Sheep Gate — Blackfriary (2nd Division)

Situated on a SW-facing slope on the NE bank of the River Boyne, which is c. 40m distant. The town wall of Trim had a circuit of almost 2km with five gateways, but only this gate known as ‘Sheep Gate’ between the Augustinian abbey and the Porch Field, which the abbey owned in 1540 (White 1943, 303), survives. This is a rectangular masonry block (dims 8.45m NNE-SSW; 2.8-3.5m WNW-ESE; H c. 3m) with an entrance passage towards its N end. There are round arches over the inner (W: Wth 3.23m; H 3.8m) and outer (E: Wth 2.7m; H 3.3m) facades of the entrance passage, with draw-bar sockets at ground level inside the E arch only. The N wall of the entrance passage has a blocked doorway leading to a newel stairs to an upper level, while a short segmental arched passage on the S side leads to a now blocked doorway in the S wall giving access from the Porch field to the town when the main gate was closed. Archaeological monitoring (E003644) of new paths in the vicinity during 2007 produced no related material (Seaver 2010). This is a National Monument in state ownership, No. 469. See the attached view from SE Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 10 July 2019