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| Market Day [1] |
Market Day
Market days were held in the nearby town of Summerhill to
the southeast and in the historic medieval town of Trim to the north. The
pretty village of Summerhill was a little over three miles from Great
Umberstown. [2] This
would be about an hour’s walk- although if they owned a horse and cart, with
any luck the cart was piled high with produce for sale on market day! Although
this distance may seem a long way walk for us, the folk of the time routinely
walked much farther than we do today, and walking was considered an enjoyable
pastime- with a day at the town market a much anticipated outing. This was a
chance not just to buy and sell goods, but to visit with other friends and neighbors,
catch up on news and gossip, and for young people, a chance to court potential
sweethearts. Fairs were held in April, June, September, and November.
[3]
Summerhill
The village of Summerhill had first been known as “Lynches
Knock” and the ruins of the original castle, could still be seen there. This
was the site of the Battle of Dungan’s Hill in the 1600’s, where the Irish army
was defeated in their march toward Dublin. Afterwards, Cromwell gave this land
to the Protestant Bishop of Meath, who sold it to Sir Hercules Rowley, Baron
Langford, who abandoned the castle to build a new family home in the 1730’s,
the Summerhill Demesne, which stood outside the village. In 1837 the village
had 331 inhabitants and 49 buildings. In 1901 these included a post office,
police barracks, doctor’s office, three groceries, bakery (which delivered
bread to villagers by horse and cart,) a sweet shop, two pubs, and a tannery.[4]
[5]
Summerhill Post Office circa 1911- postmistress Phyllis Gogarty of Clondoogan (The Gogarty's were friends of the Allens) [6]
A Fair Day in nearby Navan, Meath [7]
Trim
The
historic medieval city of Trim, on the river Boyne was about four and a half miles to the north and could be
reached by walking in about an hour and a half. [8]
Trim, which was once the county seat, had weekly markets. In 1837, there were
about 570 houses, and 3,000 people residing in the town. There was a flour
mill, a brewery, and a tannery, and outside of town a large mill which produced
quantities of flour and oatmeal. There were army barracks in the town with
about 80 soldiers stationed there. A new courthouse had been built, as well as
a county jail which could hold 140 prisoners.[9]
Trim Castle was home to Ireland’s largest Norman Castle, build in the 12th
century. (This castle was used recently in the filming of "Braveheart.") Trim was also once home to historic Catholic monasteries and abbeys, destroyed
during the reformation, but whose ruins still existed about the area. Trim was
where the dreaded workhouse which was built to house paupers, and a dismal
place of last resort for many who faced hopelessness and starvation during the
famine years.
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| Boyne River and bridge into Trim |
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| Trim circa 1900 |
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| Returning from Market [10] |
Resources and information on Summerhill history and Summerhill today:
The report below has many pictures of Summerhill- both today and historical- as well as maps of the area:
http://www.meath.ie/CountyCouncil/Heritage/ArchitecturalHeritage/ArchitecturalConservationAreas/File,40004,en.pdf
Shaw's Pub is the local tavern with food and live music:
http://shawspub.wix.com/summerhill
The report below has many pictures of Summerhill- both today and historical- as well as maps of the area:
http://www.meath.ie/CountyCouncil/Heritage/ArchitecturalHeritage/ArchitecturalConservationAreas/File,40004,en.pdf
Shaw's Pub is the local tavern with food and live music:
http://shawspub.wix.com/summerhill
[1] Illustrated London News 1857
[2] Google Maps- directions-See photo tour google maps link https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=z2xplTJpQDmE.k36UII-Kc9ik
[3] “A
Topographical Dictionary of Ireland 1837 by Samuel Lewis http://www.libraryireland.com/topog/
[7]http://www.navanhistory.ie/index.php?page=fair-green
[8] Google maps- directions- see photo tour google maps link
[9] “A
Topographical Dictionary of Ireland 1837 by Samuel Lewis http://www.libraryireland.com/topog/
[10] Illustrated London News 1857