PREHISTORIC · MEGALITHIC TOMB

Megalithic tomb

Newry And Mourne, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 6071
Period
PREHISTORIC
Site type
MEGALITHIC TOMB
Nation
Northern Ireland
The designation
Reference
NISMR MonID 6071
Authority
DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Grid reference
J0962018330
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)

Overview

History & significance

# Newry and Mourne Megalithic Tomb

The megalithic tomb at grid reference J096201 8330 is a prehistoric chambered monument located in the Newry and Mourne district of County Down. Like other tombs of its type, it was built during the Neolithic period as a communal burial place, constructed from large stones arranged to form an internal chamber and passage. The monument sits on bedrock formed from a Palaeogene igneous intrusion of felsic composition, typical of the distinctive geology underlying this region of Northern Ireland.

The tomb's construction reflects the sophisticated understanding of stone-working and architectural planning possessed by Neolithic communities. The massive stones employed would have required considerable labour to quarry, transport and position, indicating the importance of such monuments within contemporary society. Megalithic tombs served both practical and ceremonial functions, housing the remains of multiple individuals over extended periods.

The monument is protected under the Historic Environment Division reference 6071, recognising its significance as evidence of the earliest agricultural and ritual practices in Ireland. Such tombs, scattered across the Irish landscape, represent one of the most enduring achievements of prehistoric peoples and continue to define the cultural heritage of the region.

Megalithic tomb is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 6071. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Megalithic tomb?

# Newry and Mourne Megalithic Tomb The megalithic tomb at grid reference J096201 8330 is a prehistoric chambered monument located in the Newry and Mourne district of County Down.

What period does Megalithic tomb date from?

Megalithic tomb dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a megalithic tomb. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Megalithic tomb?

Megalithic 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 6071.

What other scheduled monuments are near Megalithic tomb?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including The small cairn. megalithic tomb (1.4 km), The shankill. cashel, reused as killeen (3.3 km), Motte (3.4 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Megalithic tomb

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Megalithic tomb's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman World
Ireland was never conquered by Rome, so this traces the island's Iron Age kingdoms and its contact with the Roman world.
Historic Records
The 19th-century records of this place: valuations, Ordnance Survey memoirs and topographical accounts.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Megalithic tomb

Megalithic tomb stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is felsic-rock.