What is recorded here

Kiltanon is a place where the edge of the world still shows through. The stone sits off-centre beside a children’s burial ground, set into a grove rather than displayed like a trophy. Its basin is not a smooth bowl but a worn hollow, deeper at one side and shallow at the other, as if hands kept returning to it across centuries. The dead, the living and the forgotten all leave their shape in such places.

Off-centre to SE of children’s burial ground (CL027-024001-) and resting on top of a prostrate slab from a megalithic structure (CL027-024002-). Not depicted on any OS historic mapping. According to Westropp (1902-04, 111), ‘South of Kiltanon House, in a grove of trees, lies a sandstone block resting on a slab, 3 feet by 4 feet. It has a bullaun, 13 inches across, ground in it.' This monument consists of an irregular-shaped sandstone boulder (0.75m E-W; 0.8m N-S; max. H 0.65m; min. H 0.25m). It has a triangular-shaped upper surface (0.65m N-S; 0.55m E-W) in plan, which has a steep NW face and a hollow basin offset slightly to NW. The basin (0.32m N-S; 0.30m E-W) is oval in plan and is deeper (max. D 0.2m) at S and becomes shallower (min. D 0.05m) at NW, where there is a gentle lip from the basin to the edge of the stone. The following images have been uploaded: CL027-024003-_01.jpg Bullaun stone from N. CL027-024003-_02.jpg General view of bullaun stone from E resting on slab from megalithic structure (CL027-024002-). Compiled by: Mary Tunney, Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly Date of upload: 10 December 2018

Likely dating to the Neolithic or Early Bronze Age, this bullaun stone may have had a ritual or votive function, possibly associated with the nearby children’s burial ground and megalithic remains. Such stones are often linked to healing traditions or early Christian practices, though their original prehistoric meaning remains unclear.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.