A medieval hospital run by The Crutched Friars

St John’s Priory is located in Trim beside an ancient bridge about a mile downstream from Trim Castle. It was founded in 1202 by Simon de Rochefort Bishop of Meath and was occupied by a branch of monks called ‘The Crutched Friars’. These friars were named after the wooden staffs that they carried that were topped by a cross. This was similar to an Augustinian monastery but had special facilities to care for the sick. The remains include a church with a nave and chancel and a large 3-light window on the east wall. There are also remnants of a 16th-century wall that still has a small turret on the corner. The priory was dissolved in 1540 by Henry VIII and after the reformation after which the building was re-used for a private residence. Just across the bridge is Regan’s Pub which claims to be one of the oldest in Ireland…definitely worth checking out!