EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Waterford
Fig. 291: Excavated buildings on Arundel Square, Waterford, 1986-92 (after Hurley et al.
1997, 150).
The term Insula North was used to define the non street-fronting structures lying between
Peter Street and High Street to the south and north and Arundel Square and Cooke Lane and
its west and east sides. The structures in the Insula North (north-south) was comparable to
that of the street-fronting houses along High Street and Peter Street. This, along with the
absence of any formal pathways or alleyways leading to these Insula structures would
suggest that they were situated to the rear the street-fronting properties (McCutcheon &
Hurley 1997, 154).
The earliest features consisted of scatters of stake/stake-holes, a cistern, pits and several
drainage features- shallow gullies to small ditches. A roughly built small stone enclosure set in
uncoursed mounds (2.6m by 4.7m) was uncovered adjacent to the cistern. Two wood-lined
pits close by to the east and south are likely to be contemporary. Another slightly later (early
twelfth century) pit was excavated to the east (McCutcheon & Hurley 1997, 154).
Six house sites were excavated in the Insula North and fell into two groups- late
eleventh/early to mid twelfth century and late twelfth century. The fragmentary remains were
almost exclusively of sill-beam structures. The dating of the earlier group is significant as it
indicates the existence of this building type in the early twelfth century which was
contemporary with the exclusively post-and-wattle street-fronting Peter street houses
(McCutcheon & Hurley 1997, 155) (Fig. 292).
The second group dates to the late twelfth century and consisted of at least two sill-beams
structures and a substantial stone and timber house with a possible timber upper storey. The
closest parallel to the design of this structure was the cruck house (McCutcheon & Hurley
1997, 156). It dated to the mid-late twelfth century and was occupied till the mid thirteenth
century.
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