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The Standing Stone at Ballymena is a prehistoric monolith positioned on bedrock of Palaeogene extrusive rocks, mafic lava and tuff formed during the Palaeogene period. This geological foundation reflects the volcanic activity that shaped the underlying landscape of this part of County Antrim millions of years before the stone was erected.
Standing stones across the British Isles were typically raised during the Neolithic or Bronze Age, serving functions that likely encompassed ritual, territorial or commemorative purposes. The Ballymena example forms part of a broader tradition of monumental stone-setting that characterises prehistoric communities across Ireland and Britain, though the specific circumstances of its erection remain undocumented.
The monument is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 2550, reflecting its significance as a prehistoric archaeological monument. Its survival to the present day, positioned within the distinctive volcanic geology of mid-Antrim, makes it a valuable witness to both the deep geological history of the region and the monumental practices of its prehistoric inhabitants.
Standing stone is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 2550. View the official record →
The Standing Stone at Ballymena is a prehistoric monolith positioned on bedrock of Palaeogene extrusive rocks, mafic lava and tuff formed during the Palaeogene period. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 2550.
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 2550.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Rath & souterrain (2 km), Rath & souterrain (2.1 km), Rath and structures (2.2 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.