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Magherafelt Promontory Fort is an uncertain promontory fort situated in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The monument stands on bedrock formed during the Silurian period, comprising an unnamed igneous intrusion of felsic composition, which creates a natural topographical advantage for defensive purposes. The site is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference number 12460.
Promontory forts of this type typically date to the Iron Age or early medieval period and exploit natural landscape features to minimize defensive requirements. The felsic igneous bedrock underlying this location would have provided a hard, resistant foundation capable of supporting structural remains and offering natural elevation suitable for fortification. The uncertain classification reflects the current state of archaeological understanding at this specific site.
The monument's survival and protection acknowledge its potential archaeological and historical significance within the landscape of County Londonderry. Further investigation may clarify the site's chronology and cultural context, revealing the nature and scale of any occupation or defensive structures that may have existed on the promontory.
Promontory fort is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 12460. View the official record →
Magherafelt Promontory Fort is an uncertain promontory fort situated in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 12460.
Promontory fort dates from the uncertain period, and is classified as a promontory fort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Promontory fort 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 12460.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Counterscarp rath (1.6 km), Rath (1.8 km), Rath (4.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Promontory fort'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.
Promontory fort stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Ordovician To Silurian, bedrock that formed in the Silurian. The rock here is felsic-rock.