House

Excavations in Temple Bar1998 at the western (Fishamble Street) side of the site produced evidence for anearly habitation in the form of three small, well-preserved, sunken structures clustered together. These were sealed by a phase of infilling and levelling-up of the slope, which was followed by the creation of three large properties, orientated north-south and delineated by post-and-wattle fences. These properties contained wattle pens and at least one dwelling, thought to date to the mid- to late 9th century. The early 10th century saw reorganisation of the area and the division of the three early properties into six property plots, each of which contained a house (Type 1 after Wallace), wattle path and sub-buildings. At the upper levels the paths were of stone. In all at least seven levels were identified, with over 100 buildings in total. These included one small, sunken house with a well-preserved wattle floor, thought to date to the 11th century (Simpson, 2000, 56)