St. John's Priory, Trim facts for kids
| Prióireacht Naomh Eoin | |
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 Location in Ireland
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| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Priory and Hospital of St John the Baptist |
| Order | Crutched Friars |
| Established | c. 1202 |
| Disestablished | 1540 |
| Diocese | Meath |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Simon Rochfort |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Inactive |
| Heritage designation | |
| Official name | Newtown Trim |
| Reference no. | 553 |
| Style | Norman |
| Site | |
| Location | Saint Johns, Trim, County Meath |
| Coordinates | 53°33′19″N 6°46′05″W / 53.555216°N 6.768121°W |
| Visible remains | church, tower, defensive wall |
| Public access | yes |
St. John's Priory was a special kind of medieval building in Ireland. It was both a priory, which is like a monastery for a group of religious people called Crutched Friars, and a hospital where they cared for the sick. Today, it's a National Monument, meaning it's a very important historical site. You can find it near the town of Trim in County Meath, Ireland.
Contents
Where is St. John's Priory?
St. John's Priory is located about 1.6 kilometers (or 1 mile) east of the center of Trim. It sits on the south side of the Boyne River. Just across the river to the northwest, you can see Newtown Abbey, another historic site.
A Look at Its History
St. John's Priory was started around the year 1202. It was founded by Simon Rochfort, who was the Bishop of Meath at the time. He created it for the Crutched Friars, a religious order known for their work in hospitals.
The first official mention of the priory was in 1281. This record shows that it received alms, which are gifts of money or goods, from a nearby manor called "Magathtreth."
What Happened in the 1500s?
In 1513, a man named Edmund Dillon was in charge of this monastery. His brother, Thomas Dillon, was in charge of another nearby monastery called Saints Peter and Paul's.
Later, in 1540, a big change happened across England and Ireland called the Dissolution of the Monasteries. During this time, many monasteries were closed down. St. John's Priory was given to another brother, Robert Dillon.
At that time, the priory was a large place. It had a church, two towers, a big hall, a storehouse, a kitchen, and even a place to make beer (a brewhouse). There were also two granaries (for storing grain), a dovecote (for pigeons), and a stackyard (for hay). The priory also owned a lot of land, including 90 acres of farmland near the Boyne River. They also had land and a mill on the Leinster Blackwater river, and even a castle and land in a place called Longwood, County Meath.
Later Owners and a Mysterious Story
Robert Dillon later sold the priory to the Ashe family. After they left, it was supposedly given to the Catholic Bishop of Meath.
There's a famous story about what happened after the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. The building was given to one of King William's soldiers. The story says that on his very first night there, he saw a "most horrid vision." He was so scared that he rode away at dawn and never came back!
In 1984, an archaeologist named David Sweetman dug up parts of the site. He found pieces of a 15th-century rood screen, which was a special screen that separated parts of the church. He also found a doorway in the end wall of the church's main area.
What Can You See Today?
The hospitals run by the Crutched Friars were built like other monasteries, but they had special areas for taking care of sick people. One of the remaining buildings at St. John's Priory even shows where a chute was used to get rid of waste into the river.
Today, you can still see parts of the church. It had a nave (the main part) and a chancel (where the altar was). There's a large window with three sections in the east wall of the church.
You can also see parts of a long, two-story building. A defensive wall from the 15th or 16th century is still there, with a small corner turret. There's also a three-story tower from the 15th century. This tower has a vaulted ceiling above the ground floor and was part of the priory's defensive wall.
Images for kids
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An overall view of St. John's Priory.
