Scheduled MonumentsNorthern IrelandAntrimThe craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb
PREHISTORIC · MEGALITHIC TOMB

The craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb

Antrim, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 2780
Period
PREHISTORIC
Site type
MEGALITHIC TOMB
Nation
Northern Ireland
The designation
Reference
NISMR MonID 2780
Authority
DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Grid reference
J2083090510
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

The Craig's Stone Circle is a megalithic tomb situated in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. This prehistoric monument represents the monumental burial practices of Neolithic and Bronze Age communities in the region. The site is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 2780, reflecting its significance to Northern Ireland's archaeological heritage.

The tomb rests upon Palaeogene extrusive rocks comprising mafic lava and mafic tuff, the remnants of ancient volcanic activity that shaped the underlying geology of this part of Antrim. This bedrock provides the stone source for the monument's construction, with local stone readily available for the builders to quarry and position. The volcanic landscape of the Antrim plateau has long influenced settlement patterns and resource availability in the area.

Megalithic tombs of this type typically served as communal burial monuments, with evidence suggesting use over extended periods and by multiple generations. The stone circle arrangement at this site would have created a visually prominent ceremonial and funerary space within the local landscape. Such monuments remain vital evidence for understanding prehistoric social organisation, religious practice and the monumental labour mobilised by early farming societies in Ireland.

The craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 2780. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is The craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb?

The Craig's Stone Circle is a megalithic tomb situated in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 2780.

What period does The craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb date from?

The craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a megalithic tomb. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting The craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb?

The craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb 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 2780.

What other scheduled monuments are near The craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Kilmakee stone circle. cairn ('stone circle') (5.4 km), Mound - raised rath? (5.7 km), Raised rath (6.5 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about The craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of The craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb'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.
First month just £4.99, then £9.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your The craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb report
Or see a real report first
The ground beneath

The bedrock under The craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb

The craig's or stone circle. megalithic tomb stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.