Barrow - mound barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

Monument surveyed in 2015 and described by McGuinness (2015, 52) as following: ‘This site, depicted as a small circular mound on OS 6” map, could not be located by the survey-team on a single examination of the area marked by the ASI; nor did the man who currently rents the land know of its existence. The ASI account of 23/3/73 is given here: [A] substantial broad earthen ring encompassing a saucer-shaped depression. The ring is continuous at present and there is no visible trace of an entrance way. No visible trace of a fosse. It is difficult to decide without excavation whether this was a circular ring originally or whether it was a mound which has been mutilated by digging down at the centre and throwing out the dug material. The site is completely overgrown with furze and briars. Sited on a very slight natural rise and surrounded by gently undulating land of average to good pasture. Part of a modern field bank has been built against the mound on the WNW. I prefer to regard this earthwork as a mutilated mound. [SMR file] Another, undated account questions its identification as a barrow: This may have been a mound which has been mutilated by digging down at the centre and throwing out the upcast. It may also have been a not too ancient house-site altered by time so as to have the appearance of a mound. Note its proximity to the modern buildings. [SMR file] By contrast, a third account makes an attempt to identify the monument within the broad Barrow class: This is a small roughly circular mound of earth. At its highest point the mound is about 2m in height. There is a wide circular depression on top of the mound. A field bank adjoins the mound on the western side.... This is presumably a disturbed bowl barrow. [SMR file] Given the absence of a ditch, the suggested classification of the monument as a bowl-barrow cannot be accepted; instead it would appear to be a ransacked mound-barrow. Monument is in a low-lying, poorly drained location with quite poor visibility’.

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

Date of upload: 8 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 Unpublished survey funded by Westmeath County Council in association with Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society.