Standing stone

The National Monuments Service's description

In undulating pasture, on the landscaped estate of Timoney Park. Unable to locate possible standing stone due to dense cover of scrub vegetation in area marked on 1934-36 map. One of 35 standing stones (TN018-015037-/070-) identified in this field by the Inspector of National Monuments in 1934-36. In this survey he noted that 12 of these stones in this field were upstanding and 23 were recorded as being in a prostrate condition. Marked as stone 6B by the Inspector of National Monuments on a map showing a group of 221 standing stones. 173 of these stones were located in the townland of Timoney Hills and 48 possible standing stones were located in the adjoining townland of Cullaun. A map published in the Archaeological Survey of Ikerrin depicts 245 standing stones, 70 of which had been removed, and five cairns, which have also been removed (Stout 1984, 19). National Monument No. 353.
This group of standing stones in the townlands of Timoney Hills and Cullaun were described in 1936 by the Inspector of National Monuments as following: 'Though a number of stones have been eliminated, the remainder numbering 221 (173 in Timoney Hills and 48 in Cullaun) are a most remarkable group. The stones are not, apparently, arranged on any particular system except for one obvious stone circle in Cullaun. They are all of red sandstone or conglomerate of the same period and stand or stood from 3 to 6 feet [0.9-1.8m] in height over the ground, the average height of the larger ones being about 5 feet 1.5m]' (SMR File).
The location of these stones on the Parker-Hutchinson estate of Timoney Park casts doubt on the antiquity of these monuments.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 04 February 2015

References

Stout, G. 1984 The archaeological survey of the barony of Ikerrin. Roscrea Heritage Society.