Region Ireland Periods Neolithic Reference no. 398 | Type Portal tomb Public access Yes Period Neolithic | |
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Location Gaulstown, County Waterford Address Gaulstown, Co. Waterford, Ireland Similar Verziau of Gargantua, The Bull Ring, Meehambee Dolmen, Strichen Stone Circle, Buġibba Temple | ||
The Gaulstown Portal Tomb or Gaulstown Dolmen is a megalithic portal tomb situated in Gaulstown, in County Waterford, Ireland. It lies about 7 km south west of Waterford city.
Contents
Location
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".
Features
The portal tomb most likely dates from around 3500 BC, and is considered one of the finest examples of portal tombs in the region, and was first recorded by George Victor Du Noyer in 1864. 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. It is likely that the structure was once enclosed by a mound or cairn, which has since been removed or eroded away.