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Dunmurry mound is a medieval motte located in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. The earthwork stands on Sherwood Sandstone bedrock, a red sandstone formation laid down during the Ladinian period and interspersed with bands of siltstone and mudstone. This underlying geology has shaped the mound's composition and stability over the past eight centuries. The motte represents a common form of Norman fortification in Ireland, consisting of an artificial or enlarged mound that once supported a timber palisade and central tower.
The site occupies a strategic position within the Lisburn landscape, where its elevated position would have afforded clear sightlines across the surrounding terrain. The geological foundation of locally available sandstone provided material suitable for the mound's construction and helped establish a solid base for the fortification's timber superstructure.
Dunmurry mound is protected as a scheduled monument by the Historic Environment Division under reference 4921. This designation recognises its significance as a surviving example of medieval military architecture in the region. The motte remains an important archaeological resource, preserving evidence of the period when such fortifications were key features of Norman settlement and territorial control in medieval Ireland.
Dunmurry mound, mary mount. motte is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 4921. View the official record →
Dunmurry mound is a medieval motte located in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 4921.
Dunmurry mound, mary mount. motte dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a motte. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Dunmurry mound, mary mount. motte 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 4921.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Counterscarp rath (3.6 km), The court. plantation house & bawn (4.8 km), Lock 12, the island. canal lock, part of the lagan navigation - c.f. ihr 2680 (5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Dunmurry mound, mary mount. motte'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.
Dunmurry mound, mary mount. motte stands on Sherwood Sandstone Group, bedrock that formed in the Ladinian. The rock here is sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.