Altagore Cashel


Map Reference: D250349 (3250, 4349)



The cashel at Altagore is the finest surviving example in County Antrim. It has a thick drystone wall and is situated on rocky pasture land overlooking a small valley to the east and the sea to the south east. Some loose stones are visible at the south extending about 6m from the wall. There are very few loose stones in the interior. The entrance to an intramural passage is to the west but it has been blocked with stones.



It is 0.75m high by 0.7m wide. The Preliminary Survey of the Ancient Monuments of Northern Ireland indicates that passage is only about 1.5m deep. The entrance to the cashel lies to the north with the western jamb still in place. To the west of the entrance there are stone steps leading to top of the wall.



The internal diameter of the cashel is 15.6m by 17.1m, while externally it is 19m by 21m. The wall stands to original height at the south and west but the upper courses of the eastern wall appear to have been rebuilt.







The following two photos were taken by Peter Steele using a drone.


Photo by Peter Steele


Photo by Peter Steele

Return to County Antrim List
Return to Gazetteer