This apparent little five stone circle (of which just three stones remain) asks more questions than it answers. It is the two entrance stones that are missing, but the other pair are extremely evenly matched and the axial stone is low, flat topped in an altar-like fashion and rhomboid in plan.
However, it may not have been a five stone circle, despite its appearance. Inline with one of the matched stones is a fourth stone suggesting a more complex layout. To add further to the puzzle there is another stone set completely out of any possible pattern.
Nothing but excavation will ever solve the mysteries of this site, which is beautifully located on a high plateau-like hill top with great views.
This is an explanation of (and a bit of a disclaimer for) the coordinates I provide. Where a GPS figure is given this is the master for all other coordinates. According to my Garmin these are quite accurate. Where there is no GPS figure the 6 figure grid reference is master for the others. This may not be very accurate as it could have come from the OS maps and could have been read by eye. Consequently, all other cordinates are going to have inaccuracies. The calculation of Longitude and Latitude uses an algorithm that is not 100% accurate. The long/lat figures are used as a basis for calculating the UTM & ITM coordinates. Consequently, UTM & ITM coordinates are slightly out. UTM is a global coordinate system - Universal Transverse Mercator - that is at the core of the GPS system. ITM is the new coordinate system - Irish Transverse Mercator - that is more accurate and more GPS friendly than the Irish Grid Reference system. This will be used on the next generation of Irish OS maps. |