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Newry and Mourne Standing Stone is a prehistoric standing stone located in County Down, Northern Ireland, positioned at grid reference J0558428620. The monument stands upon bedrock formed during the Early Devonian period, comprising an unnamed felsic igneous intrusion that intruded during the Late Silurian to Early Devonian interval. This geological foundation, composed of hard acidic igneous rock, would have influenced both the stone's selection and the practicalities of its erection by prehistoric communities.
The standing stone represents a form of monumental expression that was widespread across the British Isles and Ireland during the prehistoric period, though precise dating of individual examples remains uncertain without archaeological excavation. Such monuments typically served ritual, territorial or commemorative functions within their local landscapes. The Newry and Mourne example contributes to the archaeological record of County Down, marking a point of prehistoric activity in an area rich in monuments from various periods.
The standing stone is protected as a monument of archaeological importance under the Historic Environment Division of Northern Ireland, registered under reference 5952. This statutory protection recognises the site's significance as evidence of prehistoric practice and belief within the Newry and Mourne district.
Standing stone is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 5952. View the official record →
Newry and Mourne Standing Stone is a prehistoric standing stone located in County Down, Northern Ireland, positioned at grid reference J0558428620.
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 5952.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Newry canal. newry canal - c.f. ihr 172 & arm 029 (3.1 km), Bagnal's castle. tower-house (4 km), The long stones. cashel and portal tomb (4.9 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 Igneous Intrusion, Late Silurian To Early Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is felsic-rock.