The Linford Barrows – County Antrim, Northern Ireland - Atlas Obscura
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The Linford Barrows

County Antrim, Northern Ireland

These unknown Bronze Age earthworks are believed to be ancient burial mounds.  

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Linford Barrows Distant TownTactics (Atlas Obscura User)
Linford Barrows Distant TownTactics (Atlas Obscura User)
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Linford Barrows are situated above the little settlement of Cairncastle in the Knockdhu Hills in County Antrim. The site lies in the town of Linford, hence its namesake. The region features incredible views of the Irish Sea and the village of Ballygally. It was the perfect area for a Bronze Age settlement. 

The Linford Barrows consists of two large adjacent circular mounds, each surrounded by a ditch and rampart called a ring-barrow, all dating back to the Bronze Age. These structures were utilized for ancient burials and signified that an important member of the settlement, such as a clan leader, had died.

When bodies were buried, they were placed within a stone or wooden vault before large amounts of soil were used to form these exceeding mounds. One of these mounds measures 42 feet (13 meters) in diameter and the other around 19 feet (16 meters) in diameter. The mounds have left a large and pronounced impression on the surrounding landscape, as if a giant left their fingerprints. 

Know Before You Go

The Linford Barrows site is situated near the village of Cairncastle at the top of the Feystown Road. There is a free car park situated on-site, and the Linford Barrows are just behind the car park on the Knockdhu Hill trek. This area also forms part of the Antrim Hills Way and Ulster Way walking trails and is an area where Game of Thrones was filmed.

earthworks mounds bronze age burial places history & culture
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