Rockmarshall Court Tomb Explained

Rockmarshall Court Tomb
Native Name:Tuama Cúirte Charraig an Mharascalaigh
Native Language:ga
Coordinates:54.0092°N -6.2848°W
Location:Annaloughan, Jenkinstown,
County Louth, Ireland
Area:Cooley Peninsula
Built:c. 3500 BC
Elevation:50m (160feet)
Type:court cairn
Designation1:National Monument of Ireland
Designation1 Offname:Rockmarshall
Designation1 Number:562

Rockmarshall Court Tomb is a court cairn and National Monument located on the Cooley Peninsula, Ireland.[1] [2] [3]

Location

Rockmarshall Court Tomb is located immediately southwest of Rockmarshall House, on the southern slopes of Annaloughan Mountain.[4]

History

Rockmarshall has been settled since the Mesolithic (c. 5700 BC on); excavation of a midden shows late tools, oysters and periwinkles.[5]

The Carlingford Lough/Cooley Peninsula region was low in Mesolithic activity in comparison to Strangford Lough and Belfast Lough, due to the low quality flint.

Carlingford and the Mournes could also have provided berries and nuts in season, and wild boar. A local population survived at Rockmarshall into the Neolithic, and the court cairn was built c. 3500 BC.[6]

Description

The gallery is 15m (49feet) long and at the northeast end is a broad court, its arc formed by six stones. The stones used are very low and some have fallen over. There are five chambers with each chamber narrower than the first. There is a lot of cairn material scattered around the gallery.[7] [8] [9] [10]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Pearson, Michael Parker. English Heritage book of Bronze Age Britain. 1993. B.T. Batsford. 978-0713468014. Google Books.
  2. Web site: Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. 1998. Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. Google Books.
  3. Book: O'Sullivan, Harold. Dundalk and North Louth: Paintings and Stories from Cuchulainn's Country. 1997. Dundurn. 978-1900935067. Google Books.
  4. Book: The Shell guide to Ireland. Baron Michael Morris. Killanin. Michael V.. Duignan. 1989. Gill and Macmillan. 978-0717115952. Google Books.
  5. Book: Neolithic Settlement in Ireland and Western Britain. Ian. Armit. 2003. London & Belfast. Prehistoric Society (Queen's University) – Oxbow Books. 978-1842170915. Google Books.
  6. Web site: Archeology of the Carlingford Lough Region – Newry Journal. 29 April 2021.
  7. Web site: Rockmarshall Court Tomb/Megalithic Monuments . PIP. Ireland.com.
  8. Web site: megalithomania.com.
  9. Web site: County Louth – selected monuments. Anthony. Weir.
  10. Web site: Rockmarshall Court Tomb.