The Spicers were one of the most influential and important families in the life of Navan and indeed of north Leinster, for 178 years. They were successful millers and bakers, and this family tradition has spanned six generations. The original John Spicer was born in 1743.

When I was young my grandmother owned a grocery shop in Navan and I remember that the only bread that she sold was supplied by Spicer’s Bakery. In May 2013 three properties in Navan and Trim were offered for sale on the instructions of George Maloney & Paddy O'Connell, joint receivers of John Spicer and Company Limited. The asking price for the shop in my photograph was Euro 450,000.

The survival of this early twentieth-century shopfront complete with the mosaic inlaid threshold is an interesting feature in the streetscape of Market Street. The scale and form of this building is in keeping with many of the other commercial buildings in this street, which is the commercial centre of Trim. The unusual chimneystack is a notable feature of the building, and may indicate that the building incorporates earlier fabric.