The O'Reilly family established a castle in the town in the late 13th century. A Franciscan monastery was also established at around the same time. In the 15th century the local ruler, Bearded Owen O'Reilly, set up a market which attracted merchants from Dublin and Drogheda. King James I of England granted the town a charter in 1610. In the early 19th century the Lords Farnham, a local landlord family, built a new, wide street, that still bears their name. This was lined with comfortable town houses, public buildings (such as the Court house which dates from 1825) and churches. In the late 19th century Cavan became an important rail junction between the midland and western lines and those of the Northern Railways.