Open [36.0 MB]

220 THE SCANDINAVIANS,
they were overtaken and slain at the head of the bridge
" " "
of Ath Cliath but The Book of Leinster ;
recording the
death of Maelmordha, on his retreat from the battle,
expressly states that he was drowned at "Dubhghall's bridge." 1
Beyond this period, that is, 150 years prior to the Angloof
the Oatmen. Norman invasion we cannot produce distinct evidence of
" "
a droichet or bridge at Dublin, although it is highly
probable that there was. previously, a regular structure of
that kind across the Liffey. We know that these Northmen,
who had only established their sovereignty on the sea-coasts
of Ireland, had subjugated all England, and held frequent
intercourse with it. Godfred II., who was King of Dublin
in 922, was also King of Northumberland ;
and the " Saxon
Chronicle " states that Anlaf (the Danish King of Dublin),
after his defeat at Brunanburg, by Athelstan in 937, tied
with his Northmen in " their nailed barks over the deep
waters, Dublin to seek." 2 We might, therefore, infer that
these Danish or Norwegian Kings having territory on both
sides of the Liffey, did not omit to establish at Dublin the
mode of crossing rivers which they must have seen in
England. For although it may be doubtful if the Romans
ever erected a stone bridge in Britain, it is certain that they
erected many of wood, 3 the material most commonly used
until the close of the twelfth century, when St. Benedict
founded his order of " Pontitices " or stone bridge builders. 4
Yet if we cannot find the term "
bridge "
applied to any
1
Ibid., Appendix C,p 251, chap. York, by Francis Drake, Folio,
cv. J&i'rf., Introd., p. clxxxii. London, 1736, p. 5.3. History and
2 The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in Antiquities of New Castle upon
Monumenta Historica Britannica. Tyne, by John Brand, F.S.A., 4to,
Prepared by Henry Petrie, F.S A., London, 2 and the Rev. John Sharpe. Pubvols.,
1789.
* A secular order of Hospitalers
lished by command of Her Majesty. was founded by S. Benezet towards
Folio, London, 1848, p. 385. the close of the twelfth century
8
Archseologia, vol. x., p. 34. under the denomination of Ponti-
Al80t'6u/,vol. vii.,p. 395,Eboracum fices or Bridge builders. Rees's
or the History of the Antiquities of Encyclopedia. Article '
Bridges.'