page_title: Lordship of Meath
section_title: Settlements c. 1200
hierarchical_section_title: Lordship of Meath / Grant to de Lacy / Settlements c. 1200
caption_attribution_description: Clonard, County Meath, Ireland This object is indexed in the Archaeological Survey of Ireland under SMR No. ME047-004----Geographic information system of the National Monuments Service: Historic Environment Viewer – Database record. Deutsch&#160;| English&#160;| français&#160;| italiano&#160;| македонски&#160;| +/− English: Motte erected by Hugh de Lacy. A close informational signpost reads: This Motte was erected under the direction of Hugh De Lacy when Clonard was occupied by the Normans circa 1177. In its original form the motte was crowned with a bailey or tower and surrounded by defensive fortifications. The lime tree planted on top during the 19th century makes this motte a well known landmark in the area.
context_page_description: The Lordship of Meath was an extensive seigneurial liberty in medieval Ireland that was awarded to Hugh de Lacy by King Henry II of England by the service of fifty knights and with almost royal authority. The Lordship was roughly co-extensive with the medieval kingdom of Meath. At its greatest extent, it included all of the modern counties of Fingal, Meath, Westmeath as well as parts of counties Cavan, Kildare, Longford, Louth and Offaly. The Lordship or fiefdom was imbued with privileges enjoyed in no other Irish liberty, including the four royal pleas of arson, forestalling, rape, and treasure trove.
context_section_description: Henry II granted Hugh de Lacy "the land of Meath in as full a measure as Murchadh...or anyone before or after him held it.". By this grant, de Lacy's power was equal to that of the king himself, the only reservation being that the king could dispose of Church lands anywhere. A person with this jurisdiction was known as a Count and the territory over which he ruled was called a county. As the ruler of a county palatine he created his own feudal baronies, held directly from himself in capite. His vassals were commonly called "De Lacy's Barons".
  Known as a great builder of castles, by c. 1200, de Lacy had settlements all over the lordship, either in his own hands or the hands of his barons. With his son Walter (1180–1240) he built Trim Castle and Kilkea Castle. Some time after 1196, Walter, granted "the whole land of Rathtowth" to his younger brother, Hugh. This sub-division, named the Barony of Ratoath, was perhaps the first instance of the use of the term barony in Ireland for a division of a county.
  According to The Song of Dermot and the Earl (a 12th-century Norman French poem), the land may have been divided the land among the following barons :
  In Fingal: Hugh Tyrrel, who obtained the barony of 
  Castleknock and whose stronghold was Castleknock Castle
  In County Louth: the castle and borough of Drogheda (in his own hands)
  In County Meath.
  Gilbert de Angulo (or Gilbert de Nangle), who became Baron of Navan and obtained the barony of Morgallion. His son Jocelin also obtained Navan. Their stronghold was the castle of Nobber.
  Adam de Feypo (or Adam de Phepoe), who obtained Skreen by charter.
  Hugh de Hose (or Sir Hugh Hussey Kt.), who became Baron of Galtrim with castles at Galtrim and Derrypatrick (which lie between Trim and Dunshaughlin).
  Adam Dullard (or Adam Dollard) whose stronghold was at Dollardstown (which lies between Slane and Navan).
  Gilbert de Nugent, Baron of Delvin and later Earl of Westmeath whose stronghold was at Nugentstown, south of Kells.
  William le Petit; who obtained Castlebrack, Magherdernon and Rathkenny;
  Other castles are located at Kells, Slane, Duleek, Athboy and Clonard.
  The county also contained boroughs at Kells, Skreen, Trim, Ratoath and Greenogue (on the Broadmeadow water).
  In County Westmeath.
  Risteárd de Tiúit, who received the Barony of Moyashel centred on Dysart, Mullingar and Rathconel (from west to east)
  Robert de Lacy, who obtained Rathwire.
  Geoffrey de Constantine, who obtained 'good and fine land' near Rathconrath and Kilbixy (near Lough Iron).
  Meiler Fitz Henry, who obtained Ardnorcher or Horseleap (on the border of County Offaly).
  Other castles are located at Fore (near Lough Lene), Delvin, Ballymore (near the Hill of Uisneach), Killare.
  In County Offaly: the castle at Durrow
  In County Longford: Risteárd de Tiúit also built Granard Motte. It was one of the largest Motte-and-bailey castles in Ireland.
  Other barons mentioned in "The Song of Dermot and the Earl", without naming their strongholds are William de Misset, Gilbert FitzThomas, Hussey, Thomas Fleming and Richard de Lachapelle.
caption: Motte-and-bailey built by Hugh de Lacy at Clonard, Co Meath
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