Settlement
Settlement Timeline
1. The Hunter-Gatherers of Mount Sandel
2. The New Stone Age Settlers
3. Early Christian Monastic Settlements
4. The Vikings
5. The Normans
6. Later Monastic Settlements – after 1100 AD
7. Plantation Towns – 16th – 17th Century
8. Landlord Towns – 17th Century
- Long Period of Emigration from Ireland 1840’s onwards
9. Large scale Immigration to Ireland from the 1990’s to today
The First Settlers in Ireland
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The first people who settled in
Ireland were the HunterGatherers of Mount Sandel.
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They arrived in Ireland about
9000 years ago, and settled
beside the River Bann.
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Where did they come from?
What do you think their life was
like?
What was Ireland like at the time?
Why did they settle beside the
river?
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Why did they settle in Mount Sandel?
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They used the water from the River Bann for cooking, and washing.
They used the river as a transport route. There were no roads.
They also caught fish in the river for food.
They got flint for their stone weapons in Co. Antrim.
They hunted wild pigs and deer in the forests.
They gathered nuts and fruits in the forests.
Therefore, Mount Sandel was a good place for them to live because it
provided them with all of the things they needed in their lives.
New Stone Age Settlers – The Boyne Valley
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The New Stone Age (Neolithic) settlers arrived in Ireland around 4000BC.
•
Their lives differed from the hunter-gatherers in one important way. These
people had started to keep animals and plant crops. In other words, they had
started farming.
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They settled in the Boyne Valley because;
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The River Boyne was a transport and communication route.
They got water from the river, as well as fish.
The soils in the Boyne Valley are fertile and so they are good for farming.
They could hunt deer and other animals in the forests if they needed food.
With reference to the OS Map, what evidence do we have that New Stone
Age settlers lived in the Boyne Valley?
Viking Settlements
•
The Vikings came to Ireland
around 800AD.
•
They came in boats from
Scandinavia.
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They settled along the
coastline at river estuaries.
Can you name any places
where they settled?
Why did they settle in these
places?
Viking Settlements
• Many Viking
settlements
developed along
the coast and on
river estuaries.
• Many of the place
names end in –ford
which comes from
the Scandinavian
word fjord.
Monastic Settlements
• Monasteries were built by monks after St. Patrick brought Christianity to
Ireland.
• These monasteries were built in remote places like Glendalough.
• Other monks came to Ireland later, such as the Franciscans. They came
in the 1100’s and set up many monasteries. These helped the towns to
grow.
Can you name any towns that grew around monastic sites?
What evidence do we have today that monasteries were built in Ireland?
Norman Settlements
•
The Normans invaded Ireland
in the 12th Century.
•
They built great castles, often
along the banks of rivers so
they could defend themselves.
•
They settled mainly in the
south and east of Ireland.
Can you name any towns that
started as Norman
settlements?
Norman Settlements
Plantation Towns – The Ulster Plantation
•
In the 16th and 17th centuries the
British people came to Ireland to
set up towns.
•
Parts of Ireland were planted or
settled by people loyal to the
Queen of England.
•
These are known as plantation
towns.
•
Examples in Ulster can be seen in
Fig. 8.7.
•
Other Plantation towns are
Portarlington, Portlaoise, Youghal,
and Mallow.
Landlord Towns
• After the plantations, many landlords built towns on the lands they
had been given.
• They built spacious, well planned towns with fine architectural
buildings.
• Examples include Abbeyleix, Birr, Kilrush, and Strokestown.
Modern Settlement
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If we examine OS Maps of Ireland today we find 3 different types of settlement.
– Linear: A line of houses along a road.
– Nucleated: A bunch of houses grouped together.
– Dispersed: Houses spread apart from each other.
The Primacy of Dublin
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Dublin is a primate city.
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A primate city is a city
that is twice as big as the
second biggest city in the
same country.
•
For example, Dublin is
twice as big as Cork, so
it is a primate city.
Can you name any other
primate cities in the other
countries.
Why did Dublin become a Primate City?
1.
Dublin is where the government
of Ireland sits.
2.
It is Ireland’s main port.
3.
It is Ireland’s main transport
focus. (Air, Sea, Rail, Roads).
4.
It is Ireland’s most important
educational, cultural, and
commercial centre.
Dublin is therefore a zone of
attraction for migrants, and foreign
direct investment.
Dublin – A Route Focus in Ireland
• All of the transport routes in Ireland focus on Dublin.
The Influence of Resources & Terrain on Settlement
• The following factors influence where towns and villages develop.
1. Altitude – Little settlement occurs in upland areas. They are too cold,
wet, and windy. It is also too difficult to build in the mountains.
2. Rivers – Rivers attract settlement. In the past they were important for
water, transport, and food. Fertile soil is also found alongside many
rivers which is good for farming. Many towns also developed at bridge
points.
3. Land Quality – Fertile land attracts settlement. This is why more people
settled in the south and east of Ireland. The land is less fertile in the
west.
With reference to the OS Map of Caher, explain in detail 3 reasons why the
town of Caher developed at this place.
Coastal Settlements
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Ireland has many coastal
towns and villages.
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They developed around the
ports as fishing villages such
as Killybegs.
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Other towns developed
around beaches such as
Tramore and Bundoran.
With reference to the OS Map
explain 2 reasons why
Dunmore East developed in
this location.
Coastal Settlements
Settlement in the Netherlands - Polders
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The Netherlands is a small country with a population of 16 million people.
It has the highest population density in Western Europe.
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The people have reclaimed areas of land from the sea. This new land is
called a Polder. Polders have given new farmland and space to live.
How were the polders created?
1.
2.
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A large dam was built across the mouth of a large coastal inlet.
Water was pumped out of the inlet, making it dry land.
Roads were built and farms were laid out on the land.
People moved onto the land.
Settlement Patterns on the Polders
• Settlement on the polders
is in a planned radial
pattern.
• A large town was built in
the centre of the polder. It
provides all the services
needed for the population
who live there.
• Smaller villages were built
in a radial pattern around
the main town.
The Polders as Overspill Zones
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The polders have acted as overspill zones for many people who lived in the
large cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
•
People have moved from these cities and settled on the polders.
The Functions of Nucleated Settlements
Nucleated settlements (towns and villages) provide many different
functions to the people who live there.
Settlement type
Function
Village
Market
Defensive
Resource based
Port
Residential
Recreational
Ecclesiastical
Small range of services, groceries, petrol, church, school.
More services, banking, supermarket, clothes shops
Began on easily defended sites. Castle or ruins remain.
Town develops around a coal mine, or other mineral mine.
Town developed at a port or docks.
People live there but travel to nearby city to work each day.
Town developed around beach or other leisure facility.
A religious function, caters for people’s spiritual needs.
Settlement in a River Basin – The Shannon
• Many towns have developed along the course of the River Shannon.
• These towns developed for many different reasons. For e.g.
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Foynes is a port settlement.
Athlone started as a defensive settlement.
Clonmacnoise started as an Ecclesiastical settlement.
Killaloe has a leisure function for boating activities in Lough Derg.
Different Functions of Limerick City
• Limerick began as a defensive settlement. The Vikings settled in
Limerick. The Normans settled there later and built King John’s
Castle.
• Limerick later developed into a market town. It grew as a bridge
point of the River Shannon. It became a route focus. Limerick’s port
also helped the town to grow as a market town.
• Limerick has many functions today. It has an important residential
function with many suburbs around the city centre. It also has an
important educational function with 3 third level colleges.
Settlement in a River Basin – The Rhine
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The River Rhine is one of
the busiest and most
important rivers in Europe.
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It is used to transport huge
amounts of goods into
Europe.
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Many large towns and cities
have developed along the
course of the Rhine.
Change in Function Over Time - Navan
Change in Function Over Time - Navan
Change in Function Over Time - Navan
• Settlements may change their function over time.
• Navan first developed as a market settlement.
• In the 1970’s Navan also became a resource-based settlement
when the largest lead and zinc mine in Europe was opened there.
This brought new wealth and jobs to the area. The population
increased as a result.
• Navan has also developed a residential function. Many people who
work in Dublin live in Navan. They commute to Dublin each day to
work.
Population Increase in Navan 1971-2006
Large Scale Industrial Development - Clarecastle
• Clarecastle in Co. Clare is another example of a town whose
function has changed over time.
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It began as a bridging point over the River Fergus. The Normans built a
castle there in the 13th century so the town had a defensive function. It
also had a port function.
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In the 1970’s a large chemical factory opened in the town. This factory
brought new jobs to the area and money to the local economy.
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Clarecastle’s main function today is a manufacturing function.
Large Scale Industrial Development - Clarecastle