There isn’t much standing at the Blackfriary. The friary was quarried away for building stone from the 1700s, and most of what survives is below ground. What makes it worth a visit is that you can watch – and join – the dig that’s bringing it back up. The site is community-owned and run by the Blackfriary Archaeology Field School as part of the Blackfriary Community Heritage and Archaeology Project (BCHAP), a joint effort with Meath County Council and local partners.
History
The friary of St Mary was founded in 1263 by Geoffrey de Geneville, an Anglo-Norman lord, just outside Trim’s town walls. It was an important place in medieval Trim, and several governmental meetings were held there between the 13th and 15th centuries. It was dissolved by 1540 under Henry VIII, and from the 18th century its stone was robbed out for other buildings until little remained above the surface. Because nothing was built over the footprint, archaeologists have been able to trace the whole layout – which is much of the point of digging here.
The dig
Excavations have run every summer since 2010, first under the Irish Archaeology Field School and now the Blackfriary Archaeology Field School. Season by season the team has opened up the foundations of the church and its surrounding buildings, along with the cemetery and garden ground, and recorded the lot to a teaching standard. The fieldwork season runs from around May to the end of August (the school’s own listing says June to August), so that’s when there’s most to see.
Visiting
If you do one thing here, come on a Wednesday afternoon. From 2.30pm to 4.30pm the excavation director gives a free guided tour of the open trenches, explaining what’s been found and how, and showing some of the finds. No booking is needed, though it’s worth arriving early in high summer.
You can also book a one-day dig for €75 (family rates available), working alongside the archaeologists in a live trench – learning how to excavate, record finds and process them on site. Book by emailing info@bafs.ie. There’s a supervised mock-dig area for children, and a community garden and orchard if you just want somewhere quiet to sit.
A caveat: outside the dig season, and outside the Wednesday tour, there’s little to interpret on your own – this is a working excavation, not a signposted ruin. Time your visit accordingly. The ground around the trenches is soft grass and earth, so wear something sturdy on your feet.
Getting there
The Blackfriary is in Griffin Park, a ten-minute walk north of Trim town centre, off the R156. Most people pair it with Trim Castle, one of the largest Norman castles in Ireland, a few minutes away, or with Bective Abbey a short drive off. For dates and any changes to the tour, check the field school’s website or social channels before you go.