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Coleraine Mound is a possibly signal mound located in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The monument comprises an uncertain earthwork whose precise original function remains unclear, though its morphology suggests it may have served as a signal station or beacon point. The mound sits upon bedrock composed of Palaeogene extrusive rocks, specifically mafic lava and tuff deposits that formed during intense volcanic activity in the early Tertiary period. This geological foundation provides a stable base of dark, dense stone characteristic of the region's dramatic geological history.
The monument's location within Coleraine places it in an area of significant historical importance. Signal mounds of this type, where their identification is certain, typically served communication purposes during the medieval and early modern periods, allowing visibility across considerable distances. The uncertain classification of this particular example reflects the challenges in identifying earthworks whose original features may have been substantially altered or obscured by natural erosion and land use changes.
The site is protected by the Historic Environment Division of Northern Ireland under reference number 11617, ensuring its preservation for future research and public benefit. Further investigation may eventually clarify the mound's original construction date and intended purpose.
Mound, possibly signal mound is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 11617. View the official record →
Coleraine Mound is a possibly signal mound located in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 11617.
Mound, possibly signal mound 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, possibly signal mound 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 11617.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Loughan island or inis-an-loughan. castle (0.1 km), Mound (0.2 km), Mound - motte? (3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Mound, possibly signal mound'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, possibly signal mound stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.