MONUMENT OF THE MONTH |
CO-ORDINATES 52 35' 30,646"N...6 47' 8.07"W |
DIRECTION From Kiltealy county Wexford,head west on the R702 for about 1.5km. At a fork in the road turn right and continue for 500m. On the right will be a farm-house and directly after this a lane-way on the right heading up the mountain. Turn here and drive up for about 100m and park opposite a small house. The track continues up for about 2km but is quiet gentle , keeping the forest plantation on your right. At the end of the plantation walk a further 150m until you come to a river-bed and cross over to the left of this and walk a further 150m.Now turn 90 degrees and head up the mountain for 200m and you will begin to see the portal tomb on the sky-line. Give yourself about 2 hours for this trip. |
This wonderful,hidden and forgotten portal tomb in located on the eastern slopes of Knockroe mountain on the Carlow - Wexford border with Mount Leinster to the north. In summer it can be hidden by thick gorse and heather but my visit was after some gorse burn-back. The views are just spectacular and panoramic looking out over high mountains and broad valleys to the east towards the Irish sea in the distance. The tomb is orientated east - west, with the rear of the tomb,once embedded into the mountain side but now slightly elevated above the surrounding earth. The capstone is massive measuring 3.7m in length,2.7m in width,0.70m in depth and is 0.70m above the chamber floor. There appears to be slight markings under the capstone similar to cup-marks but this would need a proper archaeological excavation to determine. Only one portal stone is still in situ and it is now 1.2m in height,having collapsed inwards under the massive weight of the capstone. There is some evidence of dry-walling at the rear of the tomb and the chamber floor is covered in gravel but this may be natural. On the surface of the capstone is a horse-shoe like carving measuring 0.17m X 0.12m but its date is uncertain. One of the side wall uprights on the south-side has what appears to be a spiral motif measuring 0.40m across. |
JULY 2010 |
M M I |
KNOCKROE PORTAL TOMB COUNTY CARLOW |
HORSE SHOE CARVING |
LOOKING EAST |
SPIRAL CARVING |