Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ritual site - holy tree/bush
Rathronan, County Tipperary South, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Rathronan
- County
- Tipperary South
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- The Bell Tree
- Coordinates
- 52.38405, -7.69981
- SMR number
- TS077-062----
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 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Indicated on the 1904 ed. OS 6-inch map as 'The Bell Tree', a name which could be a corruption of the Irish 'bile' meaning holy tree. The OS letters (1840) mention 'a large ash tree in full bloom, measuring eighteen feet six inches [5.63m] in circumference at the base, about one hundred paces to the east of it [i.e. the 'Fort of Rath Ronain' TS-77-061----]'. According to Lucas (1963, 23), 'a local writer in 1949 referred to [it] as the "bella tree" and described [it] as in decay'. There is no trace of this tree which according to local information was felled in 1958, before which it was a popular meeting place known as the 'bella tree'. A young ash was planted in its place. There are a variety of trees in this location, all of which appear to be young.
Compiled by: Jean Farrelly
Date of upload: 26 August 2011
Nearby in the register
- Castle - ringworkunder 1 mi
- Castle - unclassifiedunder 1 mi
- Religious house - Knights Templarsunder 1 mi
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.