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Carnkirk Castle is a round cairn, a prehistoric burial monument located in Moyle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The site sits on bedrock formed from Palaeogene extrusive rocks, comprising mafic lava and tuff laid down during volcanic activity in the early Tertiary period. This distinctive geology reflects the area's complex geological history shaped by intense vulcanism during the opening of the North Atlantic.
The cairn itself represents a funerary tradition extending back thousands of years into prehistory. Round cairns were constructed by piling stone over burials, with their circular form and rubble composition varying considerably across regions and periods. At Carnkirk, the mound would once have been a prominent landscape feature, though time and land use have substantially altered its appearance.
The monument is protected under the Historic Environment Division's statutory listing (reference 191), recognising its archaeological and historical significance. Despite its evocative name, Carnkirk Castle's true origin and purpose lie in prehistoric burial practice rather than medieval fortification. It remains an important record of ancient settlement and funerary custom in the landscape of Moyle.
Carnkirk castle. round cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 191. View the official record →
Carnkirk Castle is a round cairn, a prehistoric burial monument located in Moyle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 191.
Carnkirk castle. round cairn dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Carnkirk castle. round cairn is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Ni. The official designation reference is 191.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Castlenagree. mound (cashel or barrow?) (0.4 km), Chapel field. church, graveyard (site of) & souterrain (0.6 km), Ice house (2.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Carnkirk castle. round cairn's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Carnkirk castle. round cairn stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.