Standing stone in Tawnywaddyduff

In an expanse of forest-covered bogland, 5m to E of a forest track, just below the summit of a gradual ESE-facing slope. The surrounding terrain is now entirely obscured by trees but originally the location would have offered a broad vista defined on the skyline to E by the Ox Mountains, and to S by Nephin and the Nephin Beg range. There is a court tomb (MA021-044----) located c. 200m to ESE and another court tomb (MA020-001----) and a stone row (MA020-002----) c. 800m to SW. This standing stone was first noted by de Valéra and Ó Nualláin (1964, 37). They recorded that, when looking westward from the court tomb (MA021-044----), ‘the ground rises for about 400 yards to the head of the valley where a conspicuous standing stone, about 1.75m high, overlooks the site.’ However, following extensive afforestation of the area, the stone’s location was lost. In 2012 it was rediscovered (Pers. comm. Alan O’Raw). It consists of an upright block (H 1.75m; Wth 0.8m; T 0.4m) of banded granite, with long axis aligned NNE–SSW. The stone narrows towards the top to form an asymmetrical triangular peak, with the apex at S. A narrow seam of quartzite creates a raised white scar crossing the top of the stone and extending down the north-west face and part of the NE face. There is a step fracture (L 0.35m, D 0.04m) on the south-east face, 0.3m from the base. The stone leans gently to SE. A low, roughly rectangular red sandstone block (0.4m by 0.3m; H 0.1m) is located 0.35m to SE of the standing stone. This does not appears be deeply embedded in the ground and its proximity to the standing stone may be fortuitous. Immediately to SE, a section (max dim. c. 12m) of the natural slope has been quarried out. Approximately 6m to ENE of the stone there is a level surface spread or concentration (c. 3-4m E–W; c. 10-12m N–S) of loose stones, its exact extent and nature obscured by forest debris. Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy Date of upload: 13 November 2012