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Moyle is a dual court tomb, a Neolithic megalithic monument built on bedrock of Argyll Group marble and meta-limestone. This distinctive monument type, with two separate court areas, is rare in the archaeological landscape of Northern Ireland. The underlying geology of metamorphosed limestone, formed during the Neoproterozoic, has shaped both the monument's construction and its enduring presence on the local terrain.
The dual court design reflects burial practices of the Neolithic period, when communities organised themselves around communal sepulchral monuments. The arrangement of two courts allowed for ritual activities and depositions across distinct ceremonial spaces. The marble and meta-limestone bedrock provided stone for the monument's construction, materials that would have been quarried or gathered from the immediate vicinity during the Neolithic.
Moyle is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 802, ensuring its preservation as an important record of Neolithic society in the Moyle area. The monument remains a testament to the engineering skill and social organisation of its builders, and the natural stone resources they exploited. Its survival reflects the durability of megalithic construction across thousands of years.
Dual court tomb is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 802. View the official record →
Moyle is a dual court tomb, a Neolithic megalithic monument built on bedrock of Argyll Group marble and meta-limestone. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 802.
Dual 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.
Dual 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 802.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Craigagh altar. craighagh altar and enclosure (5.5 km), Barrow (6.6 km), Mound, possibly barrow (6.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Dual 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.
Dual court tomb stands on Argyll Group, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is marble, meta-limestone.