Editing Trim Castle (section)

===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.