Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Barrow - stepped barrow
Mitchelstown, County Westmeath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Mitchelstown
- County
- Westmeath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Hchured
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Coordinates
- 53.61967, -7.08096
- SMR number
- WM014-001----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Situated at the end of a low ridge on partially reclaimed grassland with good views of the surrounding countryside. Townland boundary with Ellenstown 80m to E and mound barrow (WM009-0035----) 300m to N. Monument depicted on 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map as a small mound enclosed by a fosse and outer enclosing berm. Described in 1973 as a ringfort consisting of a low circular mound (approx. diam. 7m) enclosed by a shallow internal fosse and flat berm (approx. diam. 35m N-S; 21m E-W) the outer edge of which is defined by a low earthen bank and external fosse. The presence of the circular-shaped mound in the centre of the monument suggests that this monument represent the remains of burial site rather than a ringfort. The mound in the centre of the site was described in 1976 as an unusual feature the purpose of which was uncertain. The mound could represent the remains of a burial mound enclosed by an internal fosse with berm and external fosse. The profile of the monument suggests that this site may be the remains of a barrow. The mound could be a later landscape feature built onto the interior of a platform type ringfort as hinted at in the 1973 site report.
Compiled by: Frank Coyne and Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload: 27 August 2018
Nearby in the register
- Barrow - mound barrowunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Townunder 1 mi
- Settlement deserted - medievalunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.