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Cromlechs is a prehistoric megalithic complex in County Derry comprising a stone circle, linear alignment and several megalithic tombs. The site lies on bedrock of the Southern Highland Group, formed during the Middle Cambrian period, comprising alternating layers of psammite and pelite that have weathered to create the stony moorland landscape characteristic of this part of Northern Ireland. The monument is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 12181.
The complex demonstrates the ritual and funerary practices of Neolithic and Bronze Age communities who occupied this upland terrain. The stone circle and aligned stones served ceremonial purposes within prehistoric society, whilst the megalithic tombs functioned as communal burial monuments, their construction requiring significant communal labour and organisational skill. Such complexes typically developed over many centuries, with different structural elements added or modified as cultural practices evolved.
The survival of Cromlechs as a coherent megalithic landscape reflects the enduring quality of stone construction and the site's relative isolation on upland terrain. The monument contributes to understanding of prehistoric settlement patterns and ritual activity across the north of Ireland, where such complexes represent some of the earliest substantial structures erected by human communities.
Cromlechs. stone circle, alignment & megalithic tombs is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 12181. View the official record →
Cromlechs is a prehistoric megalithic complex in County Derry comprising a stone circle, linear alignment and several megalithic tombs. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 12181.
Cromlechs. stone circle, alignment & megalithic tombs dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a megalithic complex. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Cromlechs. stone circle, alignment & megalithic tombs 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 12181.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Standing stone (8.3 km), Rath (8.5 km), Rath (8.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Cromlechs. stone circle, alignment & megalithic tombs'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.
Cromlechs. stone circle, alignment & megalithic tombs stands on Southern Highland Group, bedrock that formed in the Middle Cambrian. The rock here is psammite and pelite.