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Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland

Enclosure

Highwood, County Sligo, Ireland

The record

Townland
Highwood
County
Sligo
Country
Ireland
Latest-edition OS map
Giants Grave
Coordinates
54.07318, -8.27959
SMR number
SL035-082----

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

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This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on a slight E-facing slope. A triangular slightly raised area (max. Wth 8.3m; max. L 11.5m) defined by an earthen bank with a stone at each corner. The S and NW sides are defined by an earthen bank (H 0.3m and 0.4m respectively) while the NE side is defined by a scarp (H 0.35m). The SW and SE corners are marked by limestone glacial erratics (1.2m x 1.9m x 1.65m and 1.75m x 2.2m x 1.2m), that at SW standing on a natural limestone pedestal (H 0.45m). These stones are probably natural depositions. The N corner is marked by a prostrate limestone pillar (L 3.1m; Wth 1.4m; T 0.8m), which may have originally been upright, and which projects into the interior. There is an upright slab (H 1m; 0.8m x 1.6m) at the SW end of the S side. There is a gap (Wth 1m) in the bank at SW. The interior is level and clear of overgrowth and slightly raised to compensate for the hillslope. Noted by Wood-Martin (1883-4, 456) as 'a very peculiar structure'. Though named 'Giant's Grave' on the 1914 OS 6-inch map, this is not a megalithic tomb.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005).

Date of upload: 18 January 2008

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Sites and Monuments Record data: National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Record text is reproduced unchanged. National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland · CC BY 4.0
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