Canovee Historical and Archaeological Society

Field Trip To Upper Bellmount

Thurs. 11th of April 2002. By kind permission of Denis & Mary Murphy,
Mary Lynch, Brendan & Margaret Hayes

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The group met at Crookstown Hall at 7:30 and first stop was a Stone Circle in Upper Bellmount. The following account is take from a talk given by Peter Scanlan on the night

Bellmount Upper 721 acres
This townland was appropriated by the Baldwins of Mount Pleasant who
took patent for it in the time of King James I. In this they had the
privilege of four fairs in the year,17th of March, Corpus Christy,
21st of September and the 8th of November.

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Please scroll down this page for more information and photos
Stone Circles

Stone Circle Number 1 Upper Bellmount

Stone Circle Number 2 Upper Bellmount.

(Part of this circle is missing)

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These monuments are not primarily burial burial places but are generally
regarded as ritual sites where ceremonies took place. Many stone
circles appear to have been deliberately orientated so that the main
axis of the circle (a line extending from the middle of the gap between
the entrance stones across to the centre of the axial stone ) is
aligned north-east/south-west - ( This circle is aligned NNE-SSW)
those sectors of the horizon in which the sun rises or sets at significant
times during the year, an equinox or a solstice. For example at
Drombeg, during the midwinter solstice, the sun appears to set at
a point on the horizon in line with the axis of the stone circle.
In Ireland stone circles are concentrated in mid-Ulster and in South
Kerry/West Cork, as are stone rows. Exact dating evidence is lacking,
but they are likely to be Bronze age in date, which would date them
to about three and a half or four thousand years old.

Group Photo taken at a Stone Circle in Upper Bellmount

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The Group then paid a brief visit to a Ringfort

Ringforts are the most widespread field monument to be found in
the Irish countryside. Excavation has shown that the majority of ringforts
were enclosed farmsteads, built in Early Christian times. The earth
works acted as a defense against natural predators, like wolves, as
well as human predators. Local warfare and cattle raiding were common
place at that time. As well as farming related activities, the ringfort
was home to a wide variety of craft industries, including spinning,
weaving, metal and glass working. Dwellings and outhouses were built
of timber posts, with walls of wattle mud and sods, which usually
leave no trace above ground today. There are three ringforts in Upper Bellmount

Next stop was Commons Holy Well

in the farm of Brendan & Margaret Hayes.

Commons (meaning Coimin, Commonage.)


This well was known as Tobernafoora which means Tobar na Fuaire,
The Well of Cold Sting. When the Archaeological Survey Team visited
the site on 29th of March 1994, they recorded "That the well is situated
in east facing pasture, now infilled since about 1988. Nothing remains
of it" They quoted Mrs. Hayes (ne Long) as saying rounds were made
here until about 1957. The rounds were made at the well during Holy
Week - at Easter time over a few days, and that money would be left
at a rock in the field to the east of the well, this was also part
of the round. This rock was removed during land reclamation and another stone put there to mark the site. At one time a stone slab covered the well. There is a tradition that water from this well would never boil. There was also another well close bye called called,
The Well of the Goddess.

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