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Ballymena Standing Stone is a prehistoric standing stone located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Protected as a scheduled monument by the Historic Environment Division, it forms part of the rich archaeological heritage of the Mid-Antrim region. The stone stands upon bedrock composed of mafic lava and tuff of Palaeogene age, volcanic rocks formed during intense geological activity some sixty million years ago when the land lay beneath intense thermal stress.
Standing stones of this type were erected during the prehistoric period, likely in the Bronze Age or Neolithic era, serving purposes that remain subject to archaeological interpretation. Their prominence in the landscape made them enduring landmarks within their communities, and many have survived millennia to become significant markers of prehistoric settlement and belief systems. The Ballymena stone's position on volcanic bedrock reflects the uneven terrain characteristic of north-eastern Ireland's complex geological foundation.
Today, the monument remains an important testament to the area's deep human history. Its survival demonstrates the durability of these prehistoric monuments across successive periods of cultural and environmental change. The standing stone contributes to understanding patterns of prehistoric activity across the Antrim plateau and serves as a tangible connection to the Bronze Age and earlier societies that shaped the region.
Standing stone is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 2224. View the official record →
Ballymena Standing Stone is a prehistoric standing stone located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 2224.
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 2224.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Round grove. counterscarp rath & tree ring (5.4 km), Dual court tomb (6.5 km), Church (7 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.