From Butterhill townland’s wikipedia entry:
“Butterhill is known in antiquarian circles for the distinctive burial mound situated in the centre of the townland, thought to date back to the 5th century.”
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May 18, 2026
The barrow appears in the poster of the 1998 film ‘This is My Father’
Image credit: IMBD
An aerial photograph of the ~45m wide barrow.
Image credit: Google Earth
A beautiful barrow, located atop a ridge with great views of its surroundings. Would be interesting to see in person.
Image credit: Google Earth
May 17, 2026
May 16, 2026
The Langstone in the mist with Dartmoor ponies 10th August 2024
Image credit: Glavind Strachan Photography
Shot at sunrise on 25th February 2022 – looking towards Kestor.
Image credit: Glavind Strachan Photography
Taken in August 2025 on a trip to Hound Tor and then Bowerman’s Nose. Shot on an old Pentax 110 24mm fixed aperture lens on my Sony a7r (hence the weird distortion and vignetting on the image). I think it adds to the atmosphere of the place.
Image credit: Glavind Strachan Photography
May 15, 2026
Handwritten essay by a primary school pupil in 1938*, Clochar na Trócaire (Convent of Mercy), Skibbereen
“Wedding customs. Near the north end of the island of Cleire, a pillarstone, Gallaun, may be seen standing upright and about four feet high. In the centre there is a circular opening; there is an ancient tradition connected with it. In former times this was a marriage stone where lovers met and became engaged. As no jeweller flourished on the island and engagement rings were not to be obtained, the lovers adopted the custom of plighting their troth by shaking hands through the circular opening. The mutual vows made on such occasions were strictly observed. This Gallaun is looked upon as a venerable relic connected in someway or another with the worship of the Druids”.
Another shot of the Menhirs.
Image credit: https://irlandnews.com/the-mystery-wedding-stones-of-cape-clear-island/?lang=en
A shot of the two ‘Marriage Stones‘
Image credit: https://magebymoonlight.com/marriage-stones-cape-clear/
This cemetary is easily accesible as they are on public land, and lie a short distance from the road. An amazing and unique site, certainly worth the visit!
These are the only known barrows of their kind on the Curragh.
Image credit: Myself
The second in the pair of bowl barrows at this site, it is less prominent than its neighbour at ~1 meter in height.
Image credit: Myself
The Barrow is ~1.5 meters high by eye.
Image credit: Myself
The barrow furthest from the road, elegantly domed with a well defined ditch, amazingly it’s not recorded in the os map despite its prominence!
Image credit: Myself
May 14, 2026
Easily accessed from the nearby single-track road, I wasn’t sure what to make of this, to be honest. ‘Ring cairn’, heavily denuded round cairn... or even an ‘enclosure’ of some description? In my defence, Coflein would appear to be in a similar dilemma:
“A rough circular bank of stones, c.17.5m in diameter, having an OS triangulation pillar at its centre.” [RCAHMW AP965050/66. J. Wiles 30.09.03]
Whatever the truth, the 360-degree views are extensive, the skies massive. However, given the abundance of other sites in the locale, this is (arguably) not somewhere to linger for that long... but nevertheless worth checking out.
Well worth a shufti in a highly recommended locale....
May 13, 2026
I take my hat off to Postman for finding this ring and its row in misty conditions. With my habitual haplessness in reading maps I declined the OS suggested route of going via the Big Pond and set off across the landscape instead on a relatively cloudless sunny afternoon trusting in my binoculars to pick out what I was looking for in the distance. This haphazard approach required me to detour round a couple of large depressions – presumably old quarry workings – after jumping the stream near the carpark and just as I was beginning to wonder if I was heading in the wrong direction I spotted the stones of the eastern row directly ahead leading up to The Pulpit. It’s actually a fair old trek though I made it shorter and more direct on the return route by taking a sighting on a very visible yellow van which had parked next to my car. It was all well worth it, another Dartmoor site added to an ever-expanding list. Nice also to encounter a large group of ponies with their foals.
May 12, 2026
Looks better from this angle, somehow more substantial.
Image credit: Antony Randle
Its appearance altered somewhat by extensive forestry clearance
Image credit: Antony Randle
A sprinkling of native bluebells helping to prettify this already-delightful ring
Image credit: Antony Randle
Maen Llia, on the morning of Friday 10th April, 2026ce.
Image credit: pce1975
Maen Llia, on the morning of Friday 10th April, 2026ce.
Image credit: pce1975
May 11, 2026
Looking down from the outcrop from whence the stones of the tomb probably came towards the front of the western tomb.
Image credit: ryaner
