Excavations at Knowth: Historical Knowth and its hinterland

Knowth was an important place in the kingdom of North Brega, and by the eighth century it had become established as the royal residence of that kingdom. Literary evidence from this period, in the form of scholastic oghams and vernacular-style inscriptions of personal names, is an important addition to the 'literature' of early Ireland. A new ritual and political structure emerged in Brugh na Boinne during the Medieval period, following the establishment of the Cistercian monastery at Mellifont in 1142, the incorporation of Knowth and the surrounding area into the monastic landholdings, and the later occupation of the area by the Anglo-Normans under Hugh de Lacy. The Reformation brought yet another change to the pattern of settlement and associated religious practice, with the dissolution of Mellifont and the disposal of its properties, including Knowth. These changes coincided with the emergence of the Protestant landed gentry in the area. This fourth volume in the ongoing Excavations at Knowth series of monographs explores the history, settlement, and society in Knowth and the wider Brugh na Boinne district, from the emergence of political power in the Boyne Valley to the beginning of the twenty-first century. The volume reveals how the material landscape of Brugh na Boinne is something that was collectively carved and constructed through the ideas, influence, and actions of both locals and non-locals through the centuries.