The Black Friary ( ga, An Mhainistir Dhubh) was a Dominican

friary A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

located in

Trim, County Meath Trim () is a town in County Meath, Ireland. It is situated on the River Boyne and has a population of 9,194. The town is noted for Trim Castle – the largest Norman castle in Ireland. One of the two cathedrals of the United Dioceses of Meat ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

History

It's believed that the first patron of the friary was

Geoffrey de Geneville Geoffrey de Geneville, 1st Baron Geneville (c. 1226 – 21 October 1314) also known as Geoffrey de Joinville, was an Anglo-French noble, supporter of Henry III, who appointed him Baron of Trim, County Meath, and, subsequently, a staunch supporte ...

and that it was founded in 1263, just outside the town walls of Trim. Geoffrey de Geneville retired to the friary and was buried there in 1314. The friary was an important part of the town of Trim as it held extensive lands and ecclesiastical and governmental meetings were held there from the 13th to the 15th century. Matthew Hussey, 4th

Baron Galtrim Baron Galtrim was an Irish feudal barony: in other words, the holder of the barony, which was hereditary in the Hussey family, was entitled to style himself Lord Galtrim, but was not entitled as of right to sit in the Irish House of Lords, althou ...

, was a noted benefactor of the Friary, and was buried there in 1418. By 1540, as part of the dissolution of the monasteries, the commissioners of King Henry VIII suppressed the friary and sold its lands, buildings and goods. During the 18th century the buildings were further sold and quarried for stone. The grounds continued to be used as a

cillín A cillín (plural cilliní) are historic burial sites in Ireland, primarily used for stillborn and unbaptized infants. These burial areas were also used for the recently deceased who were not allowed in consecrated churchyards, including the men ...

cemetery into the 18th century.

Archaeology

The Blackfriary Archaeology Field School is excavating this site which is in the ownership of the local authority

Meath County Council Meath County Council ( ga, Comhairle Chontae na Mí) is the authority responsible for local government in County Meath, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and co ...

. The excavations have been ongoing since 2010 (formerly in association with the Irish Archaeology Field School). The Director of the excavations (Principal Investigator) since 2010 is Finola O'Carroll, and Dr. Rachel E. Scott of

DePaul University DePaul University is a private university, private, Catholic higher education, Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Congregation of the Mission, Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th-centu ...

, Chicago, has been the project bioarchaeologist (osteoarchaeologist) since 2012. These annual excavations undertaken by Irish and international students of the Field School together with members of the local community have helped to reveal the architecture of the friary while also uncovering burials from inside and outside the church. Courses in

Bioarchaeology The term bioarchaeology has been attributed to British archaeologist Grahame Clark who, in 1972, defined it as the study of animal and human bones from archaeological sites. Redefined in 1977 by Jane Buikstra, bioarchaeology in the United States no ...

and

Osteoarchaeology The term bioarchaeology has been attributed to British archaeologist Grahame Clark who, in 1972, defined it as the study of animal and human bones from archaeological sites. Redefined in 1977 by Jane Buikstra, bioarchaeology in the United States no ...

on-site form part of the research programme for the Blackfriary cemetery. The most recent excavations have confirmed the presence of two cloisters or courts in the friary. The main cloister, situated immediately to the north of the church, had a cloister arcade fashioned from

Purbeck Marble Purbeck Marble is a fossiliferous limestone found in the Isle of Purbeck, a peninsula in south-east Dorset, England. It is a variety of Purbeck stone that has been quarried since at least Roman times as a decorative building stone. Geology Strat ...

, a find so far without parallels in Ireland. Ongoing excavations continue to reveal details of the layout of the buildings, suggesting the presence of a scriptorium as well as the chapter house in the east range.

The Blackfriary Community Heritage and Archaeology Project

The excavations undertaken by the Blackfriary Archaeology Field School are run in conjunction with the Blackfriary Community Heritage and Archaeology Project (BCHAP). The project aims to rejuvenate the six-acre site where the Friary is located for the benefit of the local community and visitors alike.

References

External links

Blackfriary Archaeology Field School
{{DEFAULTSORT:Black Friary, The Trim, County Meath Archaeological sites in County Meath Buildings and structures in County Meath Religion in County Meath History of County Meath

History

Archaeology

The Blackfriary Community Heritage and Archaeology Project

See also

References

External links