Kilfeaghan Portal Tomb
Kilfeaghan Dolmen · Rostrevor Dolmen
Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age·Portal Tomb·🇬🇧 County Down, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
About
About Kilfeaghan Portal Tomb
Portal tomb near Rostrevor on a farm above Carlingford Lough, County Down, built c.2500–1000 BCE (radiocarbon debate 2000–1000 BCE per Rostrevor literature). The huge low-set capstone, estimated at 35–40 tons, rests on a stone chamber 1.5 m high; low height makes it resemble modern sculpture. Among the heaviest capstones in Ireland, it sits above the A2 Kilkeel–Newry road, three miles from Rostrevor.
Why it mattersPortal tomb near Rostrevor on a farm above Carlingford Lough, County Down, built c.2500–1000 BCE (radiocarbon debate 2000–1000 BCE per Rostrevor literature). The huge low-set capstone, estimated at 35–40 tons, rests on a
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Low capstone height meaning
Theories
- 01Carlingford Lough coastal view
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 2500–1000 BCE
- Period
- Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age
- Culture
- Portal Tomb
- Purpose
- Portal tomb with massive low capstone
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 2500–1000 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1439 CE
Rediscovery
On the ground
Structures & features
54.0728° N · 6.1211° W · 25 m · 2 mapped features
Massive capstone and chamber
portal tombCapstone 35-40 tons spanning low chamber 2.5×2 m, 1.5 m high
54.0728° N · 6.1211° WCairn remnants
cairn moundRemains of cairn around chamber base
54.0728° N · 6.1211° W