Mound

The National Monuments Service's description

Prominently sited on top of what's left of the forested Hill of Allen (OD 676 feet). The mound lies only 8m to the E of a sheer cliff-edge formed by the extensive Roadstone quarry which has removed a significant portion of the Hill to the S, W and N. According to the OSL (Herity 2002, 97 (32)), 'there are however no traces of forts nor any other monuments, excepting one small mound called Suidhe Finn, or Finn's Chair, which occupied the highest point of the hill.' This is a low, grass-covered, flat-topped, sub-circular mound (base diams. c. 43m E-W; c. 39m N-S; upper surface diams. 33.6m E-W; 30.3m N-S; H 1.4-1.8m along N and E; 2.2-c.2.5m along S and W). A 2m high post-and-wire fence has been erected around the edge of the top of the mound to prevent access to the quarry and, outside the fence, the sloping edges of the mound have been planted with palm trees. The surrounding ground to the NE, E and S is densely overgrown with whin and briar, and some of this overgrowth is establishing itself on the mound. Portion of the northern edge of the mound's slope has been scarped (H 0.8m), probably when the palm trees were planted, and reveals a mound composition of fawn-coloured, boulder clay-like material. The 19 century Aylmer Tower (KD018-021003----) stands on the mound, just southwest of centre and according to O'Grady (1903-5, 454-5), '… a cist-vein (KD018-021002----) is said to have been unearthed by the workmen employed in digging the foundations'.

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 10 June 2011