The Viking Settlement at Woodstown Audiobook

Hear the Story of a Viking Settlement on the banks of the River Suir in County Waterford

The Viking Settlement at Woodstown Audiobook

Hear the Story of a Viking Settlement on the banks of the River Suir in County Waterford

Hear the story of the remarkable discovery of a Viking Settlement in County Waterford with this free audiobook

Some time in the 9th century, a Viking settlement was established on the banks of the River Suir. This settlement was home to men, women and children, a place of craft and industry, trade and commerce, life and death. This Viking settlement was rediscovered in 2003, when archaeologists working in advance of construction of the N25 Waterford City Bypass first identified archaeological features and artefacts that hinted at the scale and importance of Woodstown. The site is regarded as one of the most significant archaeological discoveries ever made in Ireland, and it provides unique insights into the earliest phases of Viking activity. The archaeologists discovered large D-shaped enclosures that were defined by ditches. Those ditches surrounded houses, craft working areas and places of trade. One of the most significant discoveries was that of an important Viking warrior, whose grave contained high status weapons including a sword, spear, shield and axe.

The discoveries at Woodstown were deemed so important, that Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Waterford County Council decided that the planned road had to be diverted away so that it did not disturb the remains. Today Woodstown is a pastoral field, indistinguishable from the surrounding countryside. But this peaceful green field has an enormous story to tell.

This audiobook is informed by the technical excavation reports and the archaeological publication to tell the story of Woodstown, and to give an insight into what life may have been like in Viking Ireland. Tracks include information on how the site was discovered and the archaeological excavation, the historical context, everyday life in Viking Ireland, trade and industry, and death, burial and the Woodstown Warrior.

WOODSTOWN AUDIOBOOK

WOODSTOWN AUDIOBOOK

Title: The Viking Settlement at Woodstown Audiobook

Duration: 42 mins.

Summary:
Hear the remarkable story of the discovery of a Viking Settlement on the banks of the River Suir in County Waterford with this free audiobook. You can enjoy our Audiobooks anywhere, from the comfort of your favourite chair, or download to enjoy while you’re out and about. Simply hit play to hear the stories of Ireland.

Woodstown Audiobook

This audio book is an accessible companion to the publication by Four Courts Press; Woodstown: A Viking-Age Settlement in County Waterford, edited by Ian Russell and Maurice F. Hurley. It contains in-depth analysis of the site and its artefacts by a variety of international experts who look at what the new discoveries reveal about the Vikings in Ireland.

In 2020, Abarta Heritage also worked with Waterford City & County Council and an expert steering committee to produce the Woodstown Conservation Management Plan, Research and Interpretation Strategy, that details the potential future for this important monument. You can read the report here.

This audiobook is an Abarta Heritage Production on behalf of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) under the guidance of TII archaeologists James Eogan and Rónán Swan, and with the kind assistance of ACS Ltd and Waterford Treasures; Three Museums in the Viking Triangle. It was written by Neil Jackman, and narrated by Sharon Mannion. The audio guide was produced by Róisín Burke with sound engineer Declan Lonergan of Bluebird Studios in 2014.

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