Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Megalithic tomb - wedge tomb
Maryfort Or Lismeehan, County Clare, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Maryfort Or Lismeehan
- County
- Clare
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Cromlech (1921)
- Coordinates
- 52.87596, -8.70572
- SMR number
- CL035-034----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1753 "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
On top of a small, low rise, in improved pasture and parkland of the former Maryfort Estate. Depicted on the 25-inch OS map as a small oval feature and depicted on the 1921 edition of the OS 6-inch map and named ‘Cromlech’. This monument appears to be the partially collapsed remains of a wedge tomb (overall dims. 1.9m NE-SW; 2.2m NW-SE; overall max. H 1.2m) now consisting of the NW sidestone (L 1.2m; Wth 1.1m; T 0.2m) and a substantial capstone (L 1.8m; Wth 1.7m; T 0.3m). The corner of a third, irregular-shaped stone (L 0.8m; Wth 0.4m; max. T 0.3m) is evident to the immediate S of the capstone. The monument would have been orientated long-axis NE-SW had the NE sidestone survived in situ. This has collapsed and the capstone has fallen on the NE side. There is a slight ‘mound’ under this end of the capstone and around it suggesting that the missing NE sidestone may be lying prostrate below the sod and vegetation. The visible orthostats are of a weathered limestone. The capstone is fractured and pitted with irregular solution marks upon its surface. The NW sidestone is smoother in comparison, although is cracked across the SW corner. De Valera and Ó Nualláin (1961, No. 102) describe a circular mound (diam. c. 4.5m; H c. 1m) surrounding the tomb, however they acknowledge that most of this mound may not be original as it had been used to dump field clearance stones at the time of their survey. The monument is located within a modern square-plan enclosure (4.5m NE-SW; 4.5m NW-SE) defined by a timber fence, which is set c. 0.8-1.5m from the orthostats. A factory boundary is c. 22m to SE.
The following items have been uploaded:
CL035-034----_01.pdf Details from Ruaidhrí de Valera and Seán Ó Nualláin, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume I. County Clare. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1961)
CL035-034----_01.jpg From SW. General view of monument within fenced area.
CL035-034----_02.jpg From NW. General view of monument within fenced area.
CL035-034----_03.jpg From NE. General view of monument within fenced area.
CL035-034----_04.jpg From SE. General view of monument within fenced area.
Compiled by: Mary Tunney, Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly
Date of upload: 9 July 2018
Nearby in the register
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Bawnunder 1 mi
- Castle - tower houseunder 1 mi
- Enclosureunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.