There is archaeological evidence for prehistoric and early medieval settlement in Navan, including for an extensive 9th/10th-century complex. When de Lacy was granted the lordship of Meath he chose Trim as his administrative base, and Navan was likely established as a market town by Jocelyn Nangle, his baron.

Two mottes survive outside what would have been the medieval town, and of these Navan Motte – located to the west of the town – is believed to have been Nangle’s base.

The early town defences are likely to have been constructed from earth and timber. The first known murage grant dates to 1469-70, but documentary evidence suggests that the onset of murage may have been somewhat earlier. Extensive rebuilding of the walled circuit took place in the mid-sixteenth century following an attack led by Con O’Neill and Manus O’Donnell. When the circuit was completed, it included three gates - Trim Gate, Dublin Gate and Water Gate.

Today several sections of the fifteenth-sixteenth century wall survive, some of them in the rear of sites, or built into later buildings. A substantial section can be found in the County Council depot on Abbey Road. The town also retains much of its medieval street pattern, street alignments and burgage plots.

A conservation plan for Navan’s town walls was prepared in 2021 and conservation works were subsequently carried out to the section of wall in the County Council depot on Abbey Road.

The Navan and District Historical Society has been active in raising awareness of Navan’s heritage as a walled town for many years and has organised several well-attended Heritage Week events focused on the town walls.

For anyone interested in reading more about medieval Navan, an excellent starting point would be Clare Ryan’s ‘The Archaeology and History of Medieval Navan, Co. Meath’ in Corlett & Potterton (eds.), The Town in Medieval Ireland in the Light of Recent Archaeological Excavations (Dublin, Wordwell, 2020).

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