Giant's Ring Earthen Bank and Portal Tomb Info & Photo Gallery	View Larger Map   |   Get Directions

Location:  Ballylesson Road, Ballynahatty Townland, Shaw's Bridge, Belfast, Co. Down, Ireland.

Access: By road with large parking facilities at the entrance to the site.

Description:  A Portal Chamber of 5 upright stones, holding up a large capstone, located within a circular earthen bank. The Earthen bank now has 5 opening it it. The Portal Tomb is not located in the center of the circular bank but is more to the eastern side. Is well visited and used as a walking area with the path leading down to the River Lagan towpath.

Information: Was thought to originally have been a Passage Tomb covered with a Cairn. At over 4500+ year old. The date and function of the monument are both difficult to establish. It is most likly a Neolithic ceremonial or assembly site or both.

Measurements: At 180 meters across, 3.6 meters high, and 8 meter wide (circular bank) this is an impressive feat of enginerring. With an internal ditch and easy to walk up sides the earthen bank is not for any kind of defence purpose.

Lat. 54 32.4 N :  Long. 5 56.9 W