Passage tomb in Townleyhall

This monument, excavated in 1960-1 (JRSAI 1963, 37-81), comprised a round mound, 13.5m in diameter, covering the site of a destroyed undifferentiated passage-tomb aligned NE-SW with an entrance at the NE end. Though only two orthostats survived, the sockets of the others were located. It originally consisted of sixteen uprights, seven on each side and two at the rear. The tomb measures 5.3m long and gradually widens from about 1m internally at the entrance to 1.5-1.6m at the centre, narrowing to 1.2m at the rear. The tomb was enclosed within four concentric rings of stone setting, lined in places by radial lines of stones. The mound was originally bounded by a kerb of stones, thirteen of which survived. No finds were recovered from this level. Beneath the mound was a settlement site (LH024-008001-). This is a National Monument, in state ownership: No. 529. The above description is derived from both the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986) and the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 July 2007

Passage tomb, Neolithic period; significant as a rare example of a passage tomb in the region, though largely destroyed, providing insights into early megalithic funerary practices.