Megalithic tomb - court tomb, Crevary Upper, Co. Donegal
Standing in level pasture 1.5 kilometres west of Rathmullan, this enigmatic megalithic monument overlooks Lough Swilly to the east whilst Croaghan Hill rises to the northwest.
Megalithic tomb - court tomb, Crevary Upper, Co. Donegal
The structure consists of two tall stone jambs set longitudinally, about 1.25 metres apart, with a lower slab positioned transversely between them. The western jamb reaches 1.6 metres in height, whilst its eastern counterpart stands even taller at 1.9 metres, with the connecting slab measuring 0.9 metres high. What makes this site particularly intriguing is the remnant of an old field fence that extends south-southeast from the western jamb, incorporating two large stones that may be survivors from a much more extensive structure.
According to historical records from an Ordnance Survey Revision Name Book dating to 1847-9, these stones once formed part of the western side of a substantial grave measuring approximately 5.5 metres long, though the eastern side had already deteriorated by that time. Local oral tradition, recorded by archaeologist de Valera in 1960, suggests that the monument originally featured four jambs rather than the two that survive today, hinting at a once grander structure that time and weather have reduced.
The exact nature of this monument remains tantalisingly uncertain; it could represent the segmented entrance to a court tomb gallery, or alternatively, the portal stones and doorstone of a portal tomb. Given the historical evidence pointing to a long gallery and the possibility of additional jambs, archaeologists have tentatively classified it as a court tomb, though this designation comes with considerable caution. Various stones scattered around the site, including a prostrate slab immediately south of the western jamb and two substantial slabs incorporated into the nearby wall, may be displaced elements of the original structure, adding further layers to this prehistoric puzzle that has watched over Lough Swilly for millennia.





