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Mound, possible motte is an uncertain earthwork located near Ballymoney in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The monument consists of a mound whose precise date and function remain unclear, though its form suggests it may be a motte, the earthen stronghold typical of Norman settlement in medieval Ireland and Britain. The mound rises from bedrock composed of Palaeogene extrusive rocks—mafic lavas and tuffs formed during the volcanic activity of the Paleogene period, some 66 to 23 million years ago. This ancient volcanic geology underlies much of the surrounding landscape.
The site's uncertain status reflects the challenges of interpreting earthworks without excavation or clear historical documentation. Mottes generally date from the 12th to 14th centuries and would have served as defensive residences, often accompanied by a bailey or fortified enclosure. Such structures were introduced to Ireland by Anglo-Norman settlers, particularly in Ulster and other regions under their control.
The monument is protected under the Historic Environment Division (reference 1235), recognising its archaeological significance to the Ballymoney area. Its landscape setting on Antrim's volcanic bedrock places it within a distinctive geological and historical region of northern Ireland where medieval settlement left lasting marks on the terrain.
Mound, possible motte is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 1235. View the official record →
Mound, possible motte is an uncertain earthwork located near Ballymoney in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 1235.
Mound, possible motte dates from the uncertain period, and is classified as a mound. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Mound, possible 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 1235.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Round barrow (1.5 km), Raised rath (or motte?) (2.5 km), Mound - barrow? (3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Mound, possible 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.
Mound, possible motte stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.