Barrow - mound barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

Surveyed in 2012 and described by McGuinness (2012, 37) as following: ‘Tall, steep-sided conical tumulus (Diam. 16.5m NS x 18m EW), situated on low, natural eminence in kame and kettle-hole landscape, with a kettle-hole lake close by to NE (pers. comm. Seamus O'Brien). Ground level varies greatly around monument, so that its height ranges from 3.11m on SW side to 3.9m on NE side; ground falls away sharply to SE, making it difficult to distinguish between slope of mound and the natural slope, but it appears to have been highest on this side. Mound apparently had a rounded top originally, although there may have been a very small, flattened apex. The top has been dug into at some stage, possibly by treasure-hunters: an area c. 1.5m x c. 1.2m has been dug to a depth of c. 0.35m. There is some recent cattle-erosion around edges of mound, showing it to be composed of very stony earth. Various ledges or steps are also visible around its circumference, but none appears to run continuously around. While the clear steps on the Slane More barrows suggest the possibility that these ledges are original features, their irregular character and the smooth, elegant profile surviving on the SSW side strongly suggests that they are paths made by cattle climbing the mound or terraces resulting from soil-flow. There is an old, overgrown quarry just N of mound. Mound at Colleen More (WM019-013----) is just visible to NE and Knockdrin (WM012-1183----) is very prominent to ENE’.

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

Date of upload: 25 April 2016

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 Unpublished survey funded by Westmeath County Council in association with Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society.