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# Standing Stone, Larne
The Standing Stone near Larne is a prehistoric monolith erected during the Neolithic or Bronze Age. Standing stones of this type were commonly raised across northern Britain and Ireland, serving purposes that likely encompassed territorial markers, ritual functions, and community meeting points. Their construction required considerable labour and social organisation, suggesting their significance extended beyond practical utility.
The stone itself stands within a landscape shaped by ancient volcanic activity. The bedrock beneath the site comprises Palaeogene extrusive rocks—mafic lavas and tuffs formed during intensive volcanic episodes around 60 million years ago. These igneous deposits form part of the geology that characterises the Larne area and would have been a familiar backdrop to the prehistoric communities who inhabited this region during the Neolithic and Bronze Age.
The monument is protected under the Historic Environment Division of Northern Ireland's heritage authority, registered as monument number 1672. This designation recognises its archaeological importance and ensures its preservation for future study. The stone's survival to the present day provides evidence of long-distance settlement patterns and spiritual or social practices among early Irish communities, whilst its specific location connects prehistoric activity to the distinctive volcanic landscape of County Antrim.
Standing stone is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 1672. View the official record →
# Standing Stone, Larne The Standing Stone near Larne is a prehistoric monolith erected during the Neolithic or Bronze Age. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 1672.
Standing stone dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a standing stone. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Standing stone 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 1672.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Findspot of flint and pottery (2.3 km), Kilwaughter mote. motte (3.3 km), Motte (3.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Standing stone'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.
Standing stone stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.