Barrow - mound barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

A low rise of ground indicates site of levelled bowl barrow. Situated on top of high ground with good views of surrounding countryside from E-S-W. Earthwork depicted on Larkin's 1808 map of County Westmeath (NLI, MS 46,580). Monument visited by ASI in 1980 and described as 'small disturbed bowl barrow' which consisted of 'a low circular mound of earth and stones, now much disturbed. The mound is approx. 9m in diam. and now stands 1.25m high. A number of small stones lie on the disturbed surface of the mound' (SMR File, 23/10/1980).
In 2012 the monument was surveyed, re-classified as a mound-barrow and described as following: ‘Roughly circular and apparently flat-topped mound on low eminence with excellent views in all directions except to N, where higher ground rises a few fields away; ground drops away sharply to W and SW, but only slightly to N, E and SE. Site is in a small, disused triangular patch of land at WNW edge of large field that has been heavily ploughed in recent years to within c. 2m of mound. This patch of land, overgrown with gorse and brambles close to the mound, is matted with long, thick, ungrazed grass, and part of the mound is covered by a pile of disused fencing and other rubbish, so that its edges and upper surface cannot be clearly seen or felt. As such, its diameter and height can only be crudely estimated as 9m N‐S x 8.5m E-W and up to 1.1m respectively, and, although there appears to be no ditch surrounding it, faint traces of one might not be currently discernible. Frewin Hill (WM011-133----) is clearly visible across Lough Owel to SW and Knockdrin (WM012-183----) to SE’ (McGuinness 2012, 33).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 20 February 2015

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 Unpublished survey funded by Westmeath County Council in association with Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society.

NLI, MS 46,580 - National Library of Ireland, A map of the county of Westmeath by William Larkin. Dublin.