Medieval Trim

Book excerpt: Trim, Co. Meath, is one of Ireland's best known medieval towns, and yet this is the first major work on the town for almost 150 years. Drawing on documentary, archaeological, architectural and cartographic evidence, the book pieces together a picture of Trim in the middle ages. The origins and evolution of the town are traced and charted in detail, as are its administration, its trading and commercial functions, its role as an ecclesiastical centre, and its topographical layout. The book puts the development of the town in the context of its pre-Anglo-Norman role, and against the backdrop of the extensive Anglo-Norman lordship of which it was the administrative, judicial and financial centre. As a case-study, this book is intended as a contribution to the understanding and interpretation of urban life in medieval Ireland.