Summerhill (Irish: Cnoc an Línsigh) is a designated heritage village in County Meath, Ireland.[1] It is located at the intersection of the R156 and R158 regional roads. The Irish version of the town’s name means “Lynch’s Hill”, and it was the ancestral home of the Norman-Irish Lynch family, whence came the Galway merchant family of the same name – one of the “Tribes of Galway”.[2] It is also the site of one of the most important battles in 17th century Ireland, the Battle of Dungan’s Hill. The town was known in English as ‘The Knock’ or ‘Lynchs’ Knock’ [3] (phonetic renderings of Cnoc an Línsigh, Lynchs’ hill) until about 1667 when it was renamed Summerhill.[4] The ruins of the large Lynch castle can be seen in the village today.

The ancient seat of the Norman-Irish Lynch family had been granted to Bishop Henry Jones for his services provided as Scoutmaster General to Cromwell’s Army. The Rt Rev. Dr Henry Jones, Church of Ireland Lord Bishop of Meath in 1661, sold Summerhill and many other townlands to Sir Hercules Langford.