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Chambered Tomb at Down is a prehistoric megalithic monument constructed during the Neolithic period. The tomb is situated in Northern Ireland and benefits from statutory protection as a scheduled monument under reference 7574 by the Historic Environment Division. Its position at grid reference J5429047190 places it within an area of notable geological character.
The bedrock supporting the monument comprises wacke of the Hawick Group, a coarse sedimentary rock formation dating to the Wenlock period of the Silurian era. This ancient stone would have presented a significant foundation for the tomb's construction, and the same geological strata may have provided suitable material for the monument's megaliths, as prehistoric builders typically utilised stone from their immediate locality.
Chambered tombs of this type served communal burial functions within early farming societies, with stone-built chambers accessed by passages and covered by earthen or stone mounds. The survival of this example demonstrates the durability of megalithic construction and its enduring presence within the Northern Irish landscape. The monument contributes to the archaeological record of Neolithic settlement and ritual practice in the region.
Chambered tomb is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 7574. View the official record →
Chambered Tomb at Down is a prehistoric megalithic monument constructed during the Neolithic period. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 7574.
Chambered tomb dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a megalithic tomb. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Chambered tomb 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 7574.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Portal tomb or cist burial (2.3 km), Ballyalton court cairn. court tomb (2.7 km), Raised rath (3.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Chambered tomb'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.
Chambered tomb stands on Hawick Group, bedrock that formed in the Wenlock. The rock here is wacke.