Kilfeaghan Dolman
Kilfeaghan Dolmen is situated on the main Kilkeel to Newry road about three and three quarter miles from Rostrevor. The portal tomb stands on a farm overlooking Carlingford Lough.
It is a prehistoric granite portal dolmen and the site is dated between 2000 and 1000 BC. The gigantic capstone is said to be one of the biggest in Ireland and is estimated to weigh between 35 and 40 tons. Excavations at the site earlier this century unearthed various bones and pottery.
This granite dolmen looks like a giant tortoise. The chamber has an enormous capstone at least 2 1/2 metres long by about 1 1/2 metres thick, and orthostats half buried in field stones and cairn material. An early account states that the cairn (now mostly disappeared) extended for over 7 metres in front of the N-facing chamber, so that there might once have been a facade similar to that of the court-tombs. The cairn is believed to have once extended even further north. The capstone stands on two portal stones which have partly sunk into the ground. The whole stucture rests on a massive cairn at least 15 metres long.
The capstone stands on two portal stones which have partly sunk into the ground. The whole stucture rests on a massive cairn at least 15 metres long.
Situated: Just west of the Causeway Water river. On the eastern slopes of Knockshee, Co Down. From Rostrevor take the A2 east towards Kilkeel, after approx 6 Kilometres take a left turn up a narrow road to Kilfeaghan, after about one kilometre the road widens at a farm, park here. The tomb is signposted and stands approximately 150 metres west of the farm.
Local Attractions
