Scheduled MonumentsNorthern IrelandFermanaghThree concentric stone circles & alignment
PREHISTORIC · STONE CIRCLE COMPLEX

Three concentric stone circles & alignment

Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 10297
Period
PREHISTORIC
Site type
STONE CIRCLE COMPLEX
Nation
Northern Ireland
The designation
Reference
NISMR MonID 10297
Authority
DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Grid reference
H3080043100
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

# Fermanagh Stone Circles

Fermanagh Stone Circles is a prehistoric stone circle complex comprising three concentric rings of standing stones located in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The monument sits on bedrock of the Kilskeery Group, a geological formation of sandstone, mudstone, siltstone and conglomerate deposited during the Chesterian period. This varied substrate would have presented both opportunities and challenges to the Neolithic or Bronze Age communities who constructed and used the site, as the different rock types offered variable stone for circle construction. The concentration of three nested rings at a single location suggests a site of particular ceremonial or ritual significance within its prehistoric landscape.

The spatial arrangement of concentric circles is relatively uncommon in British and Irish stone circle typology, indicating that this monument may have served a specialized function distinct from typical single-ring circles used for burial or gathering purposes. The positioning and alignment of the stones would have created zones of different ritual or practical significance, with the innermost circle potentially marking the most sacred or restricted space.

The site is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 10297, ensuring its preservation for future study and public access. The three concentric rings remain visible across the Fermanagh landscape, contributing to our understanding of Bronze Age religious practice and territorial organization in the region.

Three concentric stone circles & alignment is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 10297. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Three concentric stone circles & alignment?

# Fermanagh Stone Circles Fermanagh Stone Circles is a prehistoric stone circle complex comprising three concentric rings of standing stones located in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 10297.

What period does Three concentric stone circles & alignment date from?

Three concentric stone circles & 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 Three concentric stone circles & alignment?

Three concentric stone circles & 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 10297.

What other scheduled monuments are near Three concentric stone circles & alignment?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Platform rath (3.7 km), Derrybrusk church. medieval church & graveyard (5 km), Two burnt mounds/ cooking places (fulachta fiadh) (5.6 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Three concentric stone circles & alignment

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Three concentric stone circles & 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 Three concentric stone circles & alignment

Three concentric stone circles & alignment stands on Kilskeery Group, bedrock that formed in the Chesterian. The rock here is sandstone, mudstone, siltstone and conglomerate.