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Man-made underground passage in Oldbridge

Man-made underground passage

What is recorded here

Three roof gaps reveal a narrow stone throat curving north beneath the Oldbridge ridge, its lintel-capped walls built for someone who walked below while others watched the Boyne valley from above. Ploughing stripped the soil in 2014, exposing at least nine metres of passage and a collapsed section farther north, while the southern end crumples into a possible eastward turn. The chamber may have been a hideplace, a ritual route or a forgotten boundary marker, but its shape still resists ordinary explanation.
Situated just off the brow of a ridge on gently sloping land overlooking the Boyne river valley to the north. The remains of a Man-made underground passage passage is visible via three gaps in the roof that were exposed as result of ploughing resulting in a shallow depression c. 6m x 4m. The passage, 0.7m wide and averaging 0.70m high in the exposed sections runs approximately north-south and it proved possible to examine only a small section of it where lintels have been removed. The walls are composed of dry-stone walling on top which rests a series of lintels. The passage measures at least 9m in length and curves northwards from the exposed section in the depression. Further collapse of a section of the Man-made underground passage took place in 2014 some 3.8m north of the existing openings. The Man-made underground passage appears to terminate immediately south of the southern-most gap but it is very collapsed in this area and the visible corner may represent an angled turn with the passage turning towards the east. Image 1: View of the depression looking south with the northern and souther gaps in the roof of the Man-made underground passage visible. Image 2: The passage curving to the north taken from the northern-most gap. Image 3: The passage looking south taken from the northern-most gap. Revised by: Paul Walsh Date of upload: 3 April 2014

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

What survives
Recorded monument

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