Scheduled MonumentsNorthern IrelandBallymoneyCraigs upper, irish craigs. enclosure
UNCERTAIN · ENCLOSURE

Craigs upper, irish craigs. enclosure

Ballymoney, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 1597
Period
UNCERTAIN
Site type
ENCLOSURE
Nation
Northern Ireland
The designation
Reference
NISMR MonID 1597
Authority
DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Grid reference
C9754018110
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)

Overview

History & significance

Craigs Upper is an uncertain enclosure located near Ballymoney in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The monument sits upon bedrock comprising Palaeogene extrusive rocks of mafic composition—ancient lava flows and tuffs formed during volcanic activity in the Paleogene period, some 66 to 23 million years ago. This distinctive geological foundation of basaltic material has shaped the landscape surrounding the site.

The enclosure's precise form and original function remain unclear, as its boundaries and internal features are not distinctly defined. Such uncertain enclosures are common archaeological features in Northern Ireland, often representing settlements, stock management areas or ritual spaces from the prehistoric or early medieval periods. The difficulty in interpretation reflects both the passage of time and the variable preservation of earthwork monuments on this resilient volcanic bedrock.

The site is recorded in the Historic Environment Division's statutory schedule under reference 1597, affording it protected status. This designation recognises its archaeological significance and ensures that any future investigation or development is subject to proper archaeological consideration.

Craigs upper, irish craigs. enclosure is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 1597. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Craigs upper, irish craigs. enclosure?

Craigs Upper is an uncertain enclosure located near Ballymoney in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 1597.

What period does Craigs upper, irish craigs. enclosure date from?

Craigs upper, irish craigs. enclosure dates from the uncertain period, and is classified as a enclosure. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Craigs upper, irish craigs. enclosure?

Craigs upper, irish craigs. enclosure 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 1597.

What other scheduled monuments are near Craigs upper, irish craigs. enclosure?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Raised rath (3 km), Round barrow (4.7 km), Carrowadoon. raised rath & souterrain (4.9 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Craigs upper, irish craigs. enclosure

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Craigs upper, irish craigs. enclosure's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman World
Ireland was never conquered by Rome, so this traces the island's Iron Age kingdoms and its contact with the Roman world.
Historic Records
The 19th-century records of this place: valuations, Ordnance Survey memoirs and topographical accounts.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Craigs upper, irish craigs. enclosure

Craigs upper, irish craigs. enclosure stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.