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Down Standing Stone is a prehistoric standing stone located in County Down, Northern Ireland. The monument survives as a substantial upright stone set into landscape underlain by Gala Group wacke, a hard sedimentary bedrock formed during the Telychian period of the Ordovician. The stone's position in this locally-derived geological setting reflects the practical considerations of prehistoric monument builders, who would have selected from stone naturally available in the immediate vicinity.
Standing stones of this type are characteristic monuments of Ireland's later prehistoric period, typically erected singly or as part of larger ceremonial complexes. They served various ritual, territorial or commemorative functions within their Bronze Age or Iron Age communities. The survival of this example demonstrates the durability of upright stone monuments across millennia, though the original context—whether isolated or part of a larger arrangement—may no longer be evident.
The site is protected under the Historic Environment Division designation 8428, ensuring its preservation as a record of prehistoric settlement patterns and ritual practice in County Down. The monument's presence contributes to understanding how prehistoric communities marked and used the landscape of Ulster.
Standing stone is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 8428. View the official record →
Down Standing Stone is a prehistoric standing stone located in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 8428.
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 8428.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including D-shaped enclosure - possibly cemetery (1.6 km), Cashel (4.8 km), Cashel (5.6 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 Gala Group, bedrock that formed in the Telychian. The rock here is wacke.