Larne Standing Stone

An ancient stone rises atop a hill above Larne, standing tall just as it has for thousands of years. The artifact’s presence makes it clear that this site held some sort of important significance for the community that once called the rolling landscape home.  

Standing stones, or menhirs, are large upright structures erected by humans. Their purpose is pretty enigmatic, but it’s believed they once served some sort of religious significance. Many intriguing items have been found in digs around standing stones including buried dead, pottery, and flint tools.

The area around Larne and other parts of the East Antrim coastline were some of the earliest inhabited areas of Ireland, with artifacts being found as early as the Mesolithic era (6000 B.C.). Because of Larne’s closeness to the Scottish mainland, it’s likely that the earliest settlers crossed over to Northern Ireland via the North Channel.

The term “Larnian” has been used by archaeologists to describe the artifacts found in the local area from this era. The term has survived to the current day, but now it’s used instead to refer to someone from Larne.