"Trim is one of Ireland's best-known medieval towns, and yet for a very long time many aspects of its early history and development were poorly understood. A series of important archaeological excavations have taken place in recent years and this publication brings together the results of these investigations for the first time. The book opens with a foreword by John Bradley, one of Ireland's foremost experts on medieval towns, followed by an introductory overview by Michael Potterton, author of Medieval Trim: history and archaeology. A fascinating glimpse into prehistory is provided by Fiona Beglane's study of an enigmatic Iron-Age pit full of pigs' feet. Of special significance is new evidence that proves beyond reasonable doubt that Trim's first church was located where the Church of Ireland cathedral now stands. New light is shed upon death and burial in and around the town, as well as the layout and development of the religious houses. The location and form of the town's medieval defences, as well as its streets, houses and suburbs are also illuminated. New evidence is discussed for small-scale craft and industry as well as diet, health and daily life. An overview is provided of the range and origins of the various types of medieval pottery found in the town. The book ends with a summary of the recently commissioned management and conservation plans for Trim's town walls."--Publisher's description.

The history of the Dominicans in the British Isles is a rich and fascinating one. Eight centuries have passed since the Friars Preachers landed on England's shores. Yet no book charting the history of the English Province has appeared for close on a hundred years. Richard Finn now sets right this neglect. He guides the reader engagingly and authoritatively through the medieval, early modern and contemporary periods: from the arrival of the first Black Friars – and the Province's 1221 foundation by Gilbert de Fresnay – to Dominican missions to the Caribbean and Southern Africa and seismic changes in church and society after Vatican II. He discusses the Province's medieval resilience and sudden Reformation collapse; attempts in the 1650s to restore it; its Babylonian Exile in the Low Countries; its virtual disappearance in the nineteenth century; and its unlikely modern revival. This is an essential work for medievalists, theologians and historians alike.

An account of Dominican activities in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales from their arrival in 1221 until their dissolution at the Reformation

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.

Urban spaces in nineteenth-century Ireland offers new insights on the Irish urban experience by exploring the ways in which urban spaces, from individual buildings to streets and districts, were constructed and experienced during the nineteenth century.

This richly illustrated book presents the first comprehensive study of the making and marketing of pottery in medieval Ireland. Focusing on a well-preserved 14th-century pottery production center which was excavated in 2006 at Highhays, outside the walls of the renowned Anglo-Norman town of Kilkenny in south-east Ireland, the authors describe its kiln, workshops and working areas, as well as its ‘Highhays Ware’ products: jugs, jars, cooking-pots, money-boxes and ridge tiles. Foremost amongst the outputs from the kiln site were high-quality, wheel-thrown, green-glazed jugs that were closely modeled on French Saintonge and Bristol Redcliffe archetypes and the volume describes the distinctive processes, kiln-firing technology and raw materials that were employed to produce these, and the other wares, represented on the site. The book also presents the results of an innovative plasma spectrometry and petrological analysis of Highhays Ware, which facilitated identification of the source for the raw potting clays areas – located at a considerable distance from Highhays in north county Kilkenny – used in its production, in addition to allowing for a study of the uncharacteristically broad distribution of the ware throughout the south-east of Ireland. The authors also place the production of pottery at Highhays in its broader context by presenting an overall review of the archaeological and historical evidence for pottery making and consumption in medieval Ireland, as well as by exploring the cultural background and social status of potters in the Anglo-Norman colony. Supporting the analysis and interpretation of the Highhays site and its assemblage are specialist and scientific contributions on the pottery, tiles, ceramic production material, metal finds, coins and archaeobotanical and animal bone remains from the site, archaeomagnetic and radiocarbon dating and plasma spectrometry and petrological analysis.

This book examines the social role of castles in late-medieval and early modern Ireland. It uses a multidisciplinary methodology to uncover the lived experience of this historic culture, demonstrating the interconnectedness of society, economics and the environment. Of particular interest is the revelation of how concerned pre-modern people were with participation in the economy and the exploitation of the natural environment for economic gain. Material culture can shed light on how individuals shaped spaces around themselves, and tower houses, thanks to their pervasiveness in medieval and modern landscapes, represent a unique resource. Castles are the definitive building of the European Middle Ages, meaning that this book will be of great interest to scholars of both history and archaeology.