Barrow - mound barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on top of a natural hillock with possible Anglo-Norman ringwork (WM013-058----) 150m to SSE, Killulagh church and graveyard 285m to NNE.
Monument surveyed in 2015 and described by McGuinness (2015, 54) as following: ‘Dome-shaped tumulus, roughly circular (Diam. 13.8m NW-SE x 12.4m NE-SW) but poorly defined on ESE side, possibly due to slippage, and severely distorted by a mature ash on SSE side, the roots of which spread around and deeply into the mound, especially its S half; these roots to an extent help shore up the mound, which is intact above or upslope of the line of roots but severely eroded below this line. Height of mound above surrounding ground level ranges from 1.5m at SE to 1.75m at SW. W side of mound was densely overgrown at time of visit and could not be closely inspected.
The ASI account of 21/8/81 noted that ‘The perimeter at SE & the SW has been slightly damaged by digging in the past;’ the same account identified the monument as a bowl-barrow, but given that no mention is made of a perimeter ditch; that the ASI account of 13/9/73 specifically mentions that ‘There is no trace of a surrounding fosse’ [SMR file]; and that the present survey team observed no trace of any, the monument seems best classified as a mound-barrow.
Monument is prominently positioned in pasture on N side of low hill with best visibility to N, the ground dropping away sharply to NE but less so to NW and SE; the land to SW is of a similar height. About 250m to NE is a burial ground containing the ruined medieval parish church of Killulagh (WM013-057----)’.

See attached profile of monument surveyed and drawn by the ASI.

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

Date of upload: 8 February 2016

References

Swan, D.L. 1988 The Early Christian ecclesiastical sites of County Westmeath. In J. Bradley (ed.), Settlement and society in Medieval Ireland: studies presented to F.X. Martin O.S.A., 1-31. Kilkenny. Boethius Press.

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 Unpublished survey funded by Westmeath County Council in association with Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society.

Herity, M. (ed.) 2011 Ordnance Survey Letters Longford and Westmeath. Dublin. Four Masters Press.