Barrow - bowl-barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

Monument surveyed in 2015 and described by McGuinness (2015, 38) as following: ‘Large, well-preserved and very impressive bowl-barrow (Diam. 36m N-S x 37.3m E-W), comprising a tall circular mound shaped like an upturned bowl (Diam. 16.5m N-S x 17.7m E-W), but its steeply sloping and straight to gently rounded sides and distinct rounded apex give it a nearly conical shape; the mound is surrounded by a circular ditch, outside which is a bank. The slope of the constructed mound is for the most part continued in the profile of the ditch, although it is unclear to what extent this effect is due to slip from the mound, particularly as the mound originally appears to have been kerbed (see below). On NE side mound reaches a height of 3m above base of ditch. The ASI account notes ‘slight terracing of the side of the mound – particularly on the NE-E – due to soil slip’ [SMR file]. Several boulders protrude from a similar level part way up the mound, at various points from SE-S-W, two being closely set near base of constructed part of mound, i.e. original ground level before ditch was dug. These seem to be remnants of a retaining kerb, although they appear to be slightly above rather than at base of constructed part of mound. Noting two of these, the ASI account dismisses them as ‘probably part of the make-up of the mound’ [SMR file], but the fact that they are at a similar height close to original ground-level suggests that this is a kerb. The broad, deep, flat-based ditch has widths of 5.1m (N), 4.8m (E), 5.1m (S), 4.2m (W); on SSE side where there are thorn trees, it has been severely poached by sheltering animals, and much very stony soil is exposed; some of the larger stones in the ditch, noted also by ASI fieldworkers [SMR file], are field clearance. The outer bank has a range of greatest widths similar to those for the ditch (4.6m (N), 5.9m (E), 3.8m (S), 4.5m (W)), although its flat top is only 1m across, and, where best preserved at E, it rises 1.3m over the ditch and 0.75m over external ground level. Where poaching has taken place, both mound and outer bank can be seen to be of very stony earth, the bank being particularly so on NE side; the ASI account similarly notes ‘a good deal of stone showing in the make up of the mound’, up to the level of its summit. the ASI account of 18/5/73 identifies it more confidently as a bowl-barrow [SMR file]. Barrow is located in pastureland on a low rise at end of a NW-SW ridge in undulating glacial drift, with poor visibility; about 90m to SSE is a kettle-hole lake, and a second such lake lies at a greater distance to NE. Barrow lies 1.2km to N of E end of Lough Lene and c. 2.75km to ESE of the early medieval monastery of Fore.

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

Date of upload: 5 February 2016

References

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.