Scheduled MonumentsNorthern IrelandStrabaneStone circles (2), standing stone & alignment
PREHISTORIC · STONE CIRCLE COMPLEX

Stone circles (2), standing stone & alignment

Strabane, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 14065
Period
PREHISTORIC
Site type
STONE CIRCLE COMPLEX
Nation
Northern Ireland
The designation
Reference
NISMR MonID 14065
Authority
DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Grid reference
H4953096550
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

The stone circles and standing stones at Strabane form a prehistoric monument complex of considerable archaeological interest in County Tyrone. The site comprises two stone circles, a standing stone and an associated alignment, positioned on bedrock formed from a Neoproterozoic mafic igneous intrusion. This ancient volcanic geology has shaped the landscape in which these monuments stand, their stone sources likely drawn from the surrounding area's natural outcrops. The complex is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 14065.

Stone circles of this type were typically erected during the Bronze Age, serving as ceremonial, ritual or burial centres for prehistoric communities. The presence of two circles suggests this was a place of particular significance, possibly used across several centuries or by different groups. The standing stone and alignment may relate to astronomical observations or form part of a broader sacred landscape.

The Strabane complex remains an important testimony to Bronze Age settlement and ritual practice in the north-west of Ireland. The arrangement of stones and their relationship to the local topography and geology continue to inform understanding of how prehistoric peoples organised their ceremonial spaces and responded to their environment.

Stone circles (2), standing stone & alignment is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 14065. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Stone circles (2), standing stone & alignment?

The stone circles and standing stones at Strabane form a prehistoric monument complex of considerable archaeological interest in County Tyrone. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 14065.

What period does Stone circles (2), standing stone & alignment date from?

Stone circles (2), standing stone & alignment dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a stone circle complex. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Stone circles (2), standing stone & alignment?

Stone circles (2), standing stone & alignment 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 14065.

What other scheduled monuments are near Stone circles (2), standing stone & alignment?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Giant's grave. wedge tomb & stone circle (2.1 km), Bronze age ceremonial landscape (3.9 km), Two stone circles, cairn with cist & two alignments (4.9 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Stone circles (2), standing stone & alignment

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Stone circles (2), standing stone & alignment'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 Stone circles (2), standing stone & alignment

Stone circles (2), standing stone & alignment stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Neoproterozoic, bedrock that formed in the Neoproterozoic. The rock here is mafic igneous-rock.