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Trim Castle
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==History== ===De Lacy=== The land area of Meath was owned by the church but was granted to [[Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath|Hugh de Lacy]] in 1172 by [[Henry II of England]] as one of the new administrative areas.<ref>'Trim Castle', in R. Butler, ''Some Notices of the Castle and of the Ecclesiastical Buildings of Trim, led from various authorities'' (Hodges, Smith & Co., Dublin 1861), pp. 9-134, at [https://archive.org/stream/somenoticesofcas00butl#page/12 pp. 13-14] and [https://archive.org/stream/somenoticesofcas00butl#page/238 pp. 238-39] (Internet Archive).</ref> De Lacy built a huge ringwork castle defended by a stout double palisade and external ditch on top of the hill. There may also have been further defences around the cliffs fringing the high ground. Part of a stone footed timber gatehouse lies beneath the present stone gate at the west side of the castle. [[File:A Moment of Past.jpg|left|thumb|249x249px|Trim Castle at night.]] The site was chosen because it is on raised ground, overlooking a fording point on the [[River Boyne]]. The area was an important early medieval ecclesiastical and royal site that was navigable in [[Middle Ages|medieval times]] by boat up the River Boyne, about 25 miles from the [[Irish Sea]]. Trim Castle is referred to in the [[Normans|Norman]] poem ''[[The Song of Dermot and the Earl]]''. De Lacy left Ireland entrusting the castle to [[Hugh Tyrrel]], baron of [[Castleknock]], one of his chief lieutenants. The ringwork was attacked and burnt by forces of the [[Gaels|Gaelic]] [[High King of Ireland]], [[Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair]]; Tyrrel, having appealed in vain for help, was forced to flee. Ua Conchobair soon withdrew and De Lacy, or [[Raymond FitzGerald]], immediately repaired or rebuilt the castle in 1173. After Hugh's death in 1186 his son [[Walter de Lacy, Lord of Meath|Walter de Lacy]] succeeded as Lord of Meath.<ref>Butler, ''Some Notices'', pp. 14-17.</ref> He continued rebuilding and the castle was completed in the 1220s, most likely in 1224. The year when construction was completed was considered to be 1220 by historians in the 19th century but that is now in dispute.<ref>[http://www.meathheritage.com/index.php/archives/item/me01634-manorland-1st-division-castle-anglo-norman-masonry-castle ME01634 MANORLAND (1ST DIVISION) TRIM CASTLE]</ref> ===Geneville and Mortimer=== The next phase of the castle's development took place at the end of the 13th century and the beginning of the 14th century; a new great hall (with undercroft and attached [[Solar (room)|solar]] in a radically altered curtain tower), a new forebuilding, and stables were added to the keep. On Walter de Lacy's death in 1241 his granddaughter [[Maud de Lacy, Baroness Geneville|Mathilda]] ('Maud') inherited the castle. Her second husband was [[Geoffrey de Geneville]] (brother of the crusade historian [[Jean de Joinville]]),<ref>Butler, ''Some Notices'', [https://archive.org/stream/somenoticesofcas00butl#page/26 p. 27] (Internet Archive).</ref> Lord of [[Vaucouleurs]] in [[Champagne (historical province)|Champagne]], France, and of many lordships in England and Ireland which were to devolve upon his heirs. His son Piers de Geneville (who married [[Joan of Lusignan|Joan de Lusignan]]) died in 1292 leaving a daughter [[Joan de Geneville, 2nd Baroness Geneville|Joan]], who in 1301 married [[Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March|Roger Mortimer (1st Earl of March)]].<ref>Butler, ''Some Notices'', pp. 29-30.</ref> Mathilda having died in 1304, in 1308 Geoffrey conveyed his Irish lordships to Roger Mortimer, and entered the [[The Black Friary|priory]] at St. Mary's in Trim. Joan Mortimer inherited the title Baroness Geneville [[suo jure]] when Geoffrey died in 1314.<ref>Butler, ''Some Notices'', pp. 30-33.</ref> The castle thereby passed to the Mortimer family who held it until 1425, when the male line died out with [[Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March]].<ref name="Guide">{{cite book|last=Duchas the Heritage Service (ed)|title=Trim Castle Co. Meath|year=2002|pages=20–26|isbn=0-7557-1282-X}}</ref> After this the estate passed to [[Richard of York]], son of Edmund's sister [[Anne Mortimer]] by [[Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge]].<ref>Butler, ''Some Notices'', [https://archive.org/stream/somenoticesofcas00butl#page/66 pp. 67-72] (Internet Archive).</ref> Richard of York was killed at the [[Battle of Wakefield]] in 1460, and in 1461 his son, King [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]], appointed Germyn Lynch, goldsmith of London, to be his representative at Trim as warden and master worker of the new issues of moneys and coins within the Castles of Dublin and Trim, and the town of Galway.<ref>Butler, ''Some Notices'', [https://archive.org/stream/somenoticesofcas00butl#page/80 pp. 80-82] (Internet Archive).</ref> ===Later ownership=== [[File: Trim_Castle_in_Ireland.jpg |thumb|The inside of one of the towers of Trim Castle.]] During the 15th century the [[Parliament of Ireland|Irish Parliament]] met in Trim Castle seven times and a mint operated in the castle. It was at that time the centre of administration for Meath and marked the outer northern boundary of [[The Pale]]. {{anchor|Irish Confederate Wars}}In the 16th century it fell into decline and was allowed to deteriorate, but it was refortified during the [[Irish Confederate Wars]] in the 1640s. In 1649 after the [[Siege of Drogheda|sacking of Drogheda]], the garrison of Trim fled to join other [[Confederate Ireland|Irish forces]] and the place was occupied by the [[New Model Army|army]] of [[Oliver Cromwell]]. After the wars of the 1680s, the castle was granted to the Wellesley family who held it until [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Arthur Wellesley (the Duke of Wellington)]], sold it to the Leslies. In following years it passed via the Encumbered Estates Court into the hands of the [[Baron Dunsany|Dunsany]] Plunketts. They left the lands open and from time to time allowed various uses, with part of the Castle Field rented for some years by the Town Council as a municipal dump, and a small meeting hall for the Royal British Legion erected. The Dunsany held the Castle and surrounds until 1993, when after years of discussion, Lord Dunsany sold the land and buildings to the State, retaining only river access and fishing rights. ===Restoration=== The [[Office of Public Works]] began a major programme of exploratory works and conservation, costing in the region of 4.5 million euro, including partial restoration of the moat and the installation of a protective roof on the keep. The castle was re-opened to the public in 2000.
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