Megalithic structure

The National Monuments Service's description

Located at the bottom of a slight S and E-facing slope at Carnsore Point, and marked on the 1839 and 1940 eds of the OS 6-inch map where it is described in gothic lettering as a Giant's Grave and a Dolmen respectively. The earliest reference is from the Dublin Magazine, of August 1764 where it is described as 23ft in length (L c. 7m), and Beranger the artist sketched it in 1780 (Wilde 1876-8, 129), although this has never been published. The area was excavated (E000142) in 1975 when a trench (dims 20m x 5m) produced no evidence of the structure and it can be concluded that erosion by the sea has removed all trace of it (Cahill and Lynch 1976 7, 59).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload/revision: 27 March, 2014

References

Wilde, Lady J. 1876-8 Memoir of Beranger, and his labours in the cause of Irish art, literature, and antiquities from 1760 to 1780, with illustrations. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 14, 111-56.

Cahill, M. and Lynch, A. 1976-7 The excavation of St. Vogue's well and dolmen (Site of) at Carnsore, Co. Wexford. Journal of the Wexford Historical Society. 6, 55-60.