Megalithic tomb - court tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

This monument consists of the ruined remains of a court cairn. The cairn (18m E−W; 8m N−S; H 1.5m) is now subrectangular in plan, bordered on the N and E sides by straight field fences. At the NE edge of the cairn, at the angle of the present-day field fences, are remnants of a court. Six contiguous upright stones or orthostats remain in situ, forming the S arc of the court; the orthostat at the W end of the arc is the largest (L 1.16; Wth 0.5m; H 0.8m), with the other five stones decreasing in size toward the E end of the arc. Approximately 2m N of the W end of the arc, there are three large orthostats (L 1-1.5; T 0.3m; H 0.8m), two are close-set on a parallel E−W alignment, and immediately to N, the third upright is aligned N−S. These three stones may be part of the entrance to the chamber, which probably extends NW through the body of the cairn. An upright stone protruding from the cairn, 5m to W of the possible entrance stones, may be the back stone of the chamber. Within the area of the court there are two large stones lying at a slant, which may be displaced capstones, and another stone appears to be incorporated into the E-W field fence at N. The whole is engulfed in dense overgrowth.

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 28 May 2020