Standing stone in Timoney Hills

In undulating pasture, on the landscaped estate of Timoney Park located 730m to the N. No surface remains visible of standing stone in field which was recorded by the Inspector of National Monuments and marked as stone 2B on a 1934-36 map of a group of 221 standing stones, of which 173 stones were located in the townland of Timoney Hills and 48 standing stones in the adjoining townland of Cullaun. Nine standing stones (TN018-015001-/013-)were shown located in this field on the 1934-36 map. A map published in the Archaeological Survey of Ikerrin depicts 245 standing stones, 70 of which had been removed, and five cairns, which have also been removed (Stout 1984, 19). National Monument No. 353. This standing stone 2B was marked on a map where it is shown standing in close proximity to three other standing stones marked 2A (TN018-015002-/015008-), 2C (TN018-015003-) and 2D (TN018-015004-). None of these standing stones remain in situ today. In the adjoining field to the NE are the remains of 4 displaced stones (TN018-015005-/006-/007-/008-) which may be the original stones marked 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D on the 1934-36 map. Nine standing stones were marked in this field on the 1934-36 map and by 1953 the National Monuments Service recorded that there was 'only one standing stone in existence' (SMR File). This group of standing stones in the townlands of Timoney Hills and Cullaun were described in 1936 by the Inspector of National Monuments as following: 'Though a number of stones have been eliminated, the remainder numbering 221 (173 in Timoney Hills and 48 in Cullaun) are a most remarkable group. The stones are not, apparently, arranged on any particular system except for one obvious stone circle in Cullaun. They are all of red sandstone or conglomerate of the same period and stand or stood from 3 to 6 feet [0.9-1.8m] in height over the ground, the average height of the larger ones being about 5 feet 1.5m]' (SMR File). The location of these stones on the Parker-Hutchinson estate of Timoney Park casts doubt on the antiquity of these monuments. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 26 January 2015