Graveyard, children's burial ground in County Westmeath

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What is recorded here

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Situated in undulating pasture, on the S side of the Athlone-Mullingar railway line, with very good views to S. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as a roughly oblong-shaped area (approx. dims. 68m WNW-ESE; 40m NNE-SSW) defined by a perforated line, annotated ‘Grave Yard’. Depicted on the revised 1910 ed. OS 25-inch map as a much larger subrectangular-shaped enclosure (approx. dims. 108m WNW-ESE; 68m NNE-SSW) covering 1.5 acres, abutting a railway line to N. According to O’Donovan (OSNB 1837 No. 2, 13), this was ‘formerly used as a common graveyard, but now only used for children who die prior to baptism,’ i.e. a children’s burial ground (WM030-087001-). Monument described in 1979 as a roughly rectangular-shaped mound defined by an artificial scarp of earth and stone. The limits of the scarp are difficult to define except where it incorporates some large stones. There are a number of irregular linear formations of steadfast stones in the SW quadrant and a number of other set stones possibly forming a wall (T 1.1m) that extends out in a southerly direction. There are also some large boulders in the centre of the site. Much of the interior is covered by a growth of tall, dense grasses and weeds. A bullaun stone (WM030-087002-) is reputed to exist within the site. Monument is visible todayas a raised oblong-shaped earthwork within a large, raised irregular oval-shaped earthwork on Digital Globe aerial photography.

From the National Monuments Service (Archaeological Survey of Ireland) record WM030-087

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Photo credits

Maker not stated on source page, tr.pinterest.com
Maker not stated on source page, www.pinterest.com
Maker not stated on source page, commons.wikimedia.org
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
Maker not stated on source page, theirishaesthete.com
Small photographer watermark at lower left; lettering is not clear enough to identify the maker confidently, www.advertiser.ie

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