Gaulstown Portal Tomb
52°12′20″N 7°12′40″W / 52.2056°N 7.2112°W
Tuama Tairseach Ghaulstown | |
 | |
  Shown within Ireland | |
| Location | Gaulstown, Butlerstown, County Waterford |
|---|---|
| Region | Munster |
| Coordinates | 52°12′20″N 7°12′40″W / 52.2056°N 7.2112°W |
| Type | Portal tomb |
| History | |
| Builder | Unknown |
| Periods | Neolithic |
| Cultures | Celtic/Viking |
| Site notes | |
| Public access | Yes |
| Official name | Gaulstown |
| Reference no. | 398[1] |
The Gaulstown Portal Tomb or Gaulstown Dolmen is a megalithic portal tomb situated in Gaulstown, Butlerstown in County Waterford in the Republic of Ireland. It lies about 7 km south west of Waterford City.[2]
Location
[edit]The tomb is named for the townsland in which it situated, Gaulstown, and sits at the foot of "Cnoc an Chaillighe" or "The Hill of the Hag".[3]
Features
[edit]The portal tomb most likely dates from around 3500 BC, and is considered one of the finest examples of portal tombs in the region,[2] and was first recorded by George Victor Du Noyer in 1864.[4] The tomb faces south east into the hillside, and consists of two east-facing portal stones which are 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in) high, with a door stone between and a chamber consisting of three other upright stones. All of these support a rectangular capstone, which is 4.2 metres (14 ft) in length, and 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) deep. The tomb has been undergone maintenance in the past, with a concrete support added inside the chamber. There is evidence that some of the upright stones may have moved over time, as the shape of the chamber has been impacted.[3] It is likely that the structure was once enclosed by a mound or cairn, which has since been removed or eroded away.[5]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "National Monuments in County Waterford" (PDF). National Monuments Service. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ^ a b Jackman, Neil (9 August 2014). "Heritage Ireland: The lonely Kilkenny cave that witnessed a massacre of 1,000 people". The Journal. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ^ a b "Gaulstown Portal Tomb". Prehistoric Waterford. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ^ "Ancient Ireland - Exploring Irish Historic Monuments". Old Moore's Almanac. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ^ "Gaulstown Portal Tomb". Megalithic Monuments of Ireland. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
External links
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