Kilkeel Portal Tomb, Down, Ireland

Kilkeel Portal Tomb, also known as ‘the Crawtree Stone’ is a charming dolmen that forms part of a modern day field bank, to the side of a laneway, just north of the village of Kilkeel, Co. Down. This portal tomb has a large unusual capstone that makes the structure somewhat resemble a tortoise, much like the one at nearby Kilfeaghan! The large capstone measuring 2.5metres in diameter rests on 2 portal stones to the SW 1.3 metres in height and two side slabs about 1.5×1.2 metres in size. There are two other stones that have been inserted between these four orthostats but these are thought to be of a much later date. It appears the name Crawtree is related to the elder tree which in folklore is a harbinger of protection and good health. I do recommend a visit to this stone bizarrely situated in a laneway behind an Asda as it is!

GPS: 54.06649, -6.00353

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