oldwarrenpointforum

You may be right but it has all the appearance of a Dolmen. You really need an expert to have a look






Peter Hinchcliffe

I walked up today to the alleged Dolmen and found it as I left it a couple of years ago. Photos will follow and precise map reference.

Peter, if that turns out to be a dolmen and I hope it is, you deserve to have it named after you.................if astronomers get stars named after themselves, why not archaeologists..........................

You deserve a medal for going up there today.......I've had the heat full on & still feel cold, hope you had your arctic gear on!

Yes it was cold but the expedition moved fast and kept warmish I cant master the image loading technology on this website so please go to my flickr at :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldgreywolf/

and see what you think. I am slightly dubious myself-it could well be a natural rock formation but on the other hand...
THe precise grid ref from the Mourne Country Outdoor pursuits map is 192170. Go up to Fiddlers Green through the Oakwood. Turn right and then left up A steep rocky path signed Cloc More. As that path reaches the edge of the trees about 370 yards short of Cloc More the 'drumlin' is about 8 yards above the path to the right. Easy to muss if you don't keep a sharp look out. Views welcome ! Peter

Thanks for those Peter, much obliged

I'll repost them here later, for now here are 2 of them.

SO YOU LOT GET THE SHOVALS AND SPADES OUT AND AWAY YOU ALL GO ON SUNDAY AND START DIGGING. we ex pats would love to be there for it but there are no cheap flights this week end but we will be happy with photo ,s

There used to be a few Dolmen about the point years ago ......I'm sure you will have seen them........in the square ........just where you can get a nice cup of coffee today !

O S Memoirs Vol 3 Oct 1836 : Giant's Grave or Cromlech.
The cromlech of Kilfeaghan consists of a large block of granite of irregular form, 6 and a half feet thick at the upper end and 4 feet thick at the lower end, supported to the south by 2 large stones or pillars partly buried in the stones of a cairn which surrounds the cromlech. It has been evacuated a little within a few years. Form of chamber : plan dimensions 7, 4 and a half and 3 feet. Upper surface of top stone : plan dimensions 9 and a half and 8 and three-quarter feet. The cairn commences 8 yards to the north of the upper part of the cromlech and ends 25 yards to the south of the upper part of it, being 10 yards broad at the upper part, coming in at right angles at the lower part of the cromlech and then being 4 yards broad. It is elevated 2 and a half feet above the surface of the ground.
Although I had been up the old path to Cloughmore stone a number of times, I never heard anyone mention this cromlech. The O S described Cloughmore stone in 5 lines but required 20 lines for this monument. It would appear to be a much more interesting item than the big stone. You may wonder how ancient people constructed it at that elevation, even were they to obtain the top stone nearby. Stanley

I am delighted that the provenance has been established. Perhaps someone should put up an information Board? Peter Hinchcliffe

The stone described above is not the Kilfeaghan Dolmen, it is about four miles further on towards Kilkeel and close to the Cassy Water river and well sign posted.......................see link below for further information ...........................I hope this clears up any misunderstanding there appears to be regarding this dolmen ....................

http://www.newryandmourne.gov.uk/touris ... dolmen.asp

Does not clear it up at all! What is it then? The specifications of the Killfeaghan Dolmen as described in the OS reference are very similar Peter Hinchcliffe

I agree, from your photographs the stones close to Cloughmore look very like a cromlech/dolmen with the cap stone clearly supported by two or three pillars typical of many others in our area................maybe I misunderstood Stanley, I thought he was referring to this cromlech as the Kilfeaghan monument ........................................

Peter & Northbrook : When I compared the distinctive shape of the top stone in the photograph with the drawing from O.S.c1836 and the description of the underlying cairn of stones, I thought they must be one and the same. I suppose the way to prove it, is to take some more photograhs. Perhaps there are indeed two cromlechs but it would be strange if the O. S. missed one of them. Stanley

I'll gladly take more photos next Spring when over from across the water but it really needs an expert to have a look to determine its provenance. Its strange that it has seemingly not been documented before if it is a genuine dolmen Peter Hinchcliffe