PREHISTORIC · STANDING STONE

Standing stone

Newry And Mourne, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 8839
Period
PREHISTORIC
Site type
STANDING STONE
Nation
Northern Ireland
The designation
Reference
NISMR MonID 8839
Authority
DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Grid reference
J1626525239
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

Newry And Mourne Standing Stone is a prehistoric upright stone monument situated in the Newry and Mourne district of County Down. The monument rises from bedrock of the Hawick Group, a Wenlock-age wacke formation that characterises the underlying geology of this region. Standing stones of this type were typically erected during the Bronze Age, serving purposes that remain subject to archaeological interpretation but likely held significant ritual, territorial or commemorative functions within prehistoric communities.

The stone's survival is testament to the enduring nature of monuments set directly into the local wacke bedrock, which provided a stable foundation resistant to subsidence and degradation. Its position within the upland landscape of Newry and Mourne places it amongst terrain that would have been attractive to prehistoric populations for pastoral and ceremonial activity. The monument's exact height and dimensions are integral to understanding its original significance within the prehistoric settlement patterns of the region.

The standing stone is protected under the Historic Environment Division as a scheduled monument under reference number 8839. This designation recognises its archaeological and cultural importance as a surviving example of Bronze Age stone erection practices in Ulster, preserving evidence of prehistoric monument-building traditions in the north of Ireland.

Standing stone is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 8839. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Standing stone?

Newry And Mourne Standing Stone is a prehistoric upright stone monument situated in the Newry and Mourne district of County Down. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 8839.

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 8839.

What other scheduled monuments are near Standing stone?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Large hilltop enclosure (3.9 km), Mound - possibly barrow (5.3 km), Stone faced rath - one of a pair with 051 (5.3 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 Hawick Group, bedrock that formed in the Wenlock. The rock here is wacke.