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Cup-marked stone is a prehistoric monument located near the limestone and mudstone geology of Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Cup-and-ring marks are amongst the earliest known rock art in the British Isles, typically created by pecking circular depressions into stone surfaces using simple stone tools. The marks served purposes that remain debated among archaeologists, ranging from ritual or ceremonial significance to territorial markers or astronomical observation points. The stone's position within Fermanagh, underlain by Tyrone Group bedrock, places it within a landscape rich in prehistoric activity.
The monument sits on geology formed during the Visean period, comprising limestone, mudstone and sandstone interspersed with chert, coal and conglomerate deposits. These mineral-rich formations characterise the region and may have influenced early settlement patterns and resource exploitation. The cup marks themselves would have been created by patient percussion, a technique requiring considerable effort and deliberation.
The stone is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 10595, recognising its significance as evidence of prehistoric artistic and cultural expression. Cup-marked stones of this type cluster in certain regions of the British Isles, suggesting concentrated zones of Neolithic or Bronze Age activity. This example contributes to understanding the distribution and dating of such early rock art traditions across Northern Ireland.
Cup-marked stone is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 10595. View the official record →
Cup-marked stone is a prehistoric monument located near the limestone and mudstone geology of Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 10595.
Cup-marked stone dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a cup-marked stone. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Cup-marked stone 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 10595.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Dual court tomb (0.2 km), Cashel (1.4 km), Cashel (1.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Cup-marked stone'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.
Cup-marked stone stands on Tyrone Group, bedrock that formed in the Visean. The rock here is limestone, mudstone, sandstone and siltstone, with subordinate chert, coal and conglomerate.