Scheduled MonumentsNorthern IrelandMoyleTwo standing stones
PREHISTORIC · STANDING STONE

Two standing stones

Moyle, Northern Ireland
NISMR MonID 1253
Period
PREHISTORIC
Site type
STANDING STONE
Nation
Northern Ireland
The designation
Reference
NISMR MonID 1253
Authority
DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR)
Grid reference
D2485333390
Boundary

Scheduled area

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

Overview

History & significance

The Two Standing Stones at Moyle is a prehistoric monument consisting of two upright stones set within a landscape of ancient bedrock. The site stands on Southern Highland Group geology, predominantly psammite and pelite formations laid down during the Middle Cambrian period, these metamorphic rocks having been shaped by subsequent mountain-building events and glacial processes. The weathered appearance of such standing stones reflects millennia of exposure to the Atlantic weather systems that characterise the northern Irish coast.

Standing stone monuments are amongst the most enduring expressions of prehistoric community identity, typically erected during the Neolithic or Bronze Age to mark significant locations within the landscape. Their functions remain debated amongst archaeologists, encompassing territorial markers, ritual sites, or memorials to the deceased. The Two Standing Stones' placement reflects deliberate selection of this particular location by prehistoric peoples.

The monument is protected by the Historic Environment Division under reference 1253. Such official designation recognises its archaeological significance and ensures its preservation for future study. The site contributes substantially to understanding how prehistoric communities engaged with and shaped the landscapes of north-eastern Ireland, leaving physical records that continue to command attention across thousands of years.

Two standing stones is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 1253. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Two standing stones?

The Two Standing Stones at Moyle is a prehistoric monument consisting of two upright stones set within a landscape of ancient bedrock. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 1253.

What period does Two standing stones date from?

Two standing stones dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a standing stone. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Two standing stones?

Two standing stones 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 1253.

What other scheduled monuments are near Two standing stones?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Old castle. house (4.1 km), Mound, possibly barrow (4.6 km), Fundamental bench mark (5.9 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Two standing stones

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Two standing stones'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 Two standing stones report
Or see a real report first
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Two standing stones

Two standing stones stands on Southern Highland Group, bedrock that formed in the Middle Cambrian. The rock here is psammite and pelite.