 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| New Grange It's History The Boyne Valley (Brugh Na Boinne), known to most as the location of the famous "Battle of the Boyne" (where King Willie and his men fought and died.) is also the location of many of Ireland's megalithic monuments. It has been called the great cemetery of Irish Kings, it's monuments have been in existence since before pen was put to parchment detailing Ireland's history. Within this fertile area drained by the river Boyne and Blackwater we can see the Hill of Tara, the Hill of Slane where Saint Patrick is reputed to have defied the pagan High Kings and the Passage graves of New Grange, Knowth and Dowth. It is said that an Irish King called Cormac Mac Art asked not to be buried at Brugh as he did not worship the same God as those buried at Brugh, he had become a Christian. When he died his followers decided to bury him at Brugh, the place where his predecessors the Kings of Tara were buried. It is said that each time they attempted to carry his body to Brugh, the Boyne flooded and prevented them. It was deemed that they were violating the wishes of a Prince. The erection of New Grange has been dated to around 3000 BC this predates Stonehenge. It's date of construction is based on "Carbon 14 Dating". It was rediscovered in the 1600's. It is known as a "Passage Grave" . Passage graves are set in a mound of earth or stone with a passage leading to the central chamber and often have side chambers. Passage graves are generally found in groups and New Grange is surrounded by around 40 other sites which are enclosed by the flow of the river Boyne. |
| Great Circle 103.6 metres in diameter consists of 12 standing stones. It is estimated that there may have been up to 38 stones if there had been a complete circle. Pits were found where stones may have stood. |
 |
| Mound from SE showing four stones of the Great Circle |
| Mound It measures between 79 and 85 metres in diameter with a height of 11 to 13m. |
 |
| Mound from the South |
 |
 |
| Before the restoration |
| Roof Box The roof box was discovered in 1963 during excavations. It is 2.4m back from the passage mouth and rests on the front part of the passage roof. On the winter solstice Dec 21st the rays from the rising sun pass into the tomb from a narrow opening on the bottom of the roof box.. This phenonomen was discovered in 1967. In 1969 professor MJ O'Kelly made observations that at 9:58 am (BST) a pencil of light shone through the roof box into the passage and onto the chamber floor. This sunlight illuminated the chamber. At 10:04 the light beam began to narrow and at 10:15 the light was cut off from the passage and chamber. Sunlight also appears in the chamber for a week before and after the winter solstice. But it does not illuminate the chamber as brightly as on the 21st Dec.
|
 |
|
Entrance & Roof Box |
| Kerb Stones There are 97 kerbstones around the base of the mound. They range in length between 1.7m and 4.7m. Their average height is estimated to be 1.2m. Some of the kerbstones are decorated, not all of the stones are visible. The best edges of the kerb stones were placed at the top and the bottom placed in pits to support them. This gave an even top line to the kerbstones around the mound. The circle of kerbstones curves inwards on each side of the entrance. |
 |
Kerb Stones |
 |
Kerb Stone K52 |
 |
| Entrance
Passage The entrance passage to the center of the tomb is 18.9 metres long, the inner chamber is 5.2m deep 6.5 metres wide. The Passage comprises of 43 dressed standing stones, 21 on the right and 22 on the left of the passage. They average 1.5m in height. It is located on the south-east of the mound. The roof of the passage consists of slabs which are overlapped creating a corbelled roof, these are supported by the standing stones of the passage. There are 17 stones in the passage roof. |
|
 |
|
| Passage Entrance & Great Circle Stone | |
 |
|
| The Entrance Stone and Passage | |
 |
 |
| The
Passage Entrance "Ireland 100 Years Ago" Richard Lovett |
|
| Inside the Passage | |
| Chamber The chamber is in the shape of a cross, the foot of the cross being the end of the passage. At the head and arms of the cross are three small recesses. The chamber is 6m high at it's centre point and has a corbelled roof. Basin stones are in each of the recesses. These stones contained the burnt remains of the dead. |
 |
| Corbelled Roof |
 |
| Altar Stone |
|
| Recess in the Sepulchural
Chamber "Ireland 100 Years Ago" Richard Lovett |
| How to get there From Dublin ( See Map ) Head north along the N1, this will take you past Santry, Dublin Airport,Swords, Balbriggan, Gormanstown and onto Drogheda. On reaching Drogheda a left turn onto the R163 and follow the signs for New Grange. On returning to Dublin stay on the R163 and head for Slane. Here you can view the Hill of Slane. Continue onto Dublin via the N2 and a left turn at the R153 will take you to the Hill of Tara, seat of the ancient High Kings (Ard Rí) of Ireland. From Belfast Head south on the M1 until you reach interchange 7 where you join the A1. Alternatively you can leave Belfast via the A3 joining the A1 at Lisburn, interchange 6. Continue on the A1 until you reach Newry. Just south of Newry you will reach an approved Border crossing point (Today border crossing is no longer a traumatic experience). After the border and into the Republic of Ireland you will be on the N1. Just before Dundalk a detour left along the R173 will take you to Proleek Dolmen. On the road again and through Dundalk, Just after the R169 turn off another site of interest appears, Monsterboice High Cross. On the N1 again and onto Drogheda. A right turn at the R163 and follow the signs for New Grange. |
