NEWTOWN MONUMENTS AREA OF TRIM CHRISTMAS MORNING 2014

The Newtown Monuments describes a large medieval cathedral, two monasteries and a small church which date from 1206. On the walls of the church one will find the late 16th century tomb with effigies of Sir Luke Dillon and his wife.

The Friary of St. John the Baptist, is the remains of a 13th century Augustinian foundation, which was later converted to a hospital in the 18th century.

St Peter & Paul medieval Cathedral is situated in Newtown Cemetery. It was founded close to the temporal power of Trim Castle by the Norman Bishop Simon de Rochfort in c.1206 after his cathedral at Clonard was burned down. Only part of the original nave and chancel of this largest Gothic Church in Ireland survive.

Buried under the high alter of the cathedral are the remains of the founder Simon de Rochford (died 1224) and one of his successors, Bishop William Sherwood, who died in 1428. The figure of the bishop now affixed to the wall of the cathedral was long trodden underfoot and was badly worn in places. The figure is commonly known as ‘king john's daughter' but is probably the figure of Simon de Rochford the founder of the cathedral.