Ballybriest Court Tomb

Map Reference: H762885 (2762, 3885)

Ballybriest, or Carnanbane, is a dual court-tomb with a forecourt at either end leading to burial galleries placed back-to-back but not quite on the same axis. Land clearance in the 18th and 19th centuries removed the northern half of the monument and the tomb is now stripped of its cairn. To the west is an oval court but the north side of this is not original. It leads to a two-chambered gallery. The depth of the court is about 4.5m and the gallery is about 6m long.



The tomb to the east is more ruinous. It has a larger court about 4.5m wide at the front and about 5m deep. Only fragments of the gallery, about 4m long, remain. Excavation in the 1930s revealed burnt bone, several flint scrapers and knives, and Neolithic pottery sherds. The tomb was found to have been built on an occupation site, with hearths, pot sherds and hazel nuts.