PREHISTORIC · STANDING STONE

Standing stone

Newry And Mourne, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 8649
Period
PREHISTORIC
Site type
STANDING STONE
Nation
Northern Ireland
The designation
Reference
NISMR MonID 8649
Authority
DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Grid reference
J1205531037
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)

Overview

History & significance

Standing Stone in Newry and Mourne is a prehistoric upright stone that rises from bedrock of Late Silurian to Early Devonian felsic igneous rock. The monument stands at grid reference J120531037 in terrain shaped by these ancient geological foundations, which underlie much of the surrounding landscape. Such standing stones were erected during the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods, serving purposes that remain subject to scholarly debate—whether marking territorial boundaries, serving ritual or ceremonial functions, or commemorating individuals and significant locations.

The felsic bedrock upon which this stone rests is characterised by lighter-coloured igneous minerals and was formed during the Early Devonian period, creating a landscape of consolidated ancient rock formations across the Newry and Mourne area. The stone's placement here, on such geologically distinctive ground, may reflect its prominence in the contemporary prehistoric landscape, where geological features often influenced the siting of monuments.

The standing stone is protected as a scheduled monument under reference 8649 by the Historic Environment Division of Northern Ireland. Its survival represents an important record of prehistoric settlement patterns and ritual practice in the region, contributing to understanding of early communities in the Irish landscape.

Standing stone is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 8649. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Standing stone?

Standing Stone in Newry and Mourne is a prehistoric upright stone that rises from bedrock of Late Silurian to Early Devonian felsic igneous rock. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 8649.

What period does Standing stone date from?

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.

Who is responsible for protecting Standing stone?

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 8649.

What other scheduled monuments are near Standing stone?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Souterrain & ?cashel (5.2 km), Carrigakill. court tomb (5.9 km), Court tomb (6.1 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Standing stone

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:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman World
Ireland was never conquered by Rome, so this traces the island's Iron Age kingdoms and its contact with the Roman world.
Historic Records
The 19th-century records of this place: valuations, Ordnance Survey memoirs and topographical accounts.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Standing stone

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.