Scheduled MonumentsNorthern IrelandFermanaghThe grey stones. two stones with cup marks & decoration
PREHISTORIC · DECORATED STONE

The grey stones. two stones with cup marks & decoration

Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 10203
Period
PREHISTORIC
Site type
DECORATED STONE
Nation
Northern Ireland
The designation
Reference
NISMR MonID 10203
Authority
DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Grid reference
H3450246852
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

The Grey Stones is a prehistoric decorated stone monument located in Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It comprises two stones bearing cup marks and decorative motifs, typical of Neolithic and Bronze Age rock art traditions found across the British Isles. The stones rest upon bedrock of the Kilskeery Group, a Chesterian formation of sandstone, mudstone, siltstone and conglomerate that characterises the local geology of this region.

The cup marks—small, rounded depressions pecked into the stone surface—represent one of the earliest forms of artistic expression in the archaeological record. Such decorated stones often served ceremonial or territorial functions within prehistoric communities, though their precise significance remains unknown. The additional decorative elements on these two stones suggest they held particular importance to those who carved them.

The monument is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 10203, ensuring its preservation for future study. Located at grid reference H3450246852, The Grey Stones remains a tangible link to Fermanagh's prehistoric past and contributes to our understanding of early artistic traditions in Northern Ireland.

The grey stones. two stones with cup marks & decoration is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 10203. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is The grey stones. two stones with cup marks & decoration?

The Grey Stones is a prehistoric decorated stone monument located in Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 10203.

What period does The grey stones. two stones with cup marks & decoration date from?

The grey stones. two stones with cup marks & decoration dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a decorated stone. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting The grey stones. two stones with cup marks & decoration?

The grey stones. two stones with cup marks & decoration 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 10203.

What other scheduled monuments are near The grey stones. two stones with cup marks & decoration?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Crannog (4.3 km), Crannog (4.4 km), Crannog (4.4 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about The grey stones. two stones with cup marks & decoration

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of The grey stones. two stones with cup marks & decoration'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 The grey stones. two stones with cup marks & decoration

The grey stones. two stones with cup marks & decoration stands on Kilskeery Group, bedrock that formed in the Chesterian. The rock here is sandstone, mudstone, siltstone and conglomerate.