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# Large hilltop enclosure is a substantial earthwork crowning a high point in the Newry and Mourne district. The monument comprises a roughly circular or oval enclosure defined by a substantial bank and ditch, positioned to exploit the commanding landscape. Its precise date and function remain uncertain, though hilltop enclosures of this type were constructed across Ulster from the Iron Age through the medieval period, serving variously as defended settlements, ritual sites or territorial markers.
The site sits upon bedrock of the Hawick Group, a Silurian wacke formation that provides the underlying geology across much of this upland terrain. The local stone would have been readily available for construction, though the enclosure's surviving earthwork suggests its builders prioritised the creation of substantial banks and ditches rather than stone-built defences. The elevated position affords extensive visibility across the surrounding valleys and hills, a characteristic typical of prehistoric and early historic high-status sites.
The enclosure is protected as a scheduled historic monument under reference 8856 by the Historic Environment Division. The uncertain chronology reflects the lack of detailed archaeological investigation on the site. Such monuments remain important elements of the regional archaeological landscape, preserving evidence of changing settlement patterns and land use across multiple periods of Ulster's complex past.
Large hilltop enclosure is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 8856. View the official record →
# Large hilltop enclosure is a substantial earthwork crowning a high point in the Newry and Mourne district. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 8856.
Large hilltop enclosure dates from the uncertain period, and is classified as a hilltop enclosure. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Large hilltop 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 8856.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Standing stone (2 km), Stone faced rath - one of a pair with 051 (2.3 km), Stone faced rath - one of a pair with 051 (2.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Large hilltop enclosure'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.
Large hilltop enclosure stands on Hawick Group, bedrock that formed in the Wenlock. The rock here is wacke.