|
 Log in |
Register
|
|
|
Loughmacrory
|
|||||||||||||
0 discussions
Show | |
|
|
Sites in this group:
|
12 posts
Loughmacrory I Wedge Tomb |
11 posts
Loughmacrory II Court Tomb |
17 posts
Loughmacrory III Wedge Tomb |
Latest posts for Loughmacrory |
Showing 1-10 of 40 posts. Most recent first | Next 10 
Loughmacrory II (Court Tomb) — Fieldnotes |
| This looks wonderful from over the fence, the mound/long cairn still remaining with an almost complete kerb/revetment, said to be several courses high in places. The court end, at the east and beside the road, is overgrown at this time of the year and we couldn't explore more because of livestock in the field. Awesome looking monument. |
Posted by ryaner19th September 2020ce |
Loughmacrory I (Wedge Tomb) — Fieldnotes |
|
There's a farm track that heads west from the road to within 100 metres of this one. You then have to navigate 2 gates to get into the field with the tomb. I disturbed a grazing hare as I approached. I got as much a fright as he, but after a brief frozen second or so he scarpered off up the field, only to seek shelter in the chamber of my destination. I arrived at the back, eastern end of the tomb and out he popped, legging it back in the direction from whence we came. I often meet wildlife on my travels but have yet to be quick enough to video the encounter. I stumbled to within touching distance of a sleeping fawn a while back in Glendalough. I'd taken my eye off it for a split second and by the time I'd got my phone out of my pocket it had legged it off up the river bank and away. I know I don't pose any threat to the animals, but they don't know that. There is much of this smallish tomb left. The chamber is complete and still has its roofstones. However, the western portico is wrecked, its collapsed roofstone resting on a southern entrance upright. The stones are all granite and bulkier that is normal in wedge tombs. The roofstone over the back of the chamber seems to be upside-down, its flat, worked side facing up. The field is low-quality pastureage and the area around the tomb is well-trodden. Some of the stones in the vicinity look to be dumped field-clearance. It's still worth a look in this megalith-rich area. |
Posted by ryaner 19th September 2020ce |
Loughmacrory III (Wedge Tomb) — Fieldnotes |
|
It's about 30 kilometres from Omagh to Cookstown. Packed between the two towns either side of the A505, throughout the south Sperrins, there is one of the densest collections of megalithics in Ireland. Many are marked on the OS maps, many are not. This one is and it's right beside the road. It's rare to see such a complete wedge tomb. Aghamore in Leitrim is one but what a trek that was. This was easy. Judging by the previous photos here, the thorn tree that is now colonising the bank between the northern outer-walling and the chamber walling seems to be collapsing under its own weight after a few years of vigorous growth. It's also affecting the tomb structure but I can't see anyone doing anything about that. Both sides of the tomb retain their double walling. Most of the roofstones remain. The tomb is embedded in much of its surrounding cairn. It's not very tall, the height from the floor of the western portico to its roof little over a metre. However, there does seem to be an amount of rubble that has fallen in here. The floor of the sealed chamber seems to be a little lower than that of the portico but still above the ground level of the surrounding field. I could have stayed here a lot longer than I did. It's a fascinating and beautiful site on the north-western slopes of Loughmacrory Hill, the views north-west to the higher hills of the western Sperrins quite beautiful. |
Posted by ryaner 19th September 2020ce |
Loughmacrory III (Wedge Tomb) — Images (click to view fullsize) |
      
|
Posted by ryaner 16th September 2020ce |
Showing 1-10 of 40 posts. Most recent first | Next 10
Top of page