Navan’s wonder walls revealed

Conservation work on Navan's Medieval Town Walls at Abbey Road has been completed in recent weeks.

The work is important in terms of preserving the walls and bastion at that site and now that it is complete, attention will turn to implementing other aspects of a Conservation and Management plan drawn up for the walls which include public access to the site at Abbey Road.

Work started in late September 2022 on the conservation and restoration work, which was carried out by Greg Smith of Smith Conservation.

In 2022 a conservation and management plan was commissioned by Meath County Council, prepared by Fergal McNamara 7L Architects in collaboration with archaeologist Clare Ryan MIAI.

The Mayor of Navan, Cllr Eddie Fennessy said the completion of the conservation work was great news. "I commend Meath Co Council, local archaeologist Clare Ryan and Ethna Cantwell in particular who encouraged me to submit the motion that started this process.

"Clare's conservation plan makes for really interesting reading. Proposals around public access and the creation of an outdoor museum are of particular interest. The potential to develop the site as a staging post for a medieval town centre walking trail needs to be delivered. The town would experience huge benefit from having such an amenity on our doorstep.

"As a local authority we must do everything in our power to facilitate the development of a town centre tourism trade in Navan. Two greenways are due to arrive in Navan over the coming years, bringing with them tens of thousands of visitors.

"If we have the right type of infrastructure in place everyone will benefit. Local business will flourish creating employment opportunities. Community health will improve from having active travel and tourism amenities locally. It makes perfect sense, I urge the council to implement the conservation plan in full, without delay."

Among the proposals in the conservation and management pan is for the Abbey Road section of the wall to be the principal meeting point for heritage walking tours around Navan, the council yard could become a pocket park and outdoor museum dedicated to Navan.

The plan suggests that future development around the town may provide further opportunities to display the wall and linkages along the town walls could be enhanced whenever sites are proposed for re-development.

There are also suggestions that where the line of the wall is in the public ownership, it should be marked with stone paving or lighting.

The conservation plan can be viewed on Meath Co Council’s website, just search 'conservation management plan Navan town walls'.