelopingthetourism programme of investmentinState heritage areas suchasconservation andinvasivespecies. heritage management including,for example,in cultural or natural interest. indemnity issuesassociated with places of special local communities toexaminetheaccess and groups inheritage-related activities. Woodstown project are: Among therecommendations which are relevant tothe recommendation includessuggested courses of action. economic andeducationaldimensionsof heritage. Each regarding cultural heritage andrelated tothesocial, twenty-six recommendations tomember States Strategy for the21stCentury in2017. This contains among itsmembers. ItpublishedaEuropean Heritage The Council of Europe counts 47 European countries Conservation Management Plan European Policy Applicable to this 10.1.4 throughout thetext. to achieve suchgrowth, with the word ‘heritage’ featuring policy places aspotlight oncultural heritage asameans with theindustryemploying 250,000 by 2025.Notably, this these figures willincrease totenmillion overseas visitors, People andPlace: Growing Tourism to2025envisagesthat Ireland. Crucially, thenationalgovernment tourismpolicy and currently employs 220,000 peopleintheRepublic of is thelargest indigenousindustryontheislandof Ireland, million visitors contributed €6billiontotheeconomy. It In 2015overseas-tourism revenue basedonover eight and jobcreation 3. toeconomicgrowth Economic:thecontribution number of UKstudies. and community cohesion have beendemonstrated ina knowledge. The benefits of archaeology tohealth,education K4Provide optimum training for non-professional • D8Protect, restore andenhance heritage, making • D7 Giveconsideration toheritage insustainable • S10Facilitate andencourage (public andprivate) • S8Encourage heritage rehabilitation initiativesby • S6Create asuitableframework toenablelocal • S4Promote heritage asameetingplace and • S1Encourage theinvolvement of citizens and • with aconnection toheritage (p.42). professionals for and form otherplayers sectors greater useof new technologies(p.34). tourism developmentpolicies(p.32). conservation projects (p.24). partnerships incultural heritage promotion and local communities andauthorities(p.22). benefit of their heritage anditsmanagement (p.20). authorities andcommunities totake actionfor the tolerance (p.18). vehicle for intercultural dialogue,peace and heritage (p.15). local authoritiesincapitalisingontheir everyday
98 APPENDIX 99 APPENDIX cultural andnatural heritage. which seekstopromote rural regeneration through year, EU-funded research project which startedin2018 across thecontinent. OneexampleisRuritage, afour- support between Woodstown andsimilar projects opportunities for networking andmutuallearning major report in2015, advocacy, campaigningandresearch. Itpublisheda support andprotect heritage across Europe through membership from over 40countries which aimsto area of manoriallandscape. medieval village inHungary and Austrått anNorway, an could potentially learnfrom includeVisegrád, a Models. Examplesof Role Models which Woodstown cultural heritage assetsand who canlearnfrom theRole involved intheproject who are strivingtodevelop Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. Replicators are rural areas successful regeneration through heritage, suchas Role Models Funds beyond 2020. and thepreparation of thenextgeneration of Structural the context of themid-term review of theStructural Funds fostering ‘inclusive, innovative andreflective societies’ -in ‘smart, sustainableandinclusive growth’ andasabasis for sustainable development -asastrategic resource for positive contribution of heritagetoregional andlocal "Special focus andrecognition shouldbegiven tothe included thefollowing: which madefivestrategic policy recommendations. This 159 www.ruritage.eu. 159 The European dimensiontoheritage alsoprovides Europa Nostra isaEuropean-wide organisation with i.e.rural areas which are examplesof Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe, 159 The initiativehighlights
familiar people were with thesite. questions was toestablishanunderstanding of how prior knowledge of theevent. The aim of thefirst three who were utilising the Waterford Greenway andhadno small number of responses camefrom foreign visitors specifically travelled toattendtheevent,thougha majority of responses camefrom localpeople who offered aunitedsingle response tothequestions. The cases families or groups of two or more individuals, larger number of peopleactually tookpartasinmany a total of 108responses totheconsultation, thougha detailing their responses tolarge boards. There were of fillinginaquestionnaire form or attachingstickers consultation with visitors. Participants hadtheoption people were inattendance duringthecourse of theday. Waterford Greenway footfall counters closeto900 displays andbattlere-enactments. According tothe event tookplace from 10am– 4pm, with livinghistory Day at Woodstown onthe Waterford Greenway. This Transport Infrastructure Ireland, heldaVikingHeritage support of Waterford City andCounty Council and During Heritage Week 2019, DéiseMedieval with the Consultation 10.2 Public Appendix of 2:Results During theday Abarta Heritage carriedoutpublic TOTAL RESPONSES:108. NO: 43. YES: 65. exhibition of Vikingartefacts that were found here? Have you ever visitedReginald’s Tower toseethe TOTAL RESPONSES:108. NO: 39. YES: 69. before coming here today? Had you heard aboutthe Woodstown VikingSite TOTAL RESPONSES:108. NO: 39. YES: 69. archaeological site? Were you aware thatthisisanimportant with visitors toexplainaboutlife inthepast. carrying outactivitiesonthesite, who would interact History’ generally meantpeopleinperiodcostume at events, whereas those who responded with ‘Living appeared tospecifically meanbattle re-enactments from LivingHistory. People referring to‘re-enactments’ a one-day occasion. Re-enactments are alsoseparated when peoplereferred toan‘event’ that was viewed as event thatcontinued for anumber of days, whereas – people referring toafestival generally meantan ‘festivals’ and‘events’ may meanquitedifferent things been homogenised into‘artwork’, however theterms ‘artworks’, ‘statues’, ‘sculpture’ and‘models’ have areas’ havebeenhomogenised into‘picnic area’ while responses suchas‘rest areas’ ‘picnic benches’ or ‘picnic combined for easeof representation –for example waymarkers. Likewise someresponses havebeen results signage shouldbetaken torefer todirectional interpretation panelsor directional signage, sointhe asked clarifyingquestionsasto whether they meant were recorded. When someonesaid‘signage’ we Plan. People volunteered multipleideas,allof which for interpretation inthisConservation Management some of which helpedtoinform someof thesuggestions thoughts, thoughthere were anumber of other ideas, history event,re-enactment featured highly inpeople’s future. Giventhatpeople were attendingaliving of what people would like toseeatthesitefor the A further question was asked togainanunderstanding
100 APPENDIX 101 APPENDIX represented creatively by artworks or sculpture. like toseeaVisitor Centre or Museumonsite, while others suggested they would like toseethenationalmonument tangible senseof thepastthatpeoplederivefrom suchshows. A number of respondents suggested thatthey would respondents were attendingare-enactment by DéiseMedieval, butitisalsotestamenttotheenjoyment and living history andre-enactments featured very strongly. That canpartly beaccounted tothe fact thatthe amount of responses requesting interpretation panelsandimproved signage toaccess thesite.Reconstruction, The results indicatethatthemajority of respondents would like more information about thesite, withthehighest Smtig 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 "Something" 1 1 Timelines 2 Better advertising 2 Community Project 5 Toilets 5 Experimental Archaeology 4 Heritage Trail Café 8 Storytelling 5 eme park 7 Full excavation 12 Cruises 12 24 Open digforkids 14 Education Picnic Areas 28 Brochures More Information 38 Events Artwork Viking Playground A Viking Longboat Festival Visitor Centre Re-enactments Living History Signage Reconstruction Interpretative Panels What Would You To Like See At Woodstown intheFuture? Number of Responses Number of and thenswords asbeingthemostvisualaspectof theVikings. A selectedlistisincludedbelow. negatively. Interestingly when considering representative artworks peopletendtoseeships,followed by helmets and ‘fighters’ were merged into ‘warriors’, asdistinctfrom ‘invaders’ and‘killers’ whichtendedtobedelivered more Waterford. Inthislist‘pillaging’ ‘raids’ ‘battles’ and‘fighting’ are all represented by ‘Raidsor Battles’, and ‘warriors’ living history day shouldbetaken intoaccount. It was alsoclear thatmany localpeopleassociate theVikings with good understanding of theVikings,thoughagainthatthissurvey was conducted aspeopleleftavery informative word each, where multiple words were offered thefirst oneonly was recorded. The responsesdemonstrated avery to ascertain thepublicperception of theVikingsthemselves. When asked, groups of peopletendedtoshoutoutone The finalquestionasked people whatone word cametomind whenthey thought of theVikings. Thisquestion was What oneword the Vikings comestomindwhen you thinkof oe aigCr fteMny1 2 2 3 3 Leprosy 3 Axes Women theMoney Taking Careof Horns Simple Life 7 Skilled Mythology Mad Bastards/Crazy 8 Ancestors orDNA Adventurers Art 21 Culture theirTime Ahead of e Vikings Television Series Déise Medieval History CraXs Costumes Swords Invaders orKillers Sailors ExplorersorNavigators Helmets Warriors Waterford Trade Longships Raids orBattles Number of Number of Responses 10 10 14 12 8 4 6 6 5 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1
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