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Round Grove is a counterscarp rath situated near Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The monument is protected as a scheduled historic monument under Historic Environment Division reference 2279. A counterscarp rath represents a distinctive form of early medieval ringfort, characterised by an outer bank and ditch that enclose a circular or oval enclosure, providing defensive earthworks around domestic or pastoral settlements. The site sits upon bedrock formed from Palaeogene extrusive rocks, comprising mafic lava and tuff that underlie the local landscape.
The defensive architecture of the counterscarp rath suggests occupation during the early medieval period, when such fortified enclosures were common throughout Ireland. The outer bank would have served both practical and symbolic functions, controlling access and establishing territorial boundaries. The specific topography and geology of this location in north Antrim shaped how the monument was constructed and positioned within the landscape.
Round Grove remains an important archaeological record of early medieval settlement patterns in County Antrim. The presence of a tree ring recorded at the site provides potential dendrochronological evidence for more precise dating of the monument's construction and use phases. The monument contributes to understanding the distribution and characteristics of ringforts across the region.
Round grove. counterscarp rath & tree ring is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 2279. View the official record →
Round Grove is a counterscarp rath situated near Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 2279.
Round grove. counterscarp rath & tree ring dates from the e.christ. period, and is classified as a rath. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Round grove. counterscarp rath & tree ring 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 2279.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Ancient field system, including rath & 2 round cairns (c.f. 038 (3 km), Ancient field system, including rath & 2 round cairns (c.f. 038 (3 km), Rath and souterrain (3.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Round grove. counterscarp rath & tree ring'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.
Round grove. counterscarp rath & tree ring stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.