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Court Tomb at Omagh is a Neolithic megalithic tomb built upon Ordovician bedrock of mafic lava and tuff, the ancient volcanic foundation that underlies much of County Tyrone. Court tombs, characteristic of Ireland's earliest farming communities between 3800 and 3000 BC, feature a distinctive open forecourt and internal chamber. The monument is situated near Omagh, a landscape shaped by these deep geological foundations and the subsequent drift deposits that accumulated during glacial periods.
Like others of its type, this court tomb would have served as a communal burial place for the local Neolithic population, its construction representing considerable labour investment and social organisation. The monument's orientation and siting reflect careful placement within the surrounding terrain, positioning it to command views across the valley and surrounding hills.
The tomb is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 14966, recognising its significance as evidence of Neolithic settlement, funerary practice and social structure in Ulster. The bedrock geology beneath the site—volcanic in origin and nearly 450 million years old—represents a far deeper timescale than the monument itself, yet both form part of the region's archaeological and geological heritage.
Court tomb is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 14966. View the official record →
Court Tomb at Omagh is a Neolithic megalithic tomb built upon Ordovician bedrock of mafic lava and tuff, the ancient volcanic foundation that underlies much of County Tyrone. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 14966.
Court tomb dates from the neolithic period, and is classified as a megalithic tomb. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Court 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 14966.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Druids' altar. portal tomb (5 km), Dunmisk fort. enclosure, monastic settlement, church & graveyard (site of) (5.5 km), Multiperiod burial mound - court tomb, 4 neolithic pit burials, 8 bronze age burials & rath (6.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Court 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.
Court tomb stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Ordovician, bedrock that formed in the Ordovician. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.