Barrow - ditch 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. Ditch-barrow surveyed in 2015 and described by McGuinness (2015, 59) as following: ‘Very low-relief earthwork similar in appearance to Site B [WM007-017----] but even less well preserved, comprising a low roughly circular central mound or platform (Diam. 6.4m N-S x 6m E-W) surrounded by a ditch (Overall diam. 9m N-S x 8.7m E-W); there appears to be no remains of an outer bank, but this could easily have been ploughed out prior to the 1981 ASI account. Ditch reaches a depth of 0.28m below central mound and 0.05m below external ground level at N. Monument is located on more or less level ground 3m SE of Site B [WM007-017----] and just 2m W of Site A [WM007-013----]. Very faint traces of what may be a third ring-barrow are visible 5m SW of this site’. Recent drone photograph taken by Peter Nagy shows a small ditch-barrow (WM007-016----; Site C in McGuiness Survey 2015) immediately to the W of the bowl-barrow (pers. comm. Peter Nagy and Anthony Murphy 20/01/2023).

See attached drone photograph courtesy of and © Peter Nagy and Figure 36 taken from McGuinness 2015, 57

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 Unpublished survey funded by Westmeath County Council in association with Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society.