The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Dungiven Standing Stone

Standing Stone / Menhir

Fieldnotes

This is a tall rectangular standing stone about 7 and a half feet at its tallest point located on a mound behind the modern Catholic church in Dungiven. The church is on the main road east out of the town and the stone itself can be accessed by climbing over the fence at the back of the grave yard.

The stone is a tall rectangular stone about 4 foot wide and 0.5 - 1 ft thick. It stands on what appears to be a man made mound about 6 foot about the datum of the hill its on. The mound its on is on the north side of the river Roe (which rises about 7 miles east between Glenshane and Coolnasillagh mountains). The ruins of an old Celtic church are in the small valley below it. The current church it stands behind would only be about 150 years old.

Its orientation (along its width) is roughly east west so that it faces north and south.

The stone itself is impressive in its size and location. Its large flat surface is covered in lichen and the vibe about it is a definite male one. The day I was there was a warm summers day (by norn iron standards) and the view out to the south ran parallel to the Glenelly valley and over the bog land. To the north stands Benbradagh mountain. Whether its location (above an old church and beside a new one) is any indication of the areas usage is unknown.
Posted by Heron
7th September 2004ce

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