Barrow - ring-barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

A barrow-cemetery consisting of seven barrows (WM007-014/016/017/018/015/015001-), six of the barrows are still visible with no surface remains visible of the seventh barrow. Monument surveyed in 2015 and described by McGuinness (2015, 60) as following: ‘An impressive and unusual pair of conjoined mounds (WM007-015001-), the axis along their conjoined diameters running NNE-SSW for a length of 22.5m, with possible traces of a broad shallow ditch around the pair visible on aerial photographs better than on the ground; it should be noted that the ASI account of 14/5/81 is clear that ‘No trace of any fosse is to be seen around either site’ [SMR file], although a more recent plan of the site included in the SMR file clearly shows the discontinuous remains of a ditch surrounding the mounds. Both mounds are dome-or bowl-shaped with distinct summits and a saddle between them, its lowest point rising 2.2m over line of adjacent ditch on W side; the N-most (WM007-015----) is the broader and taller of the two with a diameter of 13.5m NW-SE, a height of 0.85m over the saddle, and a height 3.1m over line of ditch on W side; the S-most (WM007-015001-) has a diameter of 11m, a height of 0.5m over the saddle, and a height of 2.6m over line of ditch on W side. Poaching on E side show the mound to be of very stony earth’.

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 2/1979).

See attached drone photograph courtesy of and © Peter Nagy

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by David McGuinness.

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 25 January 2023

References

ASIAP - Archaeological Survey of Ireland Aerial Photographs (c. 1996 - c. 2010).

McGuinness, D. 2015 The prehistoric burial mounds and related monument of County Westmeath. Part III - Monuments in Northern and Eastern Westmeath (Baronies of Delvin and Fore, and Parts of Baronies of Farbill, Fartullagh, Moygoish, and Moyashel & Magheradernon). Unpublished survey funded by Westmeath County Council in association with Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society.