Barrow - mound barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

Large burial mound situated on top of Frewin Hill with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside in all directions. The burial mound (approx. diam. 32m; approx. H3-4m) has disturbed by the construction of an Ordnance Survey trig station (OD 569 ft.) on top of the mound and is bisected by a post-1837 field boundary running NE-SW which is not depicted on the first ed. OS 6-inch map but is indicated on the revised 1911 ed. OS maps. The S and E side of the mound appears to have been disturbed by this later activity. A telecoms mast has been built at the base of the mound on the E side. The original well preserved profile of the burial mound is visible on the N side which is mainly undisturbed. A small ring-barrow (WM011-132----) 7m to the SW is visible on the W shoulder of the hill. From the summit of the barrow there are commanding views of Lough Owel from NNE-E-SE, the E shoreline of which is 1km to the E and of Lough Iron 3km to the NNW. Bowl-barrow (WM011-131----) visible on shoulder of hill 210m WNW.

Described in 1979 as 'On the summit of Frewin Hill is a large roughly circular shaped mound. The sides are fairly regular while the area around the base is uneven & disturbed. A field bank & ditch run across the mound in a ENE-WSW direction. This may be a large bowl barrow. However it is possible that only the top part of the mound is man made, in which case this is a small barrow on top of a natural mound. There are wide panoramic views, with the barrow at Croghan, Co. Offaly, Ushnagh & Loughcrew visible on the horizon' (ASI Survey files 1979). An earlier survey report from 1978 states that 'There is no trace of a Trig. Station which is marked on the maps along the line of this fence' (ASI Survey Files 1978).
Surveyed in 2012 and described by McGuinness (2012, 34-5) as following: ‘Enormous, roughly circular mound (Diam. 33m NNW-SSE x 32m ENE-WSW) capped by trigonometrical station on flat-topped summit of Frewin Hill overlooking Lough Owel to E. Mound appears to have had a flattened top (Diam. 9.6m N-S), though only the SE and particularly the NW ends of this are preserved on either side of a later field-fence, comprising a bank flanked by ditches, which runs over and cuts into the mound from WSW to ENE; large number of stones taken from ditches to form this bank suggests that the mound may be either a cairn or a very stony tumulus, and probing through the sod would appear to confirm this. Height of mound above surrounding ground ranges from 3.3m on W side to 4.1m on E side.
Given its size and location, this may be a passage-tomb, although it is uncertain whether it is composed primarily of earth or stone, and no kerbstones or other diagnostic features are visible. ENE edge of mound appears to have been disturbed when an enclosure surrounding a recent mobile-phone mast was constructed. Two other tiny, satellite barrows lie 8m to SW (WM011-132----) and 10m to WNW (WM011-160----) respectively. Nearby bowl-barrow (WM011-121----) is clearly visible on spur of Frewin Hill to NW, though ring-barrow (WM011-130----) on W-facing slope 27m to W of bowl-barrow is not visible. Ring-barrow at Monroe (WM011-137----) is visible to S and ring-barrows at Balrath to N (WM011-104----; WM011-103----) would be visible but for trees. Farther afield, barrows at Slane More (WM018-078----) are clearly visible to S. Knockdrin (WM012-183----) is visible on horizon to E, and barrows at Rathbennett (WM011-156----) on hilltop to N and Clanhugh Demesne (WM011-150----) on far shore of Lough Owel to NE would be visible but for trees. The Loughcrew hills in Co. Meath, site of an important Passage-tomb cemetery, are clearly visible to NE.

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

Date of upload: 22 April 2016

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 2/2009).

References

McGuinness, D. 2012 The prehistoric burial mounds and related monument of County Westmeath. Part I - Preliminary account of the monuments in the Lough Owel Area (Barony of Corkaree and part of Barony of Moyashel & Magheradernon). Unpublished survey funded by Westmeath County Council in association with Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society.