Barrow - stepped barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

Surveyed in 2013 and described by McGuinness (2014, 57) as following: 'Roughly circular earthwork (Diam. 41m N-S x 37m E-W) comprising a low, poorly defined circular mound or platform (Diam. 19.4m N-S x 18.2m E-W) surrounded by a lower, berm-like feature ranging in width (from base of inner mound to external ground level) from 9m on S side to 12.5m on N side, and up to 1.2m in height on W side; overall height of monument reaches up to 2.5m above ground level on W side. Inner mound rises up to 1.6m above berm on SE side, being much higher on S than on N side. Limestone boulders protrude from the monument at various places, a very large split one lying at the junction of berm and inner mound or platform on SE side. To SE of centre of monument is a tiny irregular mound, apparently limestone boulders covered by a thin layer of soil. Cutting 5m into SW edge of berm but extending beyond it is an oval stone-filled depression, about 7m in width at edge of berm; this appears to be of relatively recent origin (limekiln?).
Monument has been identified as a ringfort in the RMP and as an ‘Earthwork’ by Schot (2006, Fig. 2), but seems better classified as a stepped barrow. Barrow lies on NE spur of Hill of Ushnagh, E of a point midway between mound-barrow in Mweelra (WM024-173----) to S and ringfort and associated mound in Togherstown (WM024-025----) to N. Immediately E of monument is a linear feature running NNE-SSW, which appears to comprise a grassed-over wall with what appears to be a gate (a huge block of stone forming one gatepost), but farther SSW this wall or bank appears to have been flattened and has the appearance of a low, linear causeway. This feature, which runs for many hundreds of metres to N of site, appears from aerial photograph on ASI website to end about 150m to S of barrow, possibly at a large oval enclosure. It is clear from this aerial photograph that the linear feature swerves slightly to E to avoid the barrow'.

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

Date of upload: 23 February 2015

References

Schot, R. 2006 Uisneach Midi a medón Érenn: a prehistoric ‘cult' centre and ‘royal site' in Co. Westmeath. Journal of Irish Archaeology 15, 39-71.

McGuinness, D. 2014 The prehistoric burial mounds and related monuments of County Westmeath. Part II - Monuments in central Westmeath (Barony of Rathconrath and parts of baronies of Moygoish, Moycashel, and Moyashel & Magheradernon). Unpublished survey funded by Westmeath County Council in association with Westmeath Archaeological and Historical Society.