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The Holestone, also known as the Doagh Stone, is a prehistoric holed stone located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The monument consists of a stone perforated by a natural or artificial opening, a type of object that appears across northern Europe and has attracted ritual and ceremonial significance throughout prehistory and into later periods. The stone sits upon bedrock formed from mafic lava and tuff of Palaeogene age, the volcanic foundation that characterises much of the Antrim landscape and would have been familiar to the prehistoric communities who may have revered or used this object.
Holed stones such as this are documented from Neolithic and Bronze Age contexts, though their precise chronology and original purpose remain debated among archaeologists. These monuments have been associated with healing practices, fertility rites, astronomical observation, and territorial marking, with their significance potentially shifting across centuries of use and reuse.
The Holestone is protected as a scheduled monument by the Historic Environment Division under reference 3056, ensuring its preservation for future study and public access. The stone represents an important element of Antrim's prehistoric heritage and contributes to understanding the ritual landscape of prehistoric Ulster.
The holestone, the doagh stone. holed stone is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 3056. View the official record →
The Holestone, also known as the Doagh Stone, is a prehistoric holed stone located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 3056.
The holestone, the doagh stone. holed stone dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a holed stone. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
The holestone, the doagh stone. holed 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 3056.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Barrow (5.4 km), Kilmakee stone circle. cairn ('stone circle') (6.4 km), Mound - raised rath? (6.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of The holestone, the doagh stone. holed stone's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
The holestone, the doagh stone. holed stone stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.